Surround Yourself With Smart People

Nick Turley, head of ChatGPT at OpenAI, believes that surrounding yourself with people who energize you and following your genuine curiosity are the keys to success in the AI era and beyond. Rather than chasing trends or optimizing for compensation, he's made every career decision—from Dropbox to Instacart to OpenAI—by identifying the smartest people he could learn from and finding ways to work with them.

This philosophy extends beyond just professional advancement. Nick applies this principle to both his personal relationships and work environment, seeking people who "lift me up and make me a better person." He views this approach as particularly crucial in a world where AI can answer almost any question—making the ability to ask the right questions increasingly valuable.

Implications for Decision Making

For leaders, this perspective suggests building teams based on intellectual energy and complementary thinking styles rather than just credentials or experience. Nick's approach at OpenAI involves assessing what specific skills each team needs rather than following rigid organizational structures. He focuses on hiring "barrels" (people who make things happen) rather than just "ammunition" (people who support those people).

For individual contributors, this means being deliberate about your environment. Rather than optimizing solely for compensation or status, consider whether the people around you spark your curiosity and challenge you to grow. Nick's journey to OpenAI began with a simple request to get off a waitlist, which turned into a recruiting conversation because he was genuinely interested in the technology.

The jazz band metaphor Nick uses illustrates how this philosophy translates to teamwork. Rather than conducting an orchestra with rigid parts, he prefers the improvisational nature of jazz where team members riff off each other's ideas. This creates space for innovation where "ideas could come from anywhere" rather than following a scripted process.

When evaluating opportunities, ask yourself: "Will I be energized by the people I'll be working with?" rather than just "Is this the right career move?" According to Nick, following your curiosity and surrounding yourself with the right people is "the one repeatable thing" in his success story—"everything else is luck."