Two Ears, One Mouth

There is one interview I will never forget.

I was meeting a recent university graduate with an exceptional resume. On paper, they had everything—strong academics, relevant experience, and a list of accomplishments that suggested both drive and capability.

The goal of the interview was simple: move beyond the resume and understand how they would think, interact, and fit within the team.

We sat down, exchanged introductions, and I opened with an easy question. The kind you use to break the ice and get a natural conversation going.

Something like, “How was your weekend?”

It’s a 30–60 second answer. Low pressure. Easy to return. A small signal that says, “We’re just talking.”

And that’s when it started.

They had a lot to say.

At first, it felt normal. A bit of enthusiasm, maybe a few extra details. Nothing unusual.

But a minute passed.

Then two.Then three.

I gave the usual cues—nodding, small acknowledgments, a slight lean forward to suggest a pause might be welcome.

Nothing changed. If anything, it accelerated.

By the five-minute mark, I realized this wasn’t nerves. This was confidence—right on the edge of performance. A full download of everything they felt I needed to know, delivered at speed.

And now I was curious.

So I stopped helping.

No nodding. No notes. No facial expressions. No interruptions.

Just silence.

And still… it continued.

At ten minutes, I wasn’t even processing the content anymore. I was watching the situation unfold in real time, trying to understand how someone so capable could be completely unaware of what was happening in the room.

The highlights kept coming. Achievements, experiences, successes, each one more impressive than the last. By this point, they had arguably accomplished more in their early career than I had in my first twenty-five years.

And still… going.

At thirteen minutes, it finally stopped.

They sat back, clearly satisfied, as if they had just delivered exactly what was needed.

I paused for a moment and said, “I had a wonderful weekend too.”

That’s when it landed. You could see it.

I gently explained what had just happened. Thirteen uninterrupted minutes. No questions. No space for dialogue.

And then I shared what actually matters in our world.

As consultants, our job isn’t to have all the answers. It’s to ask the right questions, listen carefully, and understand without judgment. That’s how you build trust. That’s how you solve real problems.

All the credentials in the world don’t help if you can’t create a conversation.

The lesson is simple: If you’re doing all the talking, you’re probably missing what matters most.

Aka, the "shut and listen" rule!

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