--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you have the ability to work with…" description: "\"If you have the ability to work with people smarter than you, always try to be the least smartest person in the room and surround yourself with talent,..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53d/jake-m-johnson-19385_ability_if-you-have-the-ability-to-work-with-peo_1732634.jpg" --- # If you have the ability to work with people smarter than… ![“If you have the ability to work with people smarter than you, always try to be the least smartest person in the room and surround yourself with talent, because iron sharpens iron.” quote by Jake M. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53d/jake-m-johnson-19385_ability_if-you-have-the-ability-to-work-with-peo_1732634.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53d/jake-m-johnson-19385_ability_if-you-have-the-ability-to-work-with-peo_1732634.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53d/jake-m-johnson-19385_ability_if-you-have-the-ability-to-work-with-peo_1732634.jpg) > “If you have the ability to work with people smarter than you, always try to be the least smartest person in the room and surround yourself with talent, because iron sharpens iron.” [Jake M. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-m-johnson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Working with smarter peers pushes you to grow; being the least knowledgeable encourages learning and collaboration. **In simple terms:** Surround yourself with talent to improve. Key Takeaway Seek mentors and stay humble. Themes growth collaboration humility Mood motivational reflective Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - team projects - career advancement - startup environments - academic research Key Concepts learning mentorship skill development Questions to Reflect On - How can you contribute uniquely when you feel less knowledgeable? - What steps ensure you add value while learning? A Different Perspective May become over-reliant on others' ideas. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Talent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talent/) ## Related quotes > [Try never to be the smartest person in the room. And if you are, I suggest you invite smarter people … or find a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-dell/try-never-to-be-the-smartest-person-in-the-room-and-if-you-are-i-2/) [Michael Dell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-dell/) > [Try never to be the smartest person in the room. And if you are, I suggest you invite smarter people or find a different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-dell/try-never-to-be-the-smartest-person-in-the-room-and-if-you-are-i/) [Michael Dell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-dell/) > [“You could be the smartest person on earth, but nobody will care if you can’t carry yourself the right way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napz-cherub-pellazo/you-could-be-the-smartest-person-on-earth-but-nobody-will-care-if-you/) [Napz Cherub Pellazo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napz-cherub-pellazo/) > [“Being the smartest person in the room is less important than getting the basics right and being truly passionate about your business.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ido-leffler/being-the-smartest-person-in-the-room-is-less-important-than-getting/) [Ido Leffler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ido-leffler/) > [Teachers shouldn't make the mistake of always thinking they're the smartest person in the room](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-mali/teachers-shouldn-t-make-the-mistake-of-always-thinking-they-re-the/) [Taylor Mali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-mali/) > [“Stephen Hawking the reputation of being the smartest person alive. Most of us agree.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/stephen-hawking-the-reputation-of-being-the-smartest-person-alive/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [Christ brown is really almost the smartest person in the world but he is no where near it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-stewart/christ-brown-is-really-almost-the-smartest-person-in-the-world-but-he/) Leon Stewart > [Like a lot of people in the computer industry, Keith Malinowski had spent his whole life being the smartest person in the room, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-cook/like-a-lot-of-people-in-the-computer-industry-keith-malinowski-had/) [Rick Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-cook/) > [I always told people in the private sector, 'You can be the smartest person in the world, you can have the very best ideas,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-paulson/i-always-told-people-in-the-private-sector-you-can-be-the-smartest/) [Henry Paulson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-paulson/) > [I don't take myself too seriously. I never think I'm the smartest person in the room.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-mulroney/i-don-t-take-myself-too-seriously-i-never-think-i-m-the-smartest/) [Jessica Mulroney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-mulroney/) > [I’ve seen how you can’t learn anything when you’re trying to look like the smartest person in the room.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/i-ve-seen-how-you-can-t-learn-anything-when-you-re-trying-to-look/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [“It has been said that after meeting with the great British Prime Minister William Ewart Gladstone, you left feeling he was the smartest person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-wiseman/it-has-been-said-that-after-meeting-with-the-great-british-prime/) [Liz Wiseman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-wiseman/) > [The smartest person in the room, is the room.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-weinberger/the-smartest-person-in-the-room-is-the-room/) [David Weinberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-weinberger/) > [Being the smartest person in the room I think can be very lonely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsey-morgan/being-the-smartest-person-in-the-room-i-think-can-be-very-lonely/) [Lindsey Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsey-morgan/) > [“If you're the smartest person in the room, you might wanna switch rooms.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sabrina-newby/if-you-re-the-smartest-person-in-the-room-you-might-wanna-switch-rooms/) [Sabrina Newby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sabrina-newby/) ## More by Jake M. Johnson > [I don't believe in karaoke. Let's let the singers sing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-m-johnson/i-don-t-believe-in-karaoke-let-s-let-the-singers-sing/) [Jake M. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-m-johnson/) > [It's a really weird feeling when you write something and you really know it and then you watch actors come in and do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-m-johnson/it-s-a-really-weird-feeling-when-you-write-something-and-you-really/) [Jake M. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-m-johnson/) > [Everybody has their different tastes with television - there are some characters people like, some characters people hate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-m-johnson/everybody-has-their-different-tastes-with-television-there-are-some/) [Jake M. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-m-johnson/) > [I like to move quickly. I don't like the nature of television of just sitting around and overshooting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-m-johnson/i-like-to-move-quickly-i-don-t-like-the-nature-of-television-of-just/) [Jake M. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-m-johnson/) > [I've always been, in games, the bad guy. If there was ever cops and robbers I was always a robber.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-m-johnson/i-ve-always-been-in-games-the-bad-guy-if-there-was-ever-cops-and/) [Jake M. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-m-johnson/) > [The craziest thing about TV directing is I turned in a version, and then they made their final changes - so I don't know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-m-johnson/the-craziest-thing-about-tv-directing-is-i-turned-in-a-version-and/) [Jake M. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-m-johnson/) > [I never thought I'd be one of those guys who gets recognized.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-m-johnson/i-never-thought-i-d-be-one-of-those-guys-who-gets-recognized/) [Jake M. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-m-johnson/) > [If I were a teacher, I would like to teach freshman English - so I could be the Robin Williams type in Dead Poets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-m-johnson/if-i-were-a-teacher-i-would-like-to-teach-freshman-english-so-i-could/) [Jake M. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-m-johnson/) > [Problem is that my athletic abilities in my mind are greater than what my body can accomplish. And my level of fear and anxiety…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-m-johnson/problem-is-that-my-athletic-abilities-in-my-mind-are-greater-than/) [Jake M. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-m-johnson/) > [If I'm not directing it, I need to be right in the director's ear so we can be talking about this." You do something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-m-johnson/if-i-m-not-directing-it-i-need-to-be-right-in-the-director-s-ear-so/) [Jake M. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-m-johnson/) > [I don't have an interest in being a director-for-hire on sitcoms - but if it's a really cool show that I thought I could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-m-johnson/i-don-t-have-an-interest-in-being-a-director-for-hire-on-sitcoms-but/) [Jake M. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-m-johnson/) > [I like fictional stories - like, things that never happened but the seed of it starts as real.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-m-johnson/i-like-fictional-stories-like-things-that-never-happened-but-the-seed/) [Jake M. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-m-johnson/) > [ I was in a two-person show \[with Oliver Ralli\] called the Midwesterners where we wrote all of our own stuff and we traveled the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-m-johnson/i-was-in-a-two-person-show-with-oliver-ralli-called-the-midwesterners/) [Jake M. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-m-johnson/) > [There are a lot of comedic actors who are just out to be the funny one and get all the laughs and they'll sacrifice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-m-johnson/there-are-a-lot-of-comedic-actors-who-are-just-out-to-be-the-funny/) [Jake M. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-m-johnson/) > [We didn't make money but we never lost money. We'd sit around Times Square with fliers, walk around the Village and try and get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-m-johnson/we-didn-t-make-money-but-we-never-lost-money-we-d-sit-around-times/) [Jake M. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-m-johnson/) [Explore all 32 Jake M. Johnson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-m-johnson/) ## More Ability quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. If you want them in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/the-importance-of-ability-the-things-that-make-a-great-job-great-i/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/) [Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/) > [You can only do the work to the very best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/you-can-only-do-the-work-to-the-very-best-of-your-ability/) [Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/) [Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/) [Browse all 9,990 Ability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you have the ability to work with people smarter than you, always try to be the least smartest person in the room and surround yourself with talent, because iron sharpens iron.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jake M. 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