Stupefied

Each year, organizations hire the best graduates from the finest universities. After years of honing and sharpening their skills, these graduates expect, but won’t find, intellectual development in their careers. Rather, those who flourish do so by keeping clients happy and “switching off their brains.” They become practitioners of “stupidity.”

“Organizations hire smart people, but then positively encourage them not to use their intelligence.”

Organizational stupidity comes in many forms. There is bureaucracy. Doctors and teachers spend more time navigating rules than they do healing or educating. There is a strong belief in leadership. In fact, many managers become obsessed with being great leaders only because they are, in fact, little more than bureaucrats. Brand power is another source of stupidity. Organizations spend fantastic sums of money to do little more than change their logos.

“Business leaders are just as fashion-conscious as teenage girls choosing jeans.” (Handelsbanken former chairman Jan Wallender)

Organizations follow best practices from other industry leaders only to achieve few results or, in some cases, worse outcomes – as in the case of paying executives exorbitantly high sums of money with little or no effect on the bottom line. A final form of stupidity is company culture. Examples of constant change, focusing on the present and unwavering positivity fail to teach the lessons of past mistakes or prepare employees to make any necessary changes before a downturn.

“Acting stupid at work is a subtle art. If you underdo it, people will suspect you are putting on an act. If you overdo it, they will start to think you are a liability.”

While collective stupidity can lead to payoffs, it can also be costly. Nokia’s commitment to positivity led to collective ignorance about its rivals. It was unprepared when Apple and Samsung took over the mobile market.

Practicing stupidity takes many forms, but generally focuses on presentation over content. In other words, it’s better to look good than to be intelligent. It can mean imitating Google or copying initiatives from other companies. It could involve following the boss’s lead because it shows loyalty. Finally, stupidity often stems from blind optimism, which can show commitment. Above all, if you behave stupidly, keep moving. Bask in the glory of success, and get out before things spiral downwards. Let someone else “clean up the mess.”