The Editor of Forbes on Grit
If you’re not pretty or smart don’t worry. Intelligence doesn’t determine success.
Emotional intelligence is more important than general intelligence, but hard work is more important than both.
Just get dirty and do the work.
Rich Karlgaard, publisher of Forbes magazine and author of, “The Soft Edge,” believes, “grit is a form of intelligence.”
“In the real world, smarts isn’t about looking for the next star student with a 4.0 or having an IQ that can boil water. Instead, it’s about the importance of hard work, of perseverance and resilience. Call it grit.” Rich Karlgaard.
Grades or grit:
You judge young leaders by academics. But there comes a point when grades and pedigree don’t matter.
“I know this irritates a lot of people, but once you’re at a certain point in your career – and it’s not that far out, maybe five years – all the grades and academic credentials in the world don’t mean anything anymore.” Tom Georgens (CEO of NetApps in “The Soft Edge”)
Rich was quick to tell me that he believes grit is a form of intelligence.
Gritty leaders:
- Create teams of doers not talkers. Sluggards love talking about what they’re going to do.
- Protect gains and take new ground at the same time.
- Judge themselves and teammates on track record not academic record.
- Do hard stuff first.
- Confront tough issues. Ask awkward questions.
- Sweat small stuff. Concentrate on fundamentals. Coach Wooden taught college basketball players how to put their socks on every year.
- Follow through. Don’t tell me what you start. Tell me what you finish.
- Choose simple over dramatic.
- Reject haste.
- Keep learning. Intellectual contentment leads to leaders who feel superior and entitled.
Gritty leaders get more done.
What are gritty leaders like?
This post is inspired by my conversation with Rich Karlgaard and his new book “The Soft Edge.”
I heartily recommend “The Soft Edge” both for its rich content and engaging style.
Dear Dan,
I appreciate your insight about judging people and individual. It is true that after some times our grades do not matter much. Even if they matter, they do not reveal many things about the person. They also do not reflect the real potential of any person. Unfortunately, our system and school emphasize more on academic achievement. I also agree that we should judge the track record rather than academic record of the person. That provides the real picture of the person from inside.
Gritty leaders are real people. They do not expect someone to appreciate them. They have courage to do right, encourage right and believe in doing right things. They are people of words. They do what they say. I also believe that create positive impression on surroundings. They create paths for people to follow. They see the world differently. For them, time matters more than anything else.
Their definition of success is based on creating change in people and the world.
Thanks Dr. Gupta. My favorite line you wrote is, “Gritty leaders are real people.” There is something powerful about someone who is just being who they are.
Bingo… This is to the point… Thanks
Thanks Mrunal.
Dan, Story of my life, I love it! KAPOW! I have always said that my hands will always fit a shovel and hard work does pay off! Cheers
Thanks Tim. But, I thought you were pretty? 😉
One of the best things we can say about ourselves is we work hard.
Thanks Dan, all good points on gritty leadership from Rich, added it to the reading list. At first blush they all seem to point to intentional practice, a set of principals covered in Geoff Colvin’s book Talent is Overrated.. Basic premise is that deliberate practice trumps both hard work and talent. I saw this clearly through sports and am learning what deliberate practice looks like as a leader. Good stuff, thanks again.
Thanks David. I haven’t read Colvin’s book but it sounds like a good read. Thanks for mentioning it. The addition of deliberate practice is interesting. I’ll have to think about the difference between deliberate practice and hard work.
Now I understand my bias toward those who work hard (beyond my Dutch blood)! Was it Edison who said something along the lines of success is 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration? I will put this book on my list.
Thanks Glen. Can’t beat a good Dutchman. 🙂
I think Edison said something like what you suggest. If he didn’t, he should have.
Work ethic and grit go hand in hand…. which adds up to perseverance. This trait seems to have waned as technology made our lives go faster and easier. I’m glad to see the business world begin to talk about the value of grit so that it comes from someone other than a teacher who always asks students get going when the going gets tough. As a long time coach, I’ll take a gritty/gutty player with average talent over a talented player without that inner drive to gut it out any day. As noted in a previous response, 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration is the mantra of the doer not the wanna be.
Thanks Vicki. I think we are enamored with “talent.” I’m with you. Give me a hard worker any day.
Grit … I like it! Hard workers will like this blog. One should be aware of who takes the credit for their hard work. Often lazy leaders will take the credit for the hard work you’ve done without giving you the credit.
Thanks Michael. Thanks for bringing up credit. Sometimes those who work the hardest are least interested in the credit.
Gritty leaders don’t fret too much when they confront the tough issues in a meeting and ask for a team to do better. They’re not abusive, but they know how to walk the fine line between accountability and listening leadership.
Thanks James. I really like where you took this. Those who don’t work hard are more disposed to drama. Those who work hard get busy fixing stuff.
I admire people who have dared to go very big academically, but sometimes even that comes from their parents. Perhaps that’s where the five years come in. After awhile, it’s all you. No helicopter parenting allowed in most businesses, thankfully 🙂 I read the list with keen interest but not sure I agree sweating the small stuff. Depends on what stuff. Safety or compliance? Sweat. A small difference in calculation? Stop recalculating and proceed
Thanks Catie. Glad you mentioned the small stuff. I think grit includes paying attention to details.
I like the idea that we stop recalculating and proceed. Makes sense.
“In the real world, smarts isn’t about looking for the next star student with a 4.0 or having an IQ that can boil water. Instead, it’s about the importance of hard work, of perseverance and resilience. Call it grit.” Rich Karlgaard.
I absolutely love this quote. In my mind, intelligence makes the job possible and/or easier for you; however, if you are not willing to stop and shovel the manure when it needs doing, especially if you are a leader, goodbye.
Thanks John. I’m a farm boy, originally. So I know exactly what you are talking about.
Good morninmg Dan;
As someone who holds a degree in Management Science, I must agree, all the intelectual potential in the world does not compare to the positive impact a ‘Go-getter’ can have to their team’s and your organization.
Yes, without the world’s intellectual scholars, we may not enjoy space travel, or realize the potential of Nuclear Energy. But at the end of the day, it’s the guy that get’s it done, that’s the ‘go-2-guy’.
Wana make yourself (Indespenceable), become the guy who always seem’s to know the guy who get’s thing’s done. This simply mean’s you don’t have to know or be able to do everything. “you just gota know who can”!
Like I’ve said before, “attitude’s are contagious, wouldn’t life be grand if we all had the ‘Go-Getters’ attitude?
Cheers Dan,
Steve
Thanks SGT. Your idea of knowing the go-to-guy expands leadership. Apart from that idea we cannot extend leadership beyond what we do on our own. In the end, that’s not leadership.
That go-getter person-man or woman is hard working , dependable and trustworthy where their word is honour. Degrees are only part of the paperwork that is required. To find that kind of a gem of a person in a company is priceless! Getting work done efficiently and at the same time, capable of spreading this kind of mentality into the company, is commendable. Emotional intelligence is a rare gift. How many people have it?
Chong Bee Li, I agree, (Priceless) couldn’t have been a better choice of words…
Thanks SGT Steve
Thanks Choong Bee Li. Yes, the hardworking, dependable, trustworthy person is a gem. Who wouldn’t want them on their team?
When Zellers took over Kmart Canada, Zellers president George Heller was making the announcement to Kmart staff regarding the merger of the two groups into one head office in Brampton, Ontario. The PowerPoint presentation failed. Everyone looked on except for George, who jumped in to sort it out in front of the crowd. I remember admiring how he handled it, and that he was not too good to jump in. It is the small things that say “class, leadership, grit.”
Thanks Donna. Leaders model the way! It’s one thing to talk the talk. It’s another to walk the walk!
Dan, respectfully, I’d like to make the case for “grades in the classroom as grit,” as well as the significance of grit in the workplace.
A student’s “grit” to obtain excellent grades in school must not be dismissed or disregarded–for those study, learning and discipline skills are meaningful and visible in one’s profession in the workplace. Again with respect, there is significant difference between a person who works for an A and one who is okay with a C—as this distinction is generally shown ultimately in one’s quality, quantity and outcome of work. Grit in school is transferred to grit in the workplace.
I also believe “grit” is another name (a more common term) for “conscientiousness,” which we will be hearing more about in the future because it will be the quality that leads to short-term accomplishment and macro-fulfillment. Early grit—found in school kids–is a mixture of many character qualities, involving self-control, determination, punctuality, empathy, self-regulation, ability to control impulses, and delay of gratification. And in terms of psychological traits, it is the most predictive of positive outcomes and future success.
Grit—conscientiousness–is all about diligent work.
Thanks Books. Good point on good grades may reflect grit. They open the door to opportunity. But, as time passes, good performance replaces good grades.
“Conscientiousness” is a great word. I know that when someone is conscientious I don’t have to worry about them getting the word done. What a joy!
You’re right, Dan: Time and good grades will pass, but the GRIT from the work and discipline to get good grades is ever present. And while “C students may run the world,” it’s the A students who will generally be their bosses.
I’m not sure of the statistics comparing grades to being a boss. But, I’ll keep my open. Perhaps the research is out there somewhere. Glad you jumped in on this.
Dan, I couldn’t say it better!
Truett Cathy tells graduates with A and B averages, that he is sorry to tell them that C students run the world.
Jimmy Collins
Thanks Jimmy. Love the Truett Cathy observation. KaPow!
There is a parallel here to the notion “information and knowledge are commodities”. I don’t think anyone has ever built a sustainable advantage through information and knowledge alone. Similarly, you can get so far through good grades. You might even have an edge at times. But it isn’t a sustainable edge.
Hard work, perseverance, determination, resilience, pride, integrity, humility – these are words I associate with people who have grit. Don’t just show me the grade – show me how you got the grade and what you overcame to get the grade.
For the record, and Dan I understand you were a farm kid, I love to hire kids from the farm. I’ve often used the word “grit” to describe what they have versus others.
Thanks Alf. The term “sustainable” stands out to me. Good grades are useful for awhile.
I appreciate the shout out to farm kids. I’m glad I grew up on a farm.
Since parents do not seem to feel the responsible to instill the value of work ethic in their kids, Work Ethic should be a required class that is repeatedly taught from pre-school through university.
Thanks Alex. Maybe we should just put kids to work. 😉 … of course the legal ramifications are staggering. What if someone got hurt washing dishes in the school cafeteria.
What if a kid had to wash dishes at home and got hurt? They might sue their parents…
Thank you for writing pieces from your conversation. Grit’, Gritty Intelligence, along with Dreams can carve path to success.
Dan, I was very excited to see your article — you’ve really hit home on one of the most important cornerstones for development: Hard work beats IQ. In fact, Alfred Binet, the inventor of the IQ test said that “It’s not always the people who start out the smartest who end up the smartest.”
The funny thing is, students scores on the Grit Scale have been strongly correlated to scores on the Student leadership practices inventory. This link is why at Earth Train we love to develop both in teens, all in a unique 10-day adventure. Check out the Grit and Leadership Challenge: http://www.gritchallenge.org/