Why Less Brilliant Presidents Do Better
I’m sorry, boss, but I’m too smart to be a good manager. Although I suppose that would probably backfire, as if we assume this is true, it follows that it’s extremely unlikely that I will get dumber and therefore improve my managerial skills.
However, when you have a sample size as small as the number of US Presidents (43? Is that how many we’ve had? I forget. Less than 50, anyway), and you can list two exceptions – he mentions Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt – one starts to doubt the hypothesis.
Never mind how difficult it is to really measure intelligence.
Still, it’s an interesting thought, if not a new one. And it doesn’t make me want to vote for the dumbest person running.