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The CEO of Google, Sundar Pichai, shared a straightforward piece of advice for young people who want to grow in their careers: learning from smarter people can be decisive for success. He emphasizes that surrounding oneself with professionals with more experience and knowledge is a strategy capable of accelerating development and opening new opportunities.
The CEO of Google and Alphabet, Sundar Pichai, reinforces a simple yet powerful piece of advice: learning from smarter people can accelerate professional growth.
He highlighted this viewpoint during an interview on the “Lex Fridman Podcast” on June 5th.
The Importance of Working With Better People
Pichai believes that when a young professional identifies someone with more knowledge at work, they should do everything possible to absorb that experience.
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The most important thing is to put oneself in situations that challenge one’s own abilities. “Try to put yourself in a position where you’re working with people you feel are challenging your skills. That’s what helps you grow,” he stated.
He recalls his early years as an engineer at Applied Materials and a consultant at McKinsey & Co., before joining Google in 2004.
During this phase, he had several learning moments with professionals he considered better than him. “You want to have that feeling a few times early in your career,” he said.
An Open Mind to Learn
Pichai acknowledges that many people feel intimidated when they realize colleagues have superior skills. However, according to him, it’s crucial to maintain an open mind to be close to these individuals and seize the opportunity to learn.
Gravitating around talented professionals and observing their ways of working can be transformative.
Additionally, research from Northwestern University on the so-called “Positive Spillover” showed that sitting just 7.5 meters away from a high performer can increase one’s performance by up to 15%. This reinforces the direct impact of being around people who possess a strong work ethic and advanced knowledge.
Facing Uncomfortable Situations
Another point emphasized by the CEO is the importance of “putting oneself in uncomfortable positions.”
For Pichai, this develops new skills and beneficial practices. He assures that, many times, the outcome of these experiences is surprising.
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