

Ask PG: How do you effectively deal with incredibly smart people? - citizenkeys

YC obviously attracts smart creative people. However, many brilliant people are often arrogant, eccentric, and difficult. How do you effectively deal with so many incredibly smart people?<p>This question is open to non-PG answers.  Also, I'd like any recommendations on good books.
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orangethirty
How well a work relationship works is up to you, not them. I've learned that
people just want to be heard, appreciated and respected. Always look to do
those three with everybody. Sure, you will not like everyone. And some will
even make you question humanity itself. But have to always remember that
people have issues that you may not know. Those issues might be the ones that
make them act like that.

One example I like to use is from a programmer is used to know a long time
ago. He was bullied in school. I mean, really bullied. As a result, he would
always be mean to people. Not because he wanted. No. Just due to the fact that
he was protecting what little self esteem he had left. I was able to work
around that by telling him my own experiences with bullying. He never told me
much, but he saw me as a non-threat, and was friendly.

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fusiongyro
Interesting question. My experience has been that these personality traits
have more to do with entitlement than intelligence and that beyond a certain
level they drop off. Maturity also helps. This doesn't really help deal with
it, other than to suppose that maybe it isn't a big problem. I wonder if other
people have the same experience.

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terrykohla
IQ smart people can sometimes be emotionally dumb. If you lead a large team,
send them on an EI (emotional intelligence) training or encourage them to do
on their own (without pointing fingers).

Also educating yourself about MBTI could help you deal with different
personality types once you learn how to recognize them.

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citizenkeys
Yeah, EI is a major factor. I read Daniel Goleman's book some years ago. It
was definitely a worthwhile read: [http://www.amazon.com/Emotional-
Intelligence-Matter-More-Tha...](http://www.amazon.com/Emotional-Intelligence-
Matter-More-Than/dp/055338371X)

