Some people have the gift of quick understanding. They process things very fast and more often than not, they drive conversations. They are easily noticeable in the room. Call them the fast thinkers. They are not just a nice to have, they are a must have in any typical setting but note that not all fast thinkers are deep thinkers.
A performing team needs all shades of talents and skills. From thinkers, to planners, to executors, to communicators, the list is endless. To lead a successful team, you must be a thinker yourself but if you aim to build a legacy, you must go beyond being a fast thinker to being a deep thinker. You also need deep thinkers around you, in addition to fast thinkers. Need I say more? Deep thinkers see beyond now, even amidst intense pressure.
The tendency to ascribe unquestionable wisdom to the most eloquent in the room is tempting. If you are not vigilant you could mistake their opinion for truth but they are a must have. They get everyone to start thinking and talking and that brings robustness to every conversation. They bring energy to any discourse and pump urgency into erstwhile sleeping matters.
Deep thinkers may not be quick to speak but to start and end a conversation with the logically sound opinion of the fast thinkers may lead to a constant review of decisions made. Sometimes, the real solution defies logic that takes a deep thinker to decipher. This is why I recommend that you separate idea generation from evaluation.
To generate and evaluate ideas at the same time suffocates divergent views and kills innovation. Some ideas that sound offline may be the connecting dots to critical thinking at the moment of truth. Leave a space for those in the room who are not gifted in oration. Sometimes they see better because the are better listeners.
All said, for best results, both fast thinkers and deep thinkers are a must have in any setting. There are specific times when you need speed to stay in the race in the short run. To remain in the race in the long run requires not just speed but speed and accuracy.
The first ideas are not necessarily the best ideas. Think about it.
Mondays are for business. Thank God it’s Monday.
©️Akin Oluwadare Jnr.
29 September 2025
