“No matter how big your company is, there are more smart people outside.” I 100% agree with this point. We describe the value of reaching outside our company for advice as “covering your blind spots”. We don’t know what we don’t know so talking with others who have either been their before or who are just people you admire or respect can help you fill in the inevitable areas that you are completely blind. It’s one thing to not know how to solve a problem that you know is coming up for you. It’s another thing entirely to not anticipate the problem in the first place. That’s what we work to avoid with talking outside our company.