“The fox knows many things; the hedgehog knows one big thing.” ------ Archilochus, 8th century BC
A degree outside the mainstream there is a rare gift that is best appreciated by those with a deep understanding of the craft. That gifted man may not fill the biggest arenas, but he has a fine talent that earns esteem.
- Warren Buffett hasn’t had to work for money since he was 25 years old and yet he keeps working well into his 90s.
- Sam Walton who was a successful teenage entrepreneur and kept going long after he became the richest person in America.
- Leonardo da Vinci carried a notebook wherever he went and in 1519 on his death bed he was observing in scientific detail the nature of his illness.
There is a concept defined in the book Finite and Infinite Games by James Carse; Life is divided into two types of games. “Finite games” exist to be won; “infinite games” are designed simply to keep playing. Lifelong art like writing, painting, and company-building fall into the latter. You can practice and learn until your dying breath.
In a rapidly evolving business environment with a competitive talent marketplace, your organization’s skilled workforce is your most powerful differentiator. Finding and tapping the skills you need—and recruiting and retaining that talent—is critical to the success of any organization.
A recent Deloitte Insights report said organizations with a skills-first hiring approach to talent are 107% more likely to place talent effectively, 98% more likely to retain high performers, and more likely to build reputations as great places to grow a career. Two-thirds of workers say they would be more attracted to join—and more likely to remain at—an organization that values and makes decisions based on their skills rather than on their degrees and previous jobs.
Learn from these differentiators:
“Every great institution is the lengthened shadow of a single man. His character determines the character of the organization.”......Ralph Waldo Emerson:
“We provide autonomy and space with freedom to operate, without fear of failure. We’re curious, open minded, and collaborative. And although we’re thought leaders, we’re humble, and willing to share knowledge and learn from one another.” .......Former CEO Richard Goyder of Wesfarmers aptly encapsulates the pivotal importance of culture to the company’s trajectory on growth noting that “culture is very hard to build and easy to destroy.”
These differentiators possess industry knowledge and focus on key financial metrics like return on capital employed complemented with “above-the-waterline characteristics” with “below-the-waterline characteristics.” like:
- emotional intelligence, such as interpersonal sensitivity
- broad interests that encompass diverse areas
- the ability to contemplate how global issues may impact the business.
