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Google CEO Sundar Pichai has told Gen Z that discomfort is not only inevitable but essential for career success, and that working with people who seem better than you can lead to growth.
“At various points in my life, I’ve worked with people who I felt were better than me,” Pichai said during an appearance on Lex Fridman’s podcast. “You want that feeling a few times, trying to get yourself in a position where you’re working with people who you feel are kind of like stretching your abilities, is what helps you grow.
“Putting yourself in uncomfortable situations, and I think often you’ll surprise yourself,” he added.
Follow your instincts, not just logic
Having joined Google as a product manager in 2004, Pichai quickly rose through the ranks to become CEO in 2015 after catching the attention of co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin. He now leads the $2.3trillion tech firm and recently joined the billionaires club himself with a reported net worth of $1.1billion.
“You’re thinking about what you want to do, your brain is telling you something. But when you do things, I think it’s important to listen to your heart, and see whether you actually enjoy doing it,” he told the podcast.
Talent drives productivity
Pichai emphasized the importance of surrounding yourself with mission-driven individuals who push toward excellence. Whilst he believes a certain level of intensity is essential for success, he said he prefers calm leadership, particularly when things go wrong.
“You find mission-oriented people who are on the shared journey, who have this inner drive to excellence, to do the best, and motivate people, and you can achieve a lot that way.”
Pichai has previously said that he expected flexible work to shape the future, but the pace of AI development has put pressure on top firms to keep up, bringing calls for more time in the office. He still believes, however, that clear guidelines around performance expectations and what success means can deliver the required outcomes in a flexible arrangement.
“At times, you’re working with people who are so committed to achieving, if they’ve done something wrong, they feel it more than you do, so you treat them differently,” he said. “Occasionally, there are people who you need to clearly let them know, like, ‘That wasn’t okay,’ or whatever it is, but I’ve often found that not to be the case.”
Aiming high for success
While Pichai's billionaire status is a recent milestone, his mentors Brin and Page have long been among the richest people in the world, with estimated net worths of $163billion and $174billion, respectively.
Back in 2009, Page told University of Michigan graduates that technology should help make life easier: “Technology, and especially the internet, can really help you be lazy. Find the leverage in the world, so you can be more lazy.”
Although Gen Z faces uncertainty in the job market and future careers because the fast pace of technological change, Page still believes in aiming high.
“Overall, I know it seems like the world is crumbling out there, but it is actually a great time in your life to get a little crazy, follow your curiosity, and be ambitious about it,” Page said. “Don’t give up on your dreams. The world needs you all.”
