Rough Draft for Digital Story

Below are the notes that I have that I'll be using for my digital story. I haven't had the chance to coordinate with the people and figure out the set-up for interviews, so that will be one of the next steps. I also will be tying in concepts from Arendt once I have my story down.

Notes on Famous Business Leaders

Jeff Weiner

- We sometimes act, or don’t act, out of fear. We’re fearful over what people will think. We’re fearful of the morale hit. We’re fearful of the unknown. So we all just look away.

- So you say, “I’m  going all in with you. Here is where I’ve observed the gap exists between your current performance and what we need from you. And I’m going to be transparent with you all the way. And if that doesn’t work out, we’re going to figure out another role for you, and if that doesn’t make sense, I’ll do everything I can to make sure you’re successful elsewhere.”

- You have to trsut your instincts, you have to trust your values, and you have to say “I believe this is right, equitable, and fair – or its not.”

- When confronted by his CFO/general counsel “You realize some things have to change (IPO)?” I said “No, it’s not going to change. We’re going to play up to who we aspire to be and not play down to the lowest common denominator out of fear of what might happen. As soon as you do that, it’s done”

- Trust equals consistency over time

- No one has ever made himself great by showing how small someone else is

Richard Branson

- Trust your gut. You can always teach someone skills required for a job, but you can’t teach them to adapt their personality to your corporate culture

- You only live once and it’s important to spend your life doing something you enjoy and really interests you and you’ll be pleased spending your life doing

- If you have a great idea, go for it

- Don’t do a profession because you think you’re going to make a lot of money in it. It’s going to be horribly dull

- You want people who passionately believe in what you want to do, and surround yourself with those kinds of people

- I like to enjoy what I do. I like to create things I’m proud of. I like to surround myself with great people. And I give those people a lot of freedom to create great things

Warren Buffett

- Money and success don’t change people; they merely amplify what is already there

- Worthless people live only to eat and drink. People of worth eat and drink only to live

- Provided plenty of emotional support – but little financial support – to Peter Buffett

- Assumption is an easy life of money and privilege. But really the support, the privilege, comes from having two parents that said and believed that I could do anything. That support came in the form of love and nurturing and respect for us finding our way, falling down, figuring out how to get up ourselves

than the current person in the role (hates firing)

- Buffett made clear to his family that there’d be no handouts. He paid for school tuition and nothing more. Futon for when Nicole moved off-campus “You know what the rules are: school expenses only”

- It didn’t matter how big our house weas; it mattered that there was love in it

Interview Questions

Interviewees: Howard Lio, Kit Skjeie, and Jack Koval

1. What are some traits that you believe are necessary to be a good leader

2. What are some of the challenges you’ve seen both in the business school and at your previous jobs in terms of ethics?

3. Do you believe the corporate structure is set up to properly encourage people to do what’s right?

4. Has your character or integrity ever been questioned, and how would you handle a situation like that?

5. Do you believe your experience would be different if it were a non-business context?