Scene: It’s 1995, and I’m a senior at Wharton. I’m interviewing at a boutique management consulting firm. It’s a second round interview, for which I have been invited—along with maybe 12 or so others—to a suite at Philadelphia’s Four Seasons hotel.
We sit and mingle at the suite, nibbling off the impressive spread of shrimp cocktail and other hor d’oeuvres, chatting as we wait to be called for our interviews.
Someone from the company is in the waiting chamber with us, selling us on the company. He’s an arrogant SOB, and I call him out on it. No, wait: I’m an arrogant SOB; I don’t know what he is. Our conversation goes like this:
Him: “I’m working with a Fortune 500 pet food distributor. Their big thing this year is international expansion, and I created their international expansion strategy. The CEO presented my strategy to the Board, who approved it. Now I’ve been promoted to Senior Manager to run the project of managing their expansion. That’s what’s great about this consulting firm: they put me on the MBA track even though I don’t have my MBA because of the merits of my work. So in addition to creating my client’s strategy, I’ll have a team executing it for me, too.”
Me: “Hey, I’ve got a question.”
Him: “Yes?”
Me: “Seems to me the CEO is implementing your strategy.”
Him: “He is. He presented my plans without changing a word.” Chuckle, chuckle.
Me: “Why hasn’t this company fired him yet?”
Him: “Excuse me?”
Me: “Why haven’t they hired you to replace him yet?”
Him: “What?” Fidget, fidget.
Me: “You’re 26 years old with no MBA and no industry experience, yet the CEO, the Board, and all the other executives with years of industry experience are lining up to follow your lead. It doesn’t make sense, unless you’re a total whiz kid.”
Him: “I guess I am!” Chuckle, chuckle.
Me: “Well if that’s the case, why hasn’t the client hired you yet? Why hasn’t the Board made you CEO yet?” Stare, stare.
I popped a shrimp in my mouth. I don’t even like shrimp, but I felt I’d probably said enough.
Why did I say that?
Simple: I am genetically programmed to crash The Game when I see it being played. I don’t think anyone, at any level, should ever feel like they need the services of blowhards like Mr.-The-CEO-rubber-stamps-whatever-I-say.
Because they don’t.
And looking back after 15 years of training, coaching, writing, and speaking, nothing in my outlook has changed: my modis operandi continues to be to help people take the smart professional risks that put them in control their own destinies.
I took a risk that day. I spoke the truth. The risk cost me a job, but earned me a career.
That’s the power of failing spectacularly.
How about you?
Jason Seiden is Co-founder and CEO of Ajax Social Media, a training company that shows professionals how use social media to work more effectively.
I'm the CEO of Ajax Social Media. We're helping 1 million people shine by making their online stories better. 
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Awesome- period.
Gutsy — an early career example of your willingness to take risks, know what is right for you — see where it has gotten you — very successful.
Sorry, I don’t get it. Maybe the guy was arrogant, but having been in the business world for 25 years and in Executive Management for a decade, we often look for fresh ideas from people who aren’t pre-programmed and entrenched in the current processes. To get away from the “old way of thinking”, you quite often look to a smart person who may – on paper – lack the industry or managerial experience that could be detrimental to facilitating new ideas.
Basically you are saying you confronted and belittled someone for no reason. In a world where a successful person must learn to interface with all kinds of people – even those he does not like – this is a very limiting behavior. The power to listen, interact, and not always let your emotions guide your reactions is the sign of a true professional.
@Debbie—Just another day in the life…
@Penina—Sometimes what look like “mistakes” are what you need to get you on the right path…
@Rob—I was completely out of line. No argument there! It was a tremendous mistake on my part. But your switch from the past tense to the present tense in your comment makes me wonder… you’re not judging my current capabilities in my current job based on a single experience I had 15 years ago, when I was an interviewee for a different job… are you?
Well in your post you were saying that you haven’t changed
Thank you for that refreshing story!
I have been applying for positions outside the agency as I felt my supervisor did not appreciate my work ethics. He even told me I did too much customer service – so now “they expect” a certain level of service. That was the first time I had been ‘put in my place’ because of responding to customers.
I found out last week that my supervisor is leaving for another supervisory position in a different branch. Management recently posted his position. I toyed with the idea of applying – even though I don’t respect my management.
You’ve just encouraged me to keep applying for outside positions, as I don’t like my current mgmt – so why work for them?
@Yosef—Touche. Tiger’s don’t change their stripes. They do get wise about how they hunt, though.
@D—Best wishes!