1: In the middle of the dot-com crash, against all odds, Ben Horowitz had succeeded in finding a buyer for Loudcloud, the cloud computing company he had founded.
EDS agreed to acquire the firm for $63.5 million in cash, along with the associated liabilities and cash burn.
Not only that, “we would retain the intellectual property, Opsware, and become a software company,” Ben writes.
“EDS would then license … continue reading
1: “Should Yahoo bring back Koogle?”
Felicia Horowitz smiled at her husband, venture capitalist Ben Horowitz.
“Huh?”
It was 2012, and Yahoo had just fired its CEO, Scott Thompson.
“Tim Koogle? How do you even know who Tim Koogle is?” he writes in his book The Hard Thing About Hard Things.
Felicia then recalled a conversation they had shared eleven years earlier, back in 2001.… continue reading
1: Ever said, “It’s just quicker if I do it myself?”
Probably.
Yesterday, we looked at the powerful results of “the ownership program” at the New York City restaurant Eleven Madison Park where junior team members were given ownership of different types of beverages, including coffee, cocktails, and tea.
“I’m not going to lie,” General Manager Will Guidara acknowledges in his book Unreasonable Hospitality, “it’s much easier to … continue reading
1: As leaders, when we are short-staffed, it is difficult to resist the temptation to hire the first person who walks through the door.
“I know what it’s like to think, We need someone so desperately—how bad could this person be?” Will Guidara writes in his wonderful book Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect.
“I’ve also (unfortunately),” he recalls, “been in a position … continue reading
1: “Managers are thermometers, and leaders are thermostats,” Carolyn Dewar, Scott Keller, and Vikram Malhotra write in their book CEO Excellence: The Six Mindsets That Distinguish the Best Leaders from the Rest.
Managers react to what happens. They solve problems and deal with the here and now. They measure things and report out results.
“Leaders influence their environment,” Carolyn, Scott, and Vikram write. ” They alter people’s … continue reading
1: “In God we trust, all others bring data,” management scientist W. Edwards Deming once said.
“The best CEOs adhere to this mantra,” Carolyn Dewar, Scott Keller, and Vikram Malhotra write in their book CEO Excellence: The Six Mindsets That Distinguish the Best Leaders from the Rest.
“Our decision-making principles insist on evidence,” says former Intuit CEO Brad Smith. “One of the mottos is, ‘Because of (blank), … continue reading
1: The executive team had gathered to make three investment decisions.
“First, they discussed the investment for a £10 million nuclear power plant,” Carolyn Dewar, Scott Keller, and Vikram Malhotra write in their book CEO Excellence, citing C. Northcote Parkinson’s 1958 book The Pursuit of Progress.
Total time spent to make the decision: Two and a half minutes.
Next up? What color should they paint their … continue reading
1: The team is known as the “Dream Team.” The original version.
The 1992 US Men’s Olympic basketball squad had a roster for the ages, including Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Charles Barkley, Patrick Ewing, Scottie Pippen, and Karl Malone.
“All were consummate professionals with a track record of not only being all-star players but also playing on all-star teams,” Carolyn Dewar, Scott Keller, and Vikram Malhotra… continue reading
To become a transcendent leader, we must understand what truly motivates people.
Author and leadership expert Fred Kofman believes there are four levers leaders must utilize to capture the hearts and minds of their team members.
Yesterday, we looked at the power of purpose. Today, we detail three other powerful tools transcendent leaders tap into to build inspired organizations: Principles, People, and Autonomy.
First up: Principles.
“As a culture architect,” … continue reading
1: The best CEOs understand that they must have a “hands-on” connection with each individual on their leadership team, McKinsey consultants Carolyn Dewar, Scott Keller, and Vikram Malhotra write in CEO Excellence: The Six Mindsets That Distinguish the Best Leaders from the Rest.
“You invest time and energy with each, recognizing they’re all individuals,” comments Michael Fisher, CEO of the nonprofit Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. … continue reading
