Surround yourself with people who tell you what you need to hear

I talked my way into Bell Labs by challenging the hiring manager. And I hope you do the same.

It was early 1997, and I was interviewing at Bell Labs—one of the top research institutes in the world at the time. You had to be exceptionally good to work there.
Early in our conversation, the manager remarked, “I think ATM is going to be big.” ATM, a technology from the telecom industry, was designed to handle “data” but was actually an infrastructure primarily suited for telephony.

I had just spent four years working with ATM and knew both its strengths and limitations. Instead of diving into a technical discussion, I simply pointed to the back of his PC and asked, “Does your computer have an ATM connection or Ethernet?”
That question put everything into perspective. I explained that Ethernet was the path of least resistance—easily scalable on existing infrastructure, with no need for expensive upgrades like new cables or network cards. While ATM looked superior on paper, offering (much) higher speeds, the difference wasn’t big enough to convince companies to overhaul their entire infrastructure.

The manager blinked, and our scheduled one-hour conversation turned into two, followed by lunch. After that, it was, “I want you on my team.” The HR interview a week later was just a formality.

What did I learn from this? A critical perspective can be the key to a valuable connection—if you present it thoughtfully and respectfully. But also: if someone isn’t open to being challenged, that’s probably not the right workplace for you.
I’m still not a yes-man. If I see a better path forward, I’ll share it—because it’s about adding value, not just agreeing.

So if you’re looking for a sparring partner in 2025 who will truly help you move forward, send me a message via the form below.