Have you ever crossed paths with someone who just operates on a whole other spectrum?
Ever encountered an individual whose cognitive prowess surpasses anyone else you’ve come across?
Indeed, I have.
I was fortunate to be under the leadership of someone remarkably intelligent and considerate.
An extraordinary intellect paired with adept management skills, the synergy was undeniable.
Even now, I’m constantly astounded by his exceptional capacity for thought.
Let’s talk about a leader from a former startup I was part of. We’ll refer to him as Adam.
The Individual
In the realm of startups, I was under the guidance of a certain manager, let’s refer to him as Adam for the sake of anonymity.
Residing in the prime of his thirties, Adam was the proud father of three young children, all under five years old. He spearheaded an engineering crew of approximately 20 adept professionals. Beyond his primary managerial duties, Adam devoted multiple hours each day to coding. His programming skill-set was amongst the finest I have ever encountered. Moreover, his managerial prowess was simply unmatched and potentially unparalleled in my future experiences. He never compromised his proficiency in either his managerial role or his technical endeavors.
In the technology sector, most individuals excel as either exceptional team leaders or individual contributors. However, it is a rare breed that demonstrates proficiency in both arenas.
The secret behind how Adam maintained such high standards across diverse responsibilities remains unbeknownst to me.
The Expertise
My experience working alongside Adam was nothing short of enlightening and proved to be the pinnacle of my professional journey.
Adam was nothing short of brilliant, a truth undeniably evident.
Yet, he didn’t conform to the societal blueprint often associated with accomplished individuals.
Adam was a college dropout. He didn’t seek formal post-secondary education. Instead, self-education played a pivotal role in shaping his capabilities.
Despite Adam’s indisputable intellect, what truly set him apart from all others I’ve collaborated with was his distinctive thought process. Having the opportunity to work closely with him enlightened me to his unique angle of viewing situations.
The secret to his extraordinary success can be attributed to two main factors:
- He consistently dissected large problems into more manageable, solvable fragments
- His intense dedication to discovering the fundamental reasons for challenges faced by our team stood out.
Utilizing this Ability in Practice
Collaborating with this phenomenal individual enlightened me to the power of a progressive mindset and how it can help achieve what once seemed unattainable.
Although not every attempt is a triumph, my strategy is to tackle substantial challenges by dissecting them into manageable sections.
For instance, my goal is to accumulate $1 million.
So, what would be the process to first accumulate $1,000? Or perhaps $100,000? Or even $500,000?
To secure my initial $1,000, I would need to master the art of:
Generating income
Optimizing my spending to less than my earnings
Initiating a savings plan
These competencies would be advantageous as I set my sights on higher figures.
I would need to understand how to expand my efforts and vitality.
In this journey, inevitably, I would have to educate myself on a variety of subjects through diligent online research.
His distinct proficiency was his relentless pursuit of root causes.
Surface-level details held no charm for him. His goal was not to squander his time on trivial aspects. Instead, he had the uncanny ability to take a step back, analyze and determine the real cause of the issues at hand.
If a team member approached him with a predicament, he perceived this as a manifestation of a more significant, upstream issue. He would then concentrate on remedying the upstream problem to avoid the downstream repercussions.
This intense focus on root causes enabled him to deter recurring problems. His efforts were far more impactful and rewarded.
This methodology afforded him more time for proactive actions, rather than constantly extinguishing fires.
This encounter revolutionized my life for the good.
It made me comprehend that while intelligence is crucial, tremendous advancements can be made if you sharpen the way you acquire knowledge and tackle life’s challenges.
Modifying your viewpoint and attitude can propel you to great distances.
