I never had a CFI and I was a Checkairmen on the DC-10 and B-777 for my airline. Teaching in the airplane and the Simulator with students that were low time FE transition/upgrade to very high time pilots. I will say this...if you want to fly multiple crew complex airplanes you need to have a personality and communication skills or training will become a grind and unpleasant experience for all involved. I can remember one pilot we had with no social skills...he didn't make it over the long run and nobody enjoyed being in the cockpit with him.

From what I've experienced in the last decade (and I will be corrected by the 500TT CFI know it all on this and other subjects)...it seems like the 'ol experienced pilots listen to what those low time pilots have to say, but those low time pilot know it all's don't listen to the experienced 'ol pilots...thank you Xbox for bad parenting.