How to Stop Being Intimidated by Smart People

Early on in one’s career, it is easy to be intimated by managers, clients or peers who may have more experience, education and years on the job. When your energy continually lingers on how much you don’t know compared to the smart people around you, you end up in a lonely and unpleasant place. A place that’s stagnant and paralyzing, where you get stuck in the fear gear.

Have you ever been intimated by someone in the workplace who appears smarter than you? Who seems to have all the answers?  Someone who has adorned her office walls with endless number of impressive degrees, licenses and awards? Someone who has achieved so much in a short period of time?

Being in the company of a smart person can be very intimidating, and often the feeling of intimidation has nothing to do with others, rather with our own insecurities.

Focusing on what others have and what you lack is not productive or healthy. Instead of comparing yourself to others, focus on the different skills and abilities you bring to the world. For example, you may sit next to the most brilliant programmer at work, but unlike you she can’t speak three languages nor does she have solid interpersonal skills.  

If others intimidate you, then try these suggestions to re-direct your thoughts:

• Focus on your own strengths. It’s easy to focus on what you don’t know or lack. Instead, focus on the skills and abilities you have that others don’t.
• If you want to become smarter, evaluate who you are hanging out with at work and outside of work. As Jim Rohn said, “you are the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with”.  Associate with people who are intelligent and at the same time generous in sharing their knowledge. Not only will you learn from them but you will also be motivated to continue to learn.
• Instead of comparing yourself to others, compare yourself to your former self. How have you grown in the last year? What are you doing to keep learning and exceling in the workplace? New knowledge is sometimes the best antidote to self-doubt. Instead of focusing on what you don’t know compared to others, think about all the ways you have grown and changed for the better. Remember, your current state is not your future state. You have plenty of time to get smarter, so use your time wisely.
• Once you have established that someone is smart, devise ways in which you can learn from them. Enjoy their company and be thankful that you can surround yourself with gifted people.
• There will always be smarter people. The best cure is to continue learning and growing so that you are not intimidated. Turn the attention on you. What classes are you taking? What educational videos are you watching? What books are you reading? Are you pursuing a certificate or a license in your profession?
• If you are a hiring manager, hire people that are smarter, or have more knowledge in the areas you are weak. These people will compliment your weaknesses, and maybe even make you look good in the process.
• Sometimes it’s easy to classify someone as smarter simply by judging them from the outside without really knowing them. If you live life as if it were a competition, then you are going to exhaust yourself and turn others off. Relax and enjoy the variety of people in your world. 

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Links to Good Reads on How to Stop Being Intimidated by Other People

7 Reasons to Never Feel Intimidated

Confidence coach Susie Moore acknowledges, “It is natural to feel intimidated sometimes. Often people we look up to (or those who we just don’t know who seem cool) can bring up feelings we harbor about ourselves that we are not good enough, smart enough, interesting enough. The good news is you are”.  Heed her advice …read more

How can I stop being intimidated by people who are noticeably more intelligent than I am?

Writer Siddharth Agarwal explains, “Plenty of times, the intimidation caused by meeting people who are 'noticeably' more intelligent than us is a direct outcome of the gap between our current self image and the aspirational self image and how the existence of this gap plays upon our emotions of insecurity, inadequacy and self loathing. This is specially true when we meet someone younger to us or of the same age, who has reached that level or position that we aspire to in life”…read more

Don’t Be Intimidated. Make the Smartest People Part of Your Life

Author and professional speaker Jeff Beals challenges readers by asserting, “Surrounding yourself with people more talented people can be very intimidating. And a blow to the ego. And even threatening! Nevertheless, move forward with faith and conviction that you will be better served by teaming up people who are better than you at certain things”. Learn why …read more