Domain Knowledge, an Over-rated, Irrelevant factor in Leadership

One obstacle I run into constantly is that my clients insist on hiring from within the same industry. It can be a huge mistake. Why not hire someone who is just plain talented? Believe me, in six to eight months a talented marketing person, or manager, or strategist, will be able to learn everything there is to know about your business – and then there’s the bonus that your new executive is actually talented. IBM’s Lou Gerstner came from RJR Nabisco. Did IBM worry whether Gerstner would be able to switch from selling cookies to computers?

Jeff Christian on Talent

These are notes to myself, from Jeff Christian’s book … Formula Five for an exceptional leader: (1) Honesty and Integrity (2) Intellectual Firepower (3) Energy and Passion (4) Leadership (5) Humility. Exceptional leaders are what talented people become. Signs of talent explained.

Artistic Visions: Some quotes

A rule says, “You must do it this way.” A principle says: “This works … and has through all remembered time.” The difference is crucial. Your work needn’t be modeled after the “well-made” play; rather, it must be well made within the principles that shape our art. Anxious, inexperienced writers obey rules. Rebellious, unschooled writers

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Stop.

“When I think of the titanic efforts I made to canalize the hot lava which was bubbling inside me, the efforts I repeated thousands of times to bring the funnel into place and capture a word, a phrase, I think inevitably of the men of the old stone age. A hundred thousand, two hundred thousand

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Yahoo! starts beefing up

Between Yahoo and Google, I still like the former, despite the latter’s sky-high stock prices and current halo-effect. Long time back, Microsoft won against IBM and Apple (and many others) with a Fast-Second strategy. Yahoo may not be at the fore-front of innovation anymore, but some of the properties they have – especially My Yahoo! , Yahoo! Groups, and HotJobs – could be interesting leverages, IF they spend the cycles to figure out how to take those to their true potential. Now, with the focus on better technology and usability, they can, if they fix Product Marketing next.

Perspective on Time

Last week, I was in Jerusalem for a day. My guide, Mishi, was a knowledgeable man with a Masters degree in comparative religion. As we walked through the streets of the old city, he walked me through 10,000 years of history – religious and political – and led me through the sites and monuments that

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Twenty-First Century’s Best Venture

Twenty-First Century’s best venture is the Harry Potter franchise. Starting with a great set of thrilling stories, J.K. Rowling’s marvelous boy-hero has started off a whole generation of youngsters on paths of reading, courage, friendship, adventure, and Rowling herself, on a path of great riches. Traditionally, Venture Capitalists did not finance content plays. But if you look at the numbers, one begins to wonder whether or not they should start … books, music, films, toys, games …

Collin Powell & the Roadmap for John Doerr’s political career

Perhaps, continued hob-nobbing with the political stalwarts also starts to position John Doerr for a Cabinet level role in the not-so-distant future, especially in the Education realm!