There are moments when you know you are NOT the smartest person in the room. This occurred last week when I had the chance to be part of a very cool initiative started by the UN Foundation — the Global Entrepreneurs Council. This initiative brings together some of the smartest, dynamic, and entrepreneurial people of our generation to help solve global problems. It’s a moment when you realize the torch isn’t being passed when it comes to thinking big about tomorrow…it’s been hurled ahead.
One of the best parts of my job is that I get the chance to interact with people like this. At a certain point during the day, I took a minute away from the conversation to think about how each of these people got to where they are today. I was looking for that common theme of approach, attitude, talents or training that linked them together and made them super-star thinkers. It definitely wasn’t demographics or training…this was one of the most diverse groups you could imagine on that front. So what was it that made these under-40’s part of the game-changing set at this young age?
My conclusion by the end of the day was that they listened as much as they spoke. This is a rare thing these days. But in the case of these young scions-in-the-rough, it has worked to their advantage. They learn as they go because their ears are open and working. This was clear as I inventoried the words they used in groups large and small when they talked about their vision and hopes for the future. They weren’t afraid to cite others and identify ideas that were built on the smart thinking of others.
In order to be entrepreneurial and notable, you have to be noting what is happening around you that is entrepreneurial. This is the smartest common denominator between these new friends that we would all do well to emulate.
P.S. Check out a snapshot of what they had to say during a great event that evening at Wolfgang Puck’s The Source in D.C. that night…
