This quote by the CEO of chip-maker Nvidia is one of many gems in The Corner Office by Adam Bryan. The book is a must read for any first-time CEO, and I would venture to say for anyone at a startup. My friend Ben Pieratt’s honest blog post inspired me to read it. Below are some of the takeaways I found most meaningful:
*Have debates about what the questions should be, not the solutions.
*Be clear about whether something you say is a light bulb or a gun. A lightbulb means this is just an idea, so think about it, see if you think it’s a good one. Either follow up or don’t, but it’s just an idea. A gun is, I want you to do this.
*Thanks to the Internet, there is a greater premium on the ability to synthesize, to connect dots in new ways, and to ask the simple, smart question that leads to an untapped opportunity.
*Bringing in a new team member provides a new set of eyes on a corporate culture. Use them to get a fresh perspective.
*When your team asks how you are, answer “I’m great and here’s why…”
*You have to be able to say that the strategy didn’t work, that the technology didn’t work, that the product didn’t work, but we’re still going to be great and be able to tell the team why.
*As it turns out, the most fun parts of the game are when you’re losing. When you finally beat it there’s a moment of euphoria, but then it’s over.
