David Pivnick on the Worst Professional Advice He’s Ever Received 5-23-25

Summary

Becker Private Equity & Business Podcast Summary

Title: David Pivnick on the Worst Professional Advice He’s Ever Received
Host: Scott Becker
Release Date: May 23, 2025

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Introduction

In this insightful episode of the Becker Private Equity & Business Podcast, host Scott Becker welcomes distinguished guest David Pivnick to delve into an unconventional topic: the worst professional advice they've ever encountered. Moving away from the typical focus on beneficial guidance, Scott and David explore advice that has hindered their professional growth, offering listeners valuable lessons on what to avoid in their career journeys.

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Challenging Conventional Wisdom

1. "Good Things Come to Those Who Wait"

David Pivnick initiates the discussion by identifying two prevalent but detrimental pieces of advice:

• David Pivnick [02:23]:
  "Good things come to those who wait."

He criticizes this adage for often serving as a veiled excuse to discourage proactive efforts. David argues that waiting passively can lead to stagnation, especially when active initiative is required to achieve significant career milestones.

Scott Becker [03:51]:
“...anybody who's been in any kind of business or trying to prove it anything, knows at the end of the day, urgency is important. And so you better bring some urgency to whatever you're trying to do.”

Scott reinforces David’s viewpoint by emphasizing the importance of urgency in business. He shares a personal anecdote about a senior partner advising him to "slow down," which Scott interprets as self-serving advice meant to limit his progress within the firm.

David Pivnick [04:54]:
“Taking initiative, showing that you can be a leader... is going to help you then progress.”

David elaborates that proactive behavior and leadership are essential for career advancement, contrasting sharply with the notion of passively waiting for opportunities to present themselves.

2. "Just Try to Fit In, Don't Stand Out"

The second piece of flawed advice David discusses is the encouragement to blend in rather than distinguish oneself.

David Pivnick [07:30]:
“I felt like they expected a cookie cutter associate. And that's not me... I've never been me in anything I've done.”

David shares his experience working in a law firm that favored uniformity over individuality, which ultimately limited his potential. He credits his subsequent success to environments that valued his unique approach.

Scott Becker [08:07]:
“The nail that sticks up gets hammered down.”

Scott introduces an old Japanese proverb to illustrate the dangers of conforming too closely. He warns that striving to fit in can lead to mediocrity, as it suppresses the very traits that drive innovation and excellence.

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Strategic Focus in Professional Development

1. Depth Over Breadth in Relationships and Skills

Scott transitions the conversation to professional relationships and personal branding, advocating for depth over breadth.

Scott Becker [11:14]:
“You have to be hyper valuable to a handful of leaders all the time. There is nothing good about being useful to 20 different people 5% of the time.”

He emphasizes the importance of being indispensable to a select few key individuals rather than spreading oneself too thin across numerous superficial connections.

David Pivnick [12:10]:
“I’m very important to many of the people who are very important.”

David concurs, highlighting his strategy of focusing on a few critical relationships that are mutually beneficial, thereby enhancing his value within his firm and to clients.

2. Implications for Resumes and Career Applications

The discussion shifts to how this philosophy applies to resumes and career applications.

Scott Becker [09:02]:
“I'd much rather have somebody that had gone deep in a few activities... than having touched 20 different things and been sort of like all over the place.”

Scott critiques the common advice given to include numerous activities on resumes, arguing that depth and leadership in fewer areas are far more impressive and effective in professional settings.

David Pivnick [11:52]:
“I think your point about resumes applies just as well to law students and to folks interviewed for jobs... member of is going to be far less impressive to me than one or two where you were the president...”

David supports this notion by stating that quality trumps quantity in professional profiles, advocating for meaningful achievements over a long list of minor involvements.

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Real-World Applications and Reflections

1. Building a Valuable Professional Presence

Both hosts stress the importance of carving out a unique professional identity and being a go-to expert for specific leaders or clients.

David Pivnick [13:15]:
“...based on my merits and by being me rather than just trying to shoehorn myself into what other people are looking for.”

David reflects on how embracing his individuality has unlocked greater career potential, both as an attorney and in business development.

2. Navigating Professional Environments

The conversation touches on navigating different professional environments and the impact of advice on career trajectories.

Scott Becker [14:49]:
“David, I want to thank you for joining us today on the Becker Private Equity and Business Podcast.”

As the episode wraps up, Scott acknowledges the depth of their discussion, hinting at the practical implications of their shared experiences for listeners.

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Conclusion

In this episode, Scott Becker and David Pivnick provide a thought-provoking examination of commonly accepted professional advice that may, in fact, impede career growth. By advocating for proactive initiative, individuality, and deep, valuable relationships, they offer listeners a roadmap to avoid common pitfalls and achieve meaningful success in their professional lives.

Notable Quotes:

• David Pivnick [02:23]:
  “Good things come to those who wait.”
  (Critiqued as a reason to procrastinate rather than take initiative.)

• Scott Becker [03:51]:
  “Urgency is important. You better bring some urgency to whatever you're trying to do.”
  (Emphasizing the need for proactive effort in business.)

• Scott Becker [08:07]:
  “The nail that sticks up gets hammered down.”
  (Highlighting the drawbacks of conforming too closely in professional settings.)

• Scott Becker [09:02]:
  “Depth over breadth in activities is far more impressive and effective.”
  (Advocating for meaningful engagement in fewer areas rather than superficial involvement in many.)

• David Pivnick [12:10]:
  “I’m very important to many of the people who are very important.”
  (Illustrating the value of being indispensable to key individuals.)

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This episode serves as a valuable resource for professionals seeking to navigate career challenges by recognizing and avoiding ineffective advice, thereby fostering a path toward genuine and sustained success.

Transcript

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[Scott Becker]

This is Scott Becker with the Becker Private Equity and Business Podcast. We're thrilled to recently pass 7 million downloads on the podcast. Also thrilled to recently be at the very top of the Apple Business News rankings and reach 20,000 plus subscribers on a newsletter. But far more important than that, we've got today one of the most brilliant colleagues I get a chance to work with, David Pivnick. David joins us regularly. He's one of our most listened to guests and he's absolutely brilliant. Aside from being a valedictorian in law school, meaning he finished number one in this class, which is just incredibly difficult to do. He also is well read and he's well opinionated on almost any subject under the sun. David, today we're going to take a question you so often get from people in podcasts and interviews and discussions. You know, what's the best advice you ever got? What's the, you know, what did your mentor tell you? What did you read that was the best advice? We're going to take the opposite tack today. Today's discussion is David Pivnick on what's the worst advice you've ever received? And I'll add in some of my thoughts as well. David, let me ask you to tee it up. What's some of the worst advice that you've been given or seen people give over the years?

[David Pivnick]

Sure. I mean, the two things that come to mind. That's a. It's a weird question. And I appreciate you having me on and following kind words about me. After talking about, you know, your 7 million impressions and all your other accolades, which, you know, outshine all. But you know, usually people, as you said, ask about what's great advice. What advice did you pass on? So it was a little bit of a challenge when you said you might be asking me about the worst advice. But two things come to mind, and one of them is pretty, you know, well trod advice that people dispense all the time. But I think it's, it's not great, which is good things come to those who wait. And then the second thing that came to mind, which is probably less given, but I've certainly heard a variety of times over the years, and maybe I hear it more than the average, is, you know, just try and fit in, don't, don't stand out. And I think those are just both generally bad pieces of advice in some ways for the same reasons. But, you know, the notion of good things come to those who wait. I mean, first of all, I think that is an inherent excuse. And the people offering that advice are often offering it because they're about to tell you no, just something that you're looking to accomplish or somewhere you're trying to go. And so right off the bat, I think it's a bit of a skewed piece of advice where it's usually being offered by someone who has a vested interest in the recipient of that advice waiting.

[Scott Becker]

I think that is so fantastic. I'll take a different cut on that. This concept of good things come to those who wait. I'll give you two different thoughts on it. First is anybody who's been in any kind of business or trying to prove it anything, knows at the end of the day, urgency is important. And so you better bring some urgency to whatever you're trying to do. So I think that's right on. The second thing is, I remember a senior partner to me years ago who, when I was building a great practice back in the day, had said to me, you know, you ought to slow down. And it was sort of, in some ways a, a very vested remark in trying to make sure that instead of keep on building the practice, that I kept on working for his clients. And so I remember it vividly and thinking like, well, that's not very good advice, is it? And it so clearly came from a, from a place of self interest. I thought it was fascinating, but I, I love this concept. Good things come to those who wait. And not necessarily being the right advice. Go deeper on that. Tell us some more.

[David Pivnick]

Yeah, no, and I hit that on the head on that example. And that is an Unfortunate one, but I think it's also just in general, if you have things in mind, if you've got targets and goals, you need to be realistic about it. You can't just decide, I'm going to accomplish, I'm going to make a billion dollars and then be disappointed the next day. There's not a shortcut here, but the general notion of sitting around idle or waiting and just maintaining the status quo and hoping things develop, I just think is poor advice in a career context. Taking initiative, showing that you can be a leader, that you could take on meaningful paths, that you can continue to progress, is going to help you then progress. I think there's a bit of a self fulfilling prophecy in either direction there. If you keep waiting, you're going to just keep waiting. And if you try and take action, I think you're much more likely, you know, to accomplish those goals. And I think the second part of the other advice that I mentioned, bad advice as the case would be in terms of, you know, just, just try and blend in. You don't want to stand out. I think people hear that kind of advice at a corporate setting all the time. I've only worked at one of the law firm, but I felt that law firm, certainly in the office of the department I was in at that point, which was, you know, two decades ago now, so I'm sure it's much different. But I felt like they expected a cookie cutter associate. And that's not me, that's never been me in anything I've done. And I think it really put a ceiling for me on what I would be able to accomplish there because I was so focused on trying to look like everybody else and I'm not like everybody else. And so coming to McGuire woods and frankly working with you and Jeff Clark and others who basically said, you know, we've got to work, but let you go, run it, do it as you see fitting, and trusted me to navigate client relationships, navigate opposing counsel, navigate matters, allowed me to figure out how to do things well my, my own way, how to manage clients, how to interact with people, with judges, with opposing counsel, etc. And if I was just spending half my time trying to figure out how to be like everybody else, I would never have figured out how to be great at who I am. And it's a whole hell of a lot easier to be yourself than to be true to yourself every day. And so I really think that unlocks a lot in my career and my potential, frankly as an attorney, but also in terms of developing business and building a practice when I was able to recognize I can, you know, based on my merits and by being me rather than just trying to shoehorn myself into what other people are looking for.

[Scott Becker]

And I think that's such great advice. It's such a great take. When I see people that are trying to blend in, what happens is they also just don't stand out in any way. And so whatever you're trying to do, whether you're trying to lead, whether trying to build a practice, whether you're trying to do great work, if you're just trying so hard to stand, to stay in your lane versus trying to improve and show and stand out, you can do so. So mediocre. I remember an older old Japanese proverb and somebody had shared this with me a long time ago, like the nail that sticks up gets hammered down. And the concept being that, you know, you shouldn't try and stand out. And I think what happens is that in terms of actually trying to build things and grow and do things beyond the mediocre, you got to be willing to fight through that and not live with that proverb of being so scared to stand out, to step up, to be the nail that sticks up. Even though, you know, periodically you're going to get, you're going to get, you're going to get knocked down. I love that, that as an idea for bad advice. You know, good things come to those who wait. And also this concept of just try and fit in, don't try and stand out. I think that is, is right on. David, any other thoughts you'd like to add there on advice you've heard over the years? That just is really. It can be good advice, but generally to people like yourself and myself, it rings very hollow or poorly.

[David Pivnick]

Not, not, not, not that sort of global an application. I know several years ago someone advised you you could beat me in a race. I think that was poor advice and landed badly for you, but that's not necessarily applicable to most of the listeners. So it's less of a global comment than a specific example.

[Scott Becker]

Right, right. I mean, sometimes people will tee you up to take a shot at things and try and beat the fastest Canadian hockey player alive at 42. And you're absolutely might have been bad advice though. There's always time for revenge and a comeback. The no, I tell you, there are. Throughout one's career, you get all kinds of bad advice. One of the worst pieces of advice I remember, it's given in professional services settings all the time. It's given in college applications all the time. And it goes something like this. The concept in a professional setting is, well, you want to work with everybody throughout the entire firm so that everybody knows you and so that when you come up for promotion or partner, you know, you're broadly known and proudly thought of and stuff like that. And this sounds so nice and so vanilla and so right. And it is the worst advice you could give somebody. It's far more important that if you're developing a professional career, you are hyper important to a handful of clients. Hyper important to a handful of people that are totally reliant on you, that you're invaluable to. There is nothing good about being useful to 20 different people 5% of the time. You want to be hyper valuable to a handful of leaders all the time. To where if you're not raised, you're not promoted, you're not treated right, they feel the pain. They want to make sure. No, no, we need David Pivnick. He's a leader. And if you work for a billion different people and nobody really relies on you, never get there. It's the same thing in college resume or applications. The college counselors will say, we got to put 20 different things down that you did in high school. And when I hear people say, you got to put 15 things down, 20 things down, it means that they were very shallow on a lot of different things. Rather than being deep in a few things. I'd much rather have somebody that had gone deep in a few activities, student government, sports, chess, whatever it is, in their grades and their performance, than having touched 20 different things and been sort of like all over the place. That's another, to me, one of the worst pieces of common advice given that you got to work for everybody or be a little bit valuable to everybody. No, no, no, no. You got to be hyper valuable to a handful of people.

[David Pivnick]

I completely agree with that. And as we're already, and it seems incredibly early to me, but we're already starting the interview process for next year's the 2026 summer associate class. And I think your point about resumes applies just as well to law students and to folks interviewed for jobs at a professional setting where having six different associations or clubs or activities or eight different or 10 different on, on a resume, but where it just says, you know, member of is going to be far less impressive to me than one or two where you were the president of Exos Society and were able to speak about what you actually did in that role and how you helped grow the organization versus just I signed my name up or wrote a $50 check. And I think your point is well taken in the professional setting too. I mean, I joke about myself all the time, frankly, that I'm not necessarily independently important to the firm or to others, but I'm very important to many of the people who are very important. And I think you hit the nail on the head. I think I carry my own weight just fine. But for the three to five top people in healthcare, private equity, by putting myself in a position to be their go to litigator, I've made myself very valuable to the firm and our clients as well. And I think that is good general advice of figuring out who's going to help who you could be valuable to and in turn will be. Will return that favor and be valuable back in supporting you, I think has a lot of value. And it's a lot easier to do that when you're talking about three to five people versus 10 to 12.

[Scott Becker]

Right. You had mentioned something a moment ago about law school interviewing. It already being that season and. And I had forgot to mention. And I'll ask him back to this, it is about the law school interviewing season and again, I of course went to the Harvard Law School, so I'll be doing some of that interviewing this year. We're doing it preliminarily on Zoom, but that's actually starting in a week or two, which seems so soon. But yes, I went to Harvard Law School. I didn't know, David, if the. If this year they are. If York University, if we're interviewing at York University or if it's not the year that we're interviewing at either Oakton or York, and whether you'll be doing some of that on campus interviewing too.

[David Pivnick]

Yeah, sadly, we're skipping the Osgoode Law School at York University this year. They didn't make our rounds. We are, however, interviewing at University of Illinois, which is very much the Harvard of champagne. So it's not quite Harvard itself, but all the same, quite impressive. And I'll still take my lost credentials over yours. So I've got that going for me.

[Scott Becker]

Here I am trying to be benevolent and what do you get? Actually, it's so funny you mentioned that, because I went to the University of Illinois as an undergrad and it's actually a magnificent, magnificent place. David went there as a law student and finished a number one in his class. And when he says about I'll take my credentials over yours, I can assure you I was nowhere near that. At the Harvard Law School he was number one, which is an incredible feat at any law school, and particularly at the University of Illinois. David, I want to thank you for joining us today on the Becker Private Equity and Business Podcast. What a pleasure to visit with you. What a great guest. David Pignick, what's the worst professional advice you've ever received?