Europeans say, “American Executives are Cocky.” “I say Look in the Mirror.”

As he pushed away from the interview table, he said to me “Ah, you Americans are so cocky!”

The CEO was Spanish and was raised in Germany.

He had a PhD in Physics. He was confident, and experienced in the industry, and was struggling to find the right leader for his U.S. business.

I had researched his name. Valens meant “strong, vigorous, and healthy.”

First Impression

I wanted to show Valens that I was confident and had deep experience in the domestic U.S. medical device business.

The job was the CEO role of the U.S. subsidiary of a German public company — the leader in their industry.

We all face these crossroads in our careers, whether as CEOs or front-line managers. Are you aggressive or passive in the pursuit of your next role?

Unlike my previous roles, I was ready to lead a stand-alone business or the largest division of a public company. My roadmap was clear.

In my early 40s taking risks was critical to accelerating my career.

The interview.

“I needed to test his “strength” to show him I was not…