The news is awash with retrospective pieces on the accomplishments of Steve Jobs. Rightfully so, accomplishments should be celebrated.

As innovative and redefining as Job’s successes are, I have become more enamored with his failures. More specifically, in his ability to fail forward.

Every product that Steve Jobs creates turns to gold, right? I mean, there is the iPod, the iPhone, iTunes, the iPad, and the Mac. Then there is the Lisa computer, the hockey puck mouse, NeXT Computer, the Rokr, iTools, and the G4 Cube…

Steve Jobs has had epic success, but he has also had epic failure. Continue Reading

“But, that’s just me.”

It’s an expression that often excuses irrational statements. If a person must qualify a statement by recognizing that it may very well be wrong, they quickly lose credibility.

What it says to others about me when I use such statements :

- I acknowledge that my statement is probably incorrect, but I choose to buy in to it anyway.  ”Just because” is not a consideration that leaders weigh when making decisions.
- I am lazy.  I won’t be bothered with the work necessary to uncover requisite facts, data, or other objective information before making my statements, judgments, or decisions.
- I don’t really care what others think or the quality of the input they may provide; there is no room for discussion, my mind won’t be changed.
- I believe that others should also buy into my conclusion based on my (very scientific) feelings – because, hey, it’s me after all – not because it’s well thought-out and carefully constructed on facts.

If you desire credibility, don’t ask others to buy into something “just because.”  Don’t put your credibility on the line with a hasty and ill-informed expression.

Be thoughtful. Be intentional. Make statements after considering objective information, then follow up with more subjective but logical conclusions. Finally, ask for input. It demonstrates that you’re interested in arriving at the best conclusion based on all of the information. It’s what leaders do.

People buy into those who speak rationally and who eschew whimsical statements.

But, that’s just me.

Continue Reading

There is a cultural thought-pattern afoot that encourages us to evaluate our strengths and weaknesses, and to place our primary efforts on strengthening those areas where we find ourselves “deficient,” so as to become “well rounded” individuals.  In many cases, it’s a theory that encourages mediocrity and it prevents individuals from becoming exceptional specialists.

Some context: Surgeons did not always specialize in specific areas of medicine as they do now.  There was a time when they studied general medicine in order to be “well rounded” practitioners; that they may have a degree of knowledge for any affliction or malady that may present itself.

Then, the practice of specialization and hyper-specialization was introduced in hospitals.  Now, surgeons begin their studies in general medicine and, as they mature in their profession and discover in what area of medicine their natural affinities lay, they focus their studies and refine skills in a specific area so as to become exceptional.  For example, a cardiothoracic surgeon will abandon undeveloped skills in neurosurgery, and almost every other area of medicine unrelated to their specialty, in favor of multplying their skill in cardiothoracic medicine. Continue Reading