About this quote

People often protect their own status by minimizing intelligence in peers and rivals. An opponent becomes the exception because acknowledging that opponent's skill can also explain the difficulty of defeating them.

When to use it

• A chess player studies a rival's strong strategy instead of dismissing every loss as luck.
• A political campaign accurately evaluates an opponent's organization before planning its response.
• A manager credits a competing team for a smart solution and learns from the result.