Clever people

Have just received an interesting article in Forbes from Toby on how to identify clever people that can lead businesses out of the difficult times through their ability to consistently innovate and deliver value within the bounds of an organisation.

What makes it fascinating is the notion that engaging with recalcitrant iconoclasts who, as the article defines it, are:

highly talented individuals who have the potential to create disproportionate amounts of value from the resources that an organization makes available to them

is completely opposite to how you might engage and motivate others employees.

Whereas most people are looking for optimism from their leaders, these “clever people” are looking for the opposite approach entirely.  Tell them it can’t be done, it’s hopeless, we might as well give up now – and then watch them drag your business cartwheeling into the sunshine of recovery.