Ex-Google employee once gave unsolicited tech advice… to future CEO Sundar Pichai
A former Google employee has recalled the awkward moment he offered unsolicited tech advice to the person who would one day go on to become the CEO of Google. Parminder Singh took to the social media platform X to recall the incident, poking fun at his own overconfidence.
Singh worked at Google between 2007 and 2013. During his time with the tech giant, Singh was involved in business and sales roles rather than direct tech. Despite this – by his own admission – he felt qualified enough to offer advice to a hardcore techie leading the Chrome project at Google. Little did Singh know that the person he was offering advice to would one day become the CEO of Google.
He was referring, of course, to Sundar Pichai.
Parminder Singh revealed that years ago, he was at a Google office party in Mountain View, California.
'Someone introduced me to an unassuming person who led the Chrome project. I started offering him advice on Chrome notebooks - after all, we all are tech gurus!' he wrote, taking a dig at his own ignorance.
Singh said that the 'unassuming person' heading the Chrome project listened to his tips quietly. Over the course of their conversation, however, it became clear that he knew much more about the subject than Singh.
'He listened patiently to my modest suggestions, even asking follow-up questions. It soon became clear that he knew far more than I did - he was simply being gracious,' Singh admitted.
The interaction highlighted Pichai's down-to-earth nature. But Singh was very surprised when, a couple of years later, this 'unassuming person' was announced as the CEO of Google.
'A couple of years later, he was announced as the new CEO of Google! Yes, that humble listener was Sundar Pichai. That's the thing about good leaders - they are great listeners,' he wrote on X.
Sundar Pichai became the CEO of Google on October 2, 2015. He has led the company for almost a decade today - and Singh remembers the interaction with clarity.
'Side note: He listened to my half baked ideas back then. I just finished listening to his super insightful two hour podcast with Lex Fridman. Balance restored, I guess,' the former Google employee declared.
(Also read: Who will replace Sundar Pichai as Google CEO? Here's what Indian-origin leader said)
In the comments section, someone asked Singh to reveal what advice he offered Pichai.
Parminder Singh said he did not remember the exact conversation since it took place years ago. He did, however, remember telling Pichai to make the design of Chrome notebooks more playful since they target children.
'I don't remember the exact details (so clearly it was forgettable) but I think I said two things - since Chrome notebooks were meant for schoolchildren - make the design more fun/playful and provide accessible language translation links for schoolchildren studying in native languages,' he wrote.
Before joining Google, Singh worked in sales and marketing roles at IBM and Apple. He led the Display Advertising business at Google for the Asia Pacific region before quitting to join Twitter. Singh is currently serving as co-founder of Claybox AI.
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