--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Paradoxically, the best way for a group…" description: "\"Paradoxically, the best way for a group to be smart is for each person in it to think and act as independently as possible.\" — James Surowiecki" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a3/james-surowiecki-2196_being-smart_paradoxically-the-best-way-for-a-group-t_391125.png" --- # Paradoxically, the best way for a group to be smart is for… ![“Paradoxically, the best way for a group to be smart is for each person in it to think and act as independently as possible.” quote by James Surowiecki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a3/james-surowiecki-2196_being-smart_paradoxically-the-best-way-for-a-group-t_391125.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a3/james-surowiecki-2196_being-smart_paradoxically-the-best-way-for-a-group-t_391125.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a3/james-surowiecki-2196_being-smart_paradoxically-the-best-way-for-a-group-t_391125.png) > “Paradoxically, the best way for a group to be smart is for each person in it to think and act as independently as possible.” [James Surowiecki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-surowiecki/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Collective intelligence thrives when individuals think and act independently, avoiding groupthink. **In simple terms:** Independence boosts group intelligence. Key Takeaway Encourage autonomous thinking in teams. Themes collaboration independence wisdom Mood analytical instructive Type theoretical practical When to use this quote - business teams - research groups - policy panels Key Concepts group dynamics decision making Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance independence and cooperation? - What structures support autonomous contributions? A Different Perspective Too much independence can fragment cohesion. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Being smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-smart/) [Best way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-way/) [Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smart/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [Diversity and independence are important because the best collective decisions are the product of disagreement and contest, not consensus or compromising. An intelligent group,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-surowiecki/diversity-and-independence-are-important-because-the-best-collective-2/) [James Surowiecki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-surowiecki/) > [“My favorite ethnic group is smart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dagoberto-gilb/my-favorite-ethnic-group-is-smart/) Dagoberto Gilb > [If old American alliance commitments don't count for as much, countries will, in some cases, then say, 'Well, we've got to militarize in certain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-n-haass/if-old-american-alliance-commitments-don-t-count-for-as-much/) [Richard N. Haass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-n-haass/) > [As individuals, we have to act independently of the politics at hand. I don't feel an added responsibility to do anything more beyond being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicky-jam/as-individuals-we-have-to-act-independently-of-the-politics-at-hand-i/) [Nicky Jam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicky-jam/) > [I have always thought and I still think that the Central Bank should act independently. Indeed, it does, you can take my word. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/i-have-always-thought-and-i-still-think-that-the-central-bank-should/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [“Many of us overvalue autonomy, the strength to stand alone, the capacity to act independently. Far too few of us pay attention to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-sloane-coffin/many-of-us-overvalue-autonomy-the-strength-to-stand-alone-the/) [William Sloane Coffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-sloane-coffin/) > [In this age, the man who dares to think for himself and to act independently does a service to his race.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/in-this-age-the-man-who-dares-to-think-for-himself-and-to-act/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [For a crowd to be smart, the people in it need to be not only diverse in their perspectives but also, relatively speaking, independent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-surowiecki/for-a-crowd-to-be-smart-the-people-in-it-need-to-be-not-only-diverse/) [James Surowiecki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-surowiecki/) > [The fact that cognitive diversity matters does not mean that if you assemble a group of diverse but thoroughly uninformed people, their collective wisdom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-surowiecki/the-fact-that-cognitive-diversity-matters-does-not-mean-that-if-you/) [James Surowiecki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-surowiecki/) > [Without theater, I don't think I would have thought I was a smart person or excelled at anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audra-mcdonald/without-theater-i-don-t-think-i-would-have-thought-i-was-a-smart/) [Audra McDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audra-mcdonald/) > [Nothing makes me happier than to have a smart person tell me why the show is smart, especially if I didn't intend that. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-ryan/nothing-makes-me-happier-than-to-have-a-smart-person-tell-me-why-the/) [Shawn Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-ryan/) > [I think I'm a fairly smart person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-portnoy/i-think-i-m-a-fairly-smart-person/) [Dave Portnoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-portnoy/) > [I'm not going to change it, because I think Mitt Romney has proven to be not a smart person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-not-going-to-change-it-because-i-think-mitt-romney-has-proven-to/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [“Not taking off his dark overcoat, lending him quite a hulking gangster look, pacing in front of the CIA’s wall of stars for its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-wolff/not-taking-off-his-dark-overcoat-lending-him-quite-a-hulking-gangster/) [Michael Wolff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-wolff/) > [“A smart person learns from his mistakes, but a truly wise person learns from the mistakes of others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-schramm/a-smart-person-learns-from-his-mistakes-but-a-truly-wise-person/) Ken Schramm ## More by James Surowiecki > [Lack of confidence, sometimes alternating with unrealistic dreams of heroic success, often leads to procrastination, and many studies suggest that procrastinators are self-handicappers: rather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-surowiecki/lack-of-confidence-sometimes-alternating-with-unrealistic-dreams-of/) [James Surowiecki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-surowiecki/) > [Downsizing itself is an inevitable part of any creatively destructive economy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-surowiecki/downsizing-itself-is-an-inevitable-part-of-any-creatively-destructive/) [James Surowiecki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-surowiecki/) > [In the business world, bad news is usually good news - for somebody else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-surowiecki/in-the-business-world-bad-news-is-usually-good-news-for-somebody-else/) [James Surowiecki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-surowiecki/) > [You might think of consumption as a fairly passive activity, but buying new products and services is actually pretty risky, at least if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-surowiecki/you-might-think-of-consumption-as-a-fairly-passive-activity-but/) [James Surowiecki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-surowiecki/) > [Corporations hope that the right concept will turn things around overnight. This is what you might call the crash-diet approach: starve yourself for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-surowiecki/corporations-hope-that-the-right-concept-will-turn-things-around/) [James Surowiecki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-surowiecki/) > [Instead of mindlessly tossing billions at or taking billions from the Net as such, investors should be spending their time making sure that it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-surowiecki/instead-of-mindlessly-tossing-billions-at-or-taking-billions-from-the/) [James Surowiecki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-surowiecki/) > [If you thought the advent of the Internet, the spread of cheap and efficient information technology, and the growing fragmentation of the consumer market…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-surowiecki/if-you-thought-the-advent-of-the-internet-the-spread-of-cheap-and/) [James Surowiecki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-surowiecki/) > [There's no debt limit in the Constitution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-surowiecki/there-s-no-debt-limit-in-the-constitution/) [James Surowiecki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-surowiecki/) > [The financial crisis of 2008 was not caused by investment banks betting against the housing market in 2007. It was caused by the fact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-surowiecki/the-financial-crisis-of-2008-was-not-caused-by-investment-banks/) [James Surowiecki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-surowiecki/) > [A consumer-finance agency is a good thing, but it would do well to teach consumers a simple lesson: if you don't understand the deal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-surowiecki/a-consumer-finance-agency-is-a-good-thing-but-it-would-do-well-to/) [James Surowiecki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-surowiecki/) > [What corporations fear is the phenomenon now known, rather inelegantly, as 'commoditization.' What the term means is simply the conversion of the market for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-surowiecki/what-corporations-fear-is-the-phenomenon-now-known-rather-inelegantly/) [James Surowiecki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-surowiecki/) > [Making loans and fighting poverty are normally two of the least glamorous pursuits around, but put the two together and you have an economic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-surowiecki/making-loans-and-fighting-poverty-are-normally-two-of-the-least/) [James Surowiecki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-surowiecki/) > [Unfortunately, there is something of a flaw in this idealized picture of the way the scientific community discovers truth. And the flaw is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-surowiecki/unfortunately-there-is-something-of-a-flaw-in-this-idealized-picture/) [James Surowiecki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-surowiecki/) > [Markets work best when there's lots of information available and a historical track record to go on; they excel at predicting things like horse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-surowiecki/markets-work-best-when-there-s-lots-of-information-available-and-a/) [James Surowiecki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-surowiecki/) > [The profit motive, indecorous though it may seem, may represent the best chance the poor have to reap some of globalization's benefits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-surowiecki/the-profit-motive-indecorous-though-it-may-seem-may-represent-the/) [James Surowiecki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-surowiecki/) [Explore all 180 James Surowiecki quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-surowiecki/) ## More Being smart quotes > [But if you get chronically, psychosocially stressed, you're going to compromise your health. So, essentially, we've evolved to be smart enough to make ourselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-sapolsky/but-if-you-get-chronically-psychosocially-stressed-you-re-going-to/) [Robert M. Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-sapolsky/) > [Listen! Say less rather than more. If you want to be smart, play stupid!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helena-rubinstein/listen-say-less-rather-than-more-if-you-want-to-be-smart-play-stupid/) [Helena Rubinstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helena-rubinstein/) > [I hated grunge. No one’s more feminist than me, but you don’t have to look as if you don’t give a - you know.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-zeta-jones/i-hated-grunge-no-one-s-more-feminist-than-me-but-you-don-t-have-to/) [Catherine Zeta-Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-zeta-jones/) > [To be smart, spend carefully. To be wise, save regularly. To be genius, give extravagantly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-ingram/to-be-smart-spend-carefully-to-be-wise-save-regularly-to-be-genius/) [Chip Ingram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-ingram/) > [For the past few years, I've been more selective than I have any right to be, but I think that's finally starting to work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lizzy-caplan/for-the-past-few-years-i-ve-been-more-selective-than-i-have-any-right/) [Lizzy Caplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lizzy-caplan/) > [If you're stupid enough to whiff, you should be smart enough to forget it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-palmer/if-you-re-stupid-enough-to-whiff-you-should-be-smart-enough-to-forget/) [Arnold Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-palmer/) > [I learned just to be a belligerent asshole, which was really: "You have to get what you need to get out of it." You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fincher/i-learned-just-to-be-a-belligerent-asshole-which-was-really-you-have/) [David Fincher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fincher/) > [I know it sounds weird, but my definition of 'sexy' has changed as I've gotten older. And being smart and informed makes me feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-shahi/i-know-it-sounds-weird-but-my-definition-of-sexy-has-changed-as-i-ve/) [Sarah Shahi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-shahi/) > [It's always better to be wise than to be smart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-alda/it-s-always-better-to-be-wise-than-to-be-smart/) [Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/) > [Each practitioner thinks there's one magic way to get a machine to be smart, and so they're all wasting their time in a sense.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-minsky/each-practitioner-thinks-there-s-one-magic-way-to-get-a-machine-to-be/) [Marvin Minsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-minsky/) > [All my serving utensils are measured. It's not obvious, because they're really beautiful, but I have the option of tracking what I'm eating. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-vincent/all-my-serving-utensils-are-measured-it-s-not-obvious-because-they-re/) [Ali Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-vincent/) > [We should all feel confident in our intelligence. By the way, intelligence to me isn't just being book-smart or having a college degree; it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tabatha-coffey/we-should-all-feel-confident-in-our-intelligence-by-the-way/) [Tabatha Coffey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tabatha-coffey/) > [Calling someone fat wont make you any skinnier, calling someone dumb dosnt make you any smarter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mean-girls/calling-someone-fat-wont-make-you-any-skinnier-calling-someone-dumb/) [Mean Girls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mean-girls/) > [The way to win is to work, work, work, work and hope to have a few insights And you're probably not going to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/the-way-to-win-is-to-work-work-work-work-and-hope-to-have-a-few/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) > [What we are saying is we have to be smart about the ideology that is putting this idea into the world that a woman…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asra-nomani/what-we-are-saying-is-we-have-to-be-smart-about-the-ideology-that-is/) [Asra Nomani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asra-nomani/) [Browse all 243 Being smart quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-smart/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Paradoxically, the best way for a group to be smart is for each person in it to think and act as independently as possible.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "James Surowiecki" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-surowiecki/paradoxically-the-best-way-for-a-group-to-be-smart-is-for-each-person/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Being smart" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-surowiecki/paradoxically-the-best-way-for-a-group-to-be-smart-is-for-each-person/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a3/james-surowiecki-2196_being-smart_paradoxically-the-best-way-for-a-group-t_391125.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a3/james-surowiecki-2196_being-smart_paradoxically-the-best-way-for-a-group-t_391125.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a3/james-surowiecki-2196_being-smart_paradoxically-the-best-way-for-a-group-t_391125.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Paradoxically, the best way for a group to be smart is for each person in it to think and act as…” — James Surowiecki", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "James Surowiecki", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-surowiecki/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Paradoxically, the best way for a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-surowiecki/paradoxically-the-best-way-for-a-group-to-be-smart-is-for-each-person/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-surowiecki/paradoxically-the-best-way-for-a-group-to-be-smart-is-for-each-person/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```