Leadership & Team

Immature vs. Stupid:
Who's Better for
Your Inner Circle?

Why is it important to edit your inner circle? In business we meet a lot of people. Some of them are wonderful, and some of them are just plain stupid. That's OK to admit. I mean, we have a very small amount of time throughout the course of a day to get done everything that needs to be done in order to grow a business, or even just to be our best self in life.

So it's our responsibility to spend time with quality people, AND ALSO to minimize the number people who slow us down, or anchor us down, or who are always negative... because those people eventually can cause you to make poor decisions. The people we spend time with regularly are our "inner circle".

The speed at which you reach your targets in life, whether they're personal or business targets. Has more to do with who you surround yourself with than almost anything else. I mean... Yes, your results are determined by your ACTIONS, however your actions are determined by your THOUGHTS, and most of the time your thoughts are determined by the conversations you have with those around you.

So it becomes essential that we limit the amount of time we spend with stupid people. But here's where so many people get this wrong...

There's a BIG difference between STUPIDITY, and IMMATURITY.

STUPIDITY IS A LACK OF INTELLIGENCE.

IMMATURITY IS A LACK OF EXPERIENCE.

The difference is that... a stupid person can be EDUCATED BEYOND BELIEF but they don't have the intelligence to use that education. So the more time you spend with stupid people (people who talk about politics, or business, or anything, without first doing the due diligence, and actually understanding the topic they're talking about) the worse decisions you make.

Stupid people go out there and will swear the sky is blue one day and convince everybody that it's blue, and then the next day (because they read an article by another stupid person) they swear it's green, and they try to convince everybody around them that the sky is green. And they will argue all day every day about something that they have no ability to justify, or any substantiation to prove, just because it's the most dominant thought in their head at that moment.

We've all met people like this!

On the other hand...

IMMATURE PEOPLE simply don't have the experience.

In fact, someone who's immature, is often highly educated in certain areas, but just in-experienced in others. But they're OPEN TO LEARNING.

Are these the right people to have in your inner circles?

I've had hundreds of people inside of my companies over the last several decades, who were wonderful at one or two things. That's why they were hired, but they were very immature, or inexperienced in other areas. And many of those SAME PEOPLE, are now leaders in my company and developing leaders under them. Often... developing leaders in the exact areas that they once were inexperienced in.

Because they learned, and in learning they matured into experts.

So which do you avoid?

Immaturity is NOT something to be avoided in business. Stupidity is.

We hire people... who are already ROCKSTARS at what we need done by them, but... we're constantly growing... and to keep up with that growth... we're a learning organization, so we are constantly educating everybody on our team to become better at whatever they want to become better at, so they can mature and grow with us, and become significantly happier and more productive people in their own lives.

Take a moment and think about the people around you - in your life and in your business.

How many of them do you believe are already rockstars for you? Meaning they're a perfect complement in your life in whatever capacity they hold whether that's as a mentor, as a spouse, as a friend, or whatever. These folks should definitely be in your inner circle.

Then, how many of them are immature? Meaning their wonderful, dedicated, loyal people however they need a little bit more experience to become rockstars. These people can be part of your inner circle especially as they continue to mature.

Finally, how many people are in your life right now who are just plain stupid? Probably holding you back from the greatness within you?

Think about that, and then tell me in the comments below my video here. Then, share this article or video with a friend, not a stupid friend, because they're not gonna know what to do with it but share it with friends or team members who have a lot going for them, and who you believe that maybe this could accelerate them towards their goals.

Related Reading How to Hire Great Employees → Related Reading Chris Widener on Developing a Lasting Impact In Business →
Common Questions

Frequently Asked
Questions

How do you build a leadership team as a founder without surrounding yourself with the wrong people?

Start by auditing your inner circle. Who are the rockstars already performing at a high level? Who are the immature but dedicated people who are open to learning and growing? And who are the people who are simply not operating at the level your business needs? Most founders keep the wrong people out of loyalty or conflict avoidance. Building a real leadership team requires being deliberate about who gets a seat.

What is the difference between a stupid person and an immature person in business?

Stupidity is a lack of intelligence. Immaturity is a lack of experience. The distinction matters because one is fixed and the other is not. An immature person can be highly educated in some areas but inexperienced in others. They're open to learning. They can grow into leaders with the right environment. Stupid people often argue confidently about things they don't understand and resist being corrected. Avoid the stupid, develop the immature.

Why does your inner circle have such a large impact on your growth as a founder?

Your results are determined by your actions. Your actions are determined by your thoughts. And most of your thoughts are shaped by the conversations you have with the people around you. The speed at which you reach your targets, in business and in life, has more to do with who you surround yourself with than almost anything else. A poor inner circle doesn't just slow you down. It actively pulls your thinking in the wrong direction.

Should founders hire people who lack experience when building a leadership team?

Immaturity, meaning lack of experience, is not something to avoid when building a team. It's something to develop. I've had hundreds of people in my companies over the decades who were exceptional at one or two things but immature in other areas. Many of those same people are now leaders in my company, developing other leaders under them. In the exact areas where they once had gaps. They learned. They grew. Experience was the only thing they were missing.

How do you identify the right people to include in your inner circle as a founder?

Think about the people around you in three groups. First, who are already rockstars in whatever capacity they hold? Keep them close. Second, who are dedicated and loyal but still developing? These people can grow with you and earn their place in the inner circle over time. Third, who is consistently holding you back, creating noise, or making decisions based on things they don't understand? That third group needs to go.

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