Maybe he's just being realistic? It's exhausting how people having their own opinions are labelled dicks lately, and conformist sheeple are called "good team players". Good teams need people who dare to disagree and question the status quo, because that validates internal ideas, making the results stronger, better implemented, more creative.
Meh, it’s possible to challenge the status quo without being a dick. I think it’s more sincere to not be a dick.