Interview story: You Are The Average Of The Five People You Spend The Most Time With - 07/24

In 2013, I held an automotive marketing role at KPIT. I applied for a position as AVP of solutions at SEWELLS GROUP INDIA PRLVATE LIMITED, an automotive consulting company. My desire was to transition into a consulting role (why? To provide advice to clients and to see for real why my advice does not work 😄).

During the interview, I met with a leadership-level individual who was just a year older than me (I was 28 years old). However, there was a noticeable difference in our communication styles:

• Thought Leadership: He expressed ideas like, “I envision this solution addressing a $1 billion market” or “I see this as a game-changing solution.” Meanwhile, I focused on discussing my resume and day-to-day work.
  

• Calm and Precise Communication: His responses were concise, consisting of 2-3 sentences delivered with a calm demeanor. In contrast, I tended to provide lengthy paragraphs.
  

• In Control: He exuded confidence and control, fitting his leadership position. I, on the other hand, felt out of place.

Why did this happen? Because we are the average of the five people we spend the most time with. He associated with leaders, while I remained grounded in day-to-day tasks. Was my approach wrong? Not at all. At that career stage, I needed that ground-level experience.

As our careers progress, consider whether we spend more time with leaders and clients—ultimately shaping our own average.

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