Managing Super Smart People

The smartest people I've worked with don't need to be told what to do. They need context, autonomy, and trust.

Early in my career, I thought managing meant having all the answers. Now I know it means asking the right questions and clearing obstacles.

What I've Learned

Give them problems, not solutions. Smart people want to figure things out. If you hand them a solution, you've taken away the interesting part.

Get out of their way. Your job isn't to micromanage. It's to create an environment where they can do their best work.

Step in when they're stuck. Not to solve it for them, but to help them see it differently. Sometimes all they need is a fresh perspective or a connection to someone who's solved something similar.

Defend their time. Brilliant people attract requests. Protect them from becoming organizational pinball machines.

The best compliment I've received as a manager: "You helped me do the best work of my career."

That's the goal.