In the Workplace, What Ultimately Defeats You Is Not 'Lack of Intelligence' but 'Lack of Thinking'

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In the workplace, there are always those who are half a beat slower than others, fail to execute details properly, and produce results full of loopholes. What takes others 10 minutes, they spend half a day on.

On the other hand, some smart colleagues always 'get it' instantly, grasp the leader's intentions immediately, execute quickly and excellently. For them, any difficulty seems easy.

If you were the boss, who would you hire? Undoubtedly, the latter! And at such times, the former often hears earnest advice: 'You need to learn to think more when doing things!'

Often, we equate 'not thinking' with 'not being smart.' Actually, that's not the case. 'Not being smart' can be compensated by diligence and asking questions, while 'not thinking' directly reflects your work attitude. In the workplace, you can be not smart, but you cannot fail to think.

1. The Purpose of Thinking Is to 'Do the Job Well'

What does it mean to do the job well? The work style that most satisfies bosses, as widely circulated online, is: report results when reporting work; propose solutions when asking for instructions; summarize processes when summarizing work; set standards when assigning work; ask about processes when caring for subordinates; be ethical when handing over work; share feelings when recalling work.

In fact, a common phenomenon in many companies is that many can make promises, but few can execute; many can come up with ideas, but few can deliver results.

Why is this? The reason is that we lack 'results awareness.' Results are more important than effort. Having results awareness is the most basic professional quality of a workplace person and the foundation for a company's survival.

In work, we should think more: What effect does the project aim to achieve? What plan is to be adopted? How to advance effectively? Considering the leader's perspective can avoid going in the wrong direction and help improve efficiency, achieving twice the result with half the effort.

2. Speak with Thought: EQ Determines How Far You Go in the Workplace

Some say high EQ means speaking in a way that makes others comfortable; others say high EQ means having empathy and putting yourself in others' shoes. However, in life, we often hear such openings: 'I speak bluntly, so don't mind,' or self-deprecating remarks like 'Hey, I speak without thinking.'

Such impulsiveness is absolutely not allowed in the workplace. 'The same words can be said in ten ways.' When dealing with leaders, colleagues, and clients daily, although we should not be sycophantic or solely aim to please, we cannot deny the important role of 'speaking well' in the workplace.

To borrow the famous saying of Kevin Tsai: 'The effect of speaking well is to make the already likable you even more likable in the future. ' So, we need to understand the art of speaking, not just the technique:

1. 'My way of speaking is to put you in my heart'

This applies to work as well: different motivations require different incentives. Whether dealing with subordinates or partners, only by putting the other person in your heart, knowing what they truly want and their intrinsic motivations, can you target effectively and maximize their strengths.

Qiao Jian, Senior Vice President of Lenovo Group, who is deeply loved by employees and always smiling, was told by Yang Yuanqing, President and CEO of Lenovo Group, when she first joined Lenovo: 'The most important work you do is to find each person's pain point, that is, what motivates them.'

2. 'Whenever you want to say 'I', change it to 'you' or 'he''

Everyone only wants to 'talk about themselves.' No one likes to be negated, and no one wants to listen to you ramble on endlessly.

In the workplace, differences of opinion are normal, often due to information asymmetry. If we are argumentative and rush to negate others with 'No,' 'Not right,' 'Not good,' we lose the opportunity to see different perspectives on solving problems.

When you start accepting others' viewpoints, and when you change 'I' to 'you' or 'he' every time, you possess a rare quality in the workplace—empathy.

(Video duration 2'53'', recommended to browse on Wi-Fi)

3. 'Being yourself and being rude are only a line apart; never be stingy with praise'

When cooperating with others, learn to be grateful for their time and effort. Always keep 'thank you' in your heart. This not only shows respect but also makes cooperation more pleasant!

Some things seem ordinary, and for others, they may be just a small effort. If you take them for granted and ignore others' contributions, you may be labeled 'rude.' A simple word of praise and thanks can fill them with joy!

3. Thinking Deeply Gives You More Profound Insight

Yu Jin, Global Managing Partner at McKinsey, once shared a sentence that greatly benefited his career: 'Smart people are not those who never make mistakes, but those who do not repeat the same mistakes. '

In the workplace, everyone's cognition and ability are limited, and mistakes are inevitable. However, smart people learn from mistakes and can draw inferences to avoid similar situations.

So, what is true intelligence? Having professional knowledge in a specific field? An Ivy League background? Work experience at a Fortune 500 company? These are labels given by the outside world. True intelligence is knowing how to think and express correctly.

— Michael Evans, Duke University professor

Zhihu user Xie Xiongjun once shared 'How to Identify Smart People Around You' from six dimensions, which received 20K likes:

Strong metacognitive ability;

(Metacognition is 'cognition about cognition' and 'knowledge about knowledge.' Simply put, it is thinking about your own cognitive processes.)

Logical thinking leaps;

Always curious;

Ability to explain complex problems in simple language;

Attitude towards opinions;

Attitude towards others.

Xie Xiongjun believes these six points are the main criteria for identifying smart people. Among them, the first three are about thinking, and the last three are about expression. It is clear that thinking and expression are essential tools for smart people.

Whether it is doing things, speaking, or thinking, we need to learn to use our brains. When others always feel that communicating with you is not on the same wavelength, and your thoughts are always inconsistent, that is when it is truly dangerous. In the workplace, you can be not smart, but you cannot fail to think! ▲

This article is original from Liepin (ID: liepinmishu). For reprint authorization, copyright cooperation, or reader submissions, please email liujt@liepin.com

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