I had the good fortune of hearing the CEO of one of the most successful biotech firms in the country give a presentation on the subject of genius. We’re used to believing that genius is something you are born with, but his point was that any person can behave, and therefore succeed, as a genius. He was himself a living example—no college degree, no well-connected family, and yet the founder of several successful companies and a billionaire. The concept of operating as a genius, regardless of one’s native intelligence, is an interesting idea, and one that left me wondering how it applied to people in our industry.
The CEO’s source material was an article that had been published more than thirty years ago. The article, originally published, believe it or not, in National Inquirer and widely reproduced over the years, is completely relevant today. I’ve reproduced that article below, and then commented on some of the most relevant points as they pertain to software developers (and architects, project managers, systems engineers, QA professionals, etc.) beneath it.
24 QUALITIES THAT GENIUSES HAVE IN COMMON
The world’s greatest geniuses have all had 24 personality characteristics in common and you can develop the same traits yourself, says an expert.
“Most people have the mistaken idea that geniuses are born, not made”, declared clinical psychologist Dr. Alfred Barrious, founder and director of the Self-Programmed Control Center of Los Angeles and author of the book Towards Greater Freedom and Happiness.
“But if you look at the lives of the world’s greatest geniuses like Edison, Socrates, Da Vinci, Shakespeare, Einstein, you will discover they all had 24 personality characteristics in common.
“These are traits that anyone can develop. It makes no difference how old you are, how much education you have, or what you have accomplished to date. Adopting these personality characteristics enables you to operate on a genius level.”
Here are the characteristics Dr. Barrios lists, which enable geniuses to come up with and develop new and fruitful ideas:
1. DRIVE. Geniuses have a strong desire to work hard and long. They’re willing to give all they’ve got to a project. Develop your drive by focusing on your future success, and keep going.
2. COURAGE. It takes courage to do things others consider impossible. Stop worrying about what people will think if you’re different.
3. DEVOTION TO GOALS. Geniuses know what they want and go after it. Get control of your life and schedule. Have something specific to accomplish each day.
4. KNOWLEDGE. Geniuses continually accumulate information. Never go to sleep at night without having learned at least one new thing each day. Read. And question people who know.
5. HONESTY. Geniuses are frank, forthright and honest. Take the responsibility for things that go wrong. Be willing to admit, “I goofed,” and learn from your mistakes.
6. OPTIMISM. Geniuses never doubt they will succeed. Deliberately focus your mind on something good coming up.
7. ABILITY TO JUDGE. Try to understand the facts of a situation before you judge. Evaluate things on an opened minded, unprejudiced basis and be willing to change your mind.
8. ENTHUSIASM. Geniuses are so excited about what they are doing, it encourages others to cooperate with them. Really believe that things will turn out well. Don’t hold back.
9. WILLINGNESS TO TAKE CHANCES. Overcome your fear of failure. You won’t be afraid to take chances once you realize you can learn from your mistakes.
10. DYNAMIC ENERGY. Don’t sit on your butt waiting for something good to happen. Be determined to make it happen.
11. ENTERPRISE. Geniuses are opportunity seekers. Be willing to take on jobs others won’t touch. Never be afraid to try the unknown.
12. PERSUASION. Geniuses know how to motivate people to help them get ahead. You’ll find it easy to be persuasive if you believe in what you’re doing.
13. OUTGOINGNESS. I’ve found geniuses able to make friends easily and be easy on their friends. Be a “booster” not somebody who puts others down. That attitude will win you many valuable friends.
14. ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE. Geniuses are able to effectively get their ideas across to others. Take every opportunity to explain your ideas to others.
15. PATIENCE. Be patient with others most of the time, but always be impatient with yourself. Expect far more of yourself than others.
16. PERCEPTION. Geniuses have their mental radar working full time. Think more of others’ needs and wants than you do of your own.
17. PERFECTIONISM. Geniuses cannot tolerate mediocrity, particularly in themselves. Never be easily satisfied with yourself. Always strive to do better.
18. SENSE OF HUMOR. Be willing to laugh at your own expense. Don’t take offense when the joke is on you.
19. VERSATILITY. The more things you learn to accomplish, the more confidence you will develop. Don’t shy away from new endeavors.
20. ADAPTABILITY. Being flexible enables you to adapt to changing circumstances readily. Resist doing things the same old way. Be willing to consider new options.
21. CURIOSITY. An inquisitive, curious mind will help you seek out new information. Don’t be afraid to admit you don’t know it all. Always ask questions about things you don’t understand.
22. INDIVIDUALISM. Do things the way you think they should be done, without fearing somebody’s disapproval.
23. IDEALISM. Keep your feet on the ground—but have your head in the clouds. Strive to achieve great things, not just for yourself, but for the better of mankind.
24. IMAGINATION. Geniuses know how to think in new combinations, see things from a different perspective, than anyone else. Unclutter your mental environment to develop this type of imagination. Give yourself time each day to daydream, to fantasize, to drift into a dreamy inner life the way you did as a child.
Source: 1980 National Enquirer / Transworld Features
I’m sure that anyone would do well to accept and practice all of the traits given in the article. Since my article is focused on software developers, I will say that if developers would rigorously practice a few key traits on this list, we’d have higher quality results from more of them. These key traits follow.
On the traits of Knowledge and Perfectionism, the top developers are always hungry to write more efficient, elegant and rock-solid code. Their ability to do this comes from constant willingness to learn new ways of executing their craft and the discipline to work towards improving their skills. I’ve seen this trait in our own technical leadership, as well as in employees who push for time to train on new skills and get certifications.
Obviously, developing real Versatility is very dependent on dedicating oneself to learning and applying new tools and methods, too.
As recommended in the Perception trait, take time to “think more of others’ needs” is too often overlooked as an important developer characteristic. We’ve known the developer who wants to work “alone in a room,” isolated from others. That can’t work over the long term. Aside from the needs of the organization for whom the developer works, the needs of the users have to be properly perceived, and that’s only going to happen via frequent interaction.
Regarding Curiosity and the ability to admit one doesn’t know it all, we’ve all met the “guru” who asserts that there is only one right way to do the job and that all others are wrong, misguided, stupid, etc. In contrast, there is a certain humility amongst the top developers. They are not fixed on any single technology or process, because they understand that the components of a project and its stakeholders vary from project to project. This also speaks to the trait of Adaptability.
“Innovation” is a buzzword considered to be a critical piece in many fields these days. I see innovation as an extension of the Imagination trait. Most top developers I know are long on imagination and have a high interest and capability in the arts, literature, and entertainment. They take time to exercise their imaginations which leads to innovative ideas and practices.
If developers can maintain these key traits throughout their careers, they are assured of never having their skills become stale and of always being relevant and in demand. That’s genius in action.
