You know when somebody throws off presumptive arrogance like cheap cologne. That statement that begins with a presumption and ends with a series of name dropping or esoteric references.
“You of course know Dr Blah Blah, Blah Blah blah and his theory of Blah Blah Blah who doesn’t…well, when I met him back in the day…”
I have come to see that as a sign of insecurity. I don’t generally enjoy interacting with these individuals. They create work and they know it.
I believe humility and being genuine are the paths to building the most valuable relationships, learning the most and making the best decisions. But in these interactions, you’re forced to constantly say “um no, I don’t know blah blah blah”
Or
We sometimes just nod our head and regrettably say, “oh, uh huh, yeah” because it’s the third esoteric statement of egobation in 2 min. (and were exhausted) #success #startups
Note to the very smart, experienced, talented people I know who speak like this. DON’T please. It’s a bad look. Be a teacher instead and assume nothing.
For the rest, always ask questions gleefully. Don’t pretend. It’s the gateway trait that leads to the Impostor syndrome.
