How To Fake Being Smarter

Are you intimidated by people who hold strings of degrees, or situations where you’re called on to discuss unfamiliar topics? Never fear! 

 Being smarter than your peers has nothing to do with your IQ, qualifications of how many letters you have after your name. But it does have a lot to do with a few subtleties that make all the difference. Try these five steps to a smarter you! 

The importance of image

It’s a cliché, but it’s true: you have only one chance to make a first impression. If you want people to take you seriously, you’ve got to earn it. This doesn’t mean you need to be dressed in the latest Gucci to kick ass in the image stakes. After all, a designer wardrobe doesn’t necessarily equal style. Create the right image with these few easy guidelines:  

Walk the walk…

-  A step ahead

Dress so you’re just one notch above your peers. It may be as simple as adding the right accessories – and you’ll look more polished than everyone else without having to wear an outfit that screams: “Look at me – I’m trying to impress you!”

- A cut above

Your hair’s your crowning glory. Be smart and invest in a good cut.…

and talk the talk …

- Get chatting

Some people think small talk is a waste of time. But you’ll be amazed at the things you learn just through the simple art of conversation. Whether you’re talking about the weather you’re talking about the weather, the recent fish curry you had, or comparing notes about the weather, the recent fish curry you had, or comparing notes about the latest Bond movie, if you’re genuine and sincere you’re not just talking – you’re creating a relationship.

- Listen up

We often forget other people like talking about themselves too. And there’s noting they like more than an appreciative audience. So pay attention. 

Know it all!

There are people who seem to know what’s going on in the world, have read the right books and know the newest and hippest places to hand out. However, most of us simple don’t have enough hours in the day for all this. So here’s our cheat’s guide to being a know-it-all!

-Read abridged news

You don’t need to read the newspaper from cover to cover to keep up to date on current affairs. If you’re pressed for time, read the headlines and the first paragraph. If it looks important, read on to the next two paragraphs – that should give you the main facts.

- Try Dummies’ guides

 There are several “cheats” guides” around: book series such as The Idiot’s Guide to …. Or The Dummies’ or no experience in a given subject. While you’re not going to come out with a PhD, you will get a solid overview on the topic.- Reader’s Digest and books-on-tape

If you don’t have the patience to plough through a pile of best-sellers, invest in a Reader’s Digest subscription and read the condensed version! Better still, purchase books on tape often read by famous celebrities. 

Smarter ways to lead

When you’re working in a team, you can settle in, conform, not upset the status quo and aim to be “one of the guys. Or you can set the kind of standards that lead your group to productivity and success:

- Delegate!

This is a vital skill to learn. We often get caught up in boring work details and spend hours doing something mundane, like stapling, when our time would be better spent marketing our business or establishing new contacts. Be time savvy and offload the laborious, menial tasks to junior staff.

- Remember how you got there

While it’s important to lead, it’s also vital to be able to relate to your peers and subordinates. Be empathetic while still being firm and you’ll have the makings of a good leader.

- Know all, but don’t show it all

Knowledge, competence and skills are vital, and using them to help out your colleagues and contribute to a project is an obvious part of your job. But showing off isn’t. Nobody likes a know-all. Figure out when to speak up -  and when to shut up.

- You can say “no”

If you’ve been asked to lead a project, been offered a new position or been selected to serve on a committee, remember, you don’t have to say “yes”. If you’re a little nervous about it, but think you could ultimately get a lot out of the experience, do it. But if you’re already balancing myriad activates, one more commitment might bring everything crashing down! Sometimes it’s smarter to say “no”. 

Decision time

One of the most important aspects of working (and playing) smart is making smart decisions. Here are some tips to making the right ones:

- Research!

Wherever you’re faced with a decision – whether it’s choosing which brand of microwave to buy or whether to pour your hard-earned savings into a hot investment – it’s fine to into a hot investment – it’s fine to trust your instincts on other people’s recommendations, but a bit of research can go a long way to saving you a lot of money. Talk to experts in the area, look for literature on the subject or talk to an advisor.

- Net it!

The Internet has revolutionized the way do business as well as our access to information. It’s one of the bet research tools around.

- Don’t trust your best mate!

Sometimes well-meaning friends or relatives pass on hot tips they’ve heard on the grapevine. Think before you throw your money behind something that could be just a rumor.     

       Once you start putting these simple steps into practice you’ll find they just come naturally. We don’t guarantee you’ll become a rocket scientist, but you’ll look sharper and have the confidence to make the right decisions. And that’s smart!