Alisa Cohn - Don't be the smartest guy in the room

Alisa Cohn explains why being the smartest person in the room damages your reputation. Ask more questions, use affirming language, and talk less. Let others speak and your own words land harder.
Chapters
One of my clients recently got feedback that he acted like the smartest guy in the room. The truth is he probably is the smartest guy in the room, but it's annoying when you show up that way and nobody likes it. It's not going to help you build a great reputation at work. So here's some strategies for you if that's one of your things, to not look like the smartest guy in the room. Number 1, ask more questions. Ask more questions like, tell me more about that, what makes you so excited about that? Number 2, use positive language. I love that idea, tell me more. Or what a great thought, could you share that a little bit more with everybody else. Something like that, that helps people really feel affirmed and they feel approved of. And number 3, simply talk less. And when you talk less, amazingly, they will listen to you more.
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