That said, they didn’t generally strike me as
particularly emotionally intelligent, at least not
according to the popular definition. While some
were perhaps more self-aware and empathetic than
most, others were so singularly focused on their
work, their products, and the business at hand that
I don’t think there was much room left for
anything else.
While some were more impetuous and egocentric
than others – to their detriment, I may add – they
were generally a mature bunch. They were
comfortable in their own skins, didn’t take
themselves too seriously, and had a sense of
humor and humility. They usually welcomed
constructive debate as a means to effective
decision-making.
With rare exception, they all worked their tails off
and rose through the ranks to become executives
at bigger companies before starting their own
ventures, being chosen to lead others or becoming
VCs. I wouldn’t say any of them were born to be
or set out to be entrepreneurs. It was more a result
than a goal.
That said, one of the heralded attributes of great
leaders – their passion and vision – is often a
double-edged sword that can cloud perspective
and lead to myopia or nearsightedness. This is a
common problem that I believe caused many of
those I worked with to be less successful than they
might have been.
By the time I came to know them, they were all
business savvy. They each had a clear and
visceral, if not pragmatic, understanding of
finance, competitive markets and how companies
operate. Some may have learned it by osmosis
while others made it their business to understand
business, but sooner or later it does come with the
territory.
Finally, and this is perhaps the most noteworthy
point, I’m certain they would all agree that
business and entrepreneurial success is based
primarily on developing products and services that
are far better at meeting critical customer needs
than the competition. If you want to step into their
shoes someday, that’s where I would start.
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