This “Stupidity Manifesto” came from my talk “Let’s Stop Making Each Other Feel Stupid”. You can see a video of the talk here.

LET’S STOP MAKING PEOPLE FEEL STUPID. INSTEAD, LET’S…

• Have an explicit policy of curiosity towards all things
• Encourage each other to shout out if we discourage curiosity
• Ask what people NEED to know, not what they know
• Never judge someone because their knowledge doesn’t match ours
• Give our colleagues every opportunity to learn and explore WITHOUT RISK
• Give new people a chance to show us what they can do
• ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO ASK QUESTIONS
• Acknowledge the broad range of knowledge in our industry
• Remember our industry never stays the same
• Remember we all forget stuff
• Lead by example: Be honest when we’re confused
• Focus on aptitude, not knowledge
• Remember what it feels like when we are still learning
• Prioritise clarity over jargon
• Remember this is not idealism, it’s pragmatism
• LET’S STOP MAKING EACH OTHER FEEL STUPID.