Leadership Looks Like Being the Dumbest Person in the Room

One of the best leadership hacks no one talks about? Getting really comfortable being the dumbest person in the room.

That’s been my not-so-secret strategy for years. I've always gravitated towards insanely smart people—whether they were internal teammates, external collaborators, or thought leaders I was lucky enough to work with. Not because I wanted to “network.” But because I wanted to listen. I wanted to learn. And honestly? I wanted to soak up as much of their brainpower as possible.

And over time, that changed the game for me.

By constantly surrounding myself with people who were experts in their field—people who knew way more than me—I found myself learning faster, getting sharper, and developing the kind of judgment that you can’t fake. I became more confident in making key decisions around medical education strategy, publications, tone, positioning—everything. And not because I magically “knew it all.” But because I had absorbed so much from those who did.

Here’s the thing: leadership isn’t about being the smartest. It’s about being curious. It’s about having the humility to admit you don’t know everything—and then having the courage to go find the people who do.

I’ve had the privilege of working with brilliant doctors, researchers, and experts who have generously shared their time, insights, and experience. And every time I leaned in to ask questions, to listen more than I talked, to really learn—I came away stronger. More confident. More grounded in what I was doing and why.

So if you’re climbing the ladder, managing teams, running programs—don’t be afraid to be the “dumb” one in the room. That’s where the growth happens. That’s where the breakthroughs happen. That’s where you become the kind of leader people trust.

Be open. Be humble. Be okay with not having the answers.

And then go find the people who do.