A “smart convention” in Dayton?
I try to surround myself with smart people. Or as author Sally Hogshead writes in her book, “Radical Careering“- “Radical Truth 15: Aspire to be the dumbest person in the room.”
I know some of you are saying I shouldn’t find that too hard, but then again- I’m not in the room with you, am I?
David Bowman is one of my smart friends- and his post about What’s Next after NCR is worth a read:
This city has so many talented people, many of them seeking their next opportunity. It may well be that the next opportunity does not come in the form of a fancy, big corporate gig, but rather in the form of a start up or an innovative small business. The talent pool is deep, the time is right, and the cost of living in Dayton is low – making it possible to live a comfortable life without having to make ridiculous sums of money. It is a great place for innovators to deliver innovation – for creators to create. It also appears that the timing to be this kind of place might be perfect. Why?
Read the rest at: What Next? | davidebowman.
It got me thinking- as you see in my comment:
Maybe it’s time to host a “Smart” convention- rally the smart people- put on TED like talks about their cool things going on, and start people thinking about how many brilliant thinkers we have here, instead of sounding like a bunch of out-of-work autoworkers, or pink-slipped middle managers.
Long ago I suggested the Dayton Daily start publishing the patents awarded in the region- like they do in Austin. Instead, we’ve got the jail blotter.
If we want to change things- first we have to change our own perceptions.
Anyone in on this with me?
So, I’m looking for people willing to help organize, fast, quick and dirty- a one day symposium, ala TED, where our “smart” people present quick 15-minute sessions about the breakthrough ideas they are working on, the cool technology, the big picture stuff.
We’ll need a room, so if anyone from Sinclair, WSU or UD wants to host- or even the City at the Convention Center- or Hara Arena (home of the ultimate geek fest- Hamvention). Drop a comment. Let’s put our smartest people forward- people like David Gasper with his PicsMartch software, John Smith of Recharged Particles with his pickle liquor recycling process- and reaffirm that Dayton not only has talent, things are happening here. Plus, I can’t imagine a better networking event.
Surrounding yourself with smart people is no doubt important. But I think surrounding yourself with honest people, people who actually care, people who are not always trying to screw you over, is just as important if not more important.
A lot of smart people are dishonest. There are plenty of people who will screw you, lie to you, cheat you, steal from you. In fact a lot of these people are “smart.” Some are book smart, some are street smart, some are so good at sales it seems they are smart, and to a certain degree they are smart. But it is the honest people that may be more important here.
Dick Cheney by some degree is smart. He is a frickin’ liar……… he simply is a bad guy. Honest people tend not to be bad people, by at least my definition.
But of course being honest and smart would be better than being just one or the other.
Making right choices tend to be a good measure in how “smart” someone may be.
David,
Thanks for visiting my site, reading my post, taking the time to leave a comment, writing the kind words above, and for being one of the smartest “smart people” I know. I appreciate you proposing this event as a way to answer “What’s Next?” Let me know if I can help.