I’m reading a book that has really inspired me: Paul Allen, Idea Man. It’s Paul Allen’s memoir.
Around the time I was born, and for the next few years until I turned 11 and moved out of the country, there were amazing things happening with the computer industry. Really amazing.
Paul’s book walks you through his early years, including the high school where he met Bill Gates when he was in 8th grade. It walks you through his passions, like chemistry and geeky stuff.
Paul invites you to peak in on the early days of Microsoft, which was a little company poised to take over the world, but back in those days there were just a little software company making some excellent strategic decisions.
As I read through the stories I’m inspired. Many people think all the great companies, and all the wealth, has already been created…. so they need to work for someone else, and they need to look to the government for “wealth” or lifestyle… but Paul’s story is inspiring because we can, today, start our own thing, decide our own fate, risk, and sometimes enjoy the benefits of risking.
Are you looking for hope and inspiration? Check out Paul’s book. I got mine from the library.
Cool factoid: there was a point when Paul and Bill applied to work for a company… Bill used his HANDWRITTEN RESUME and got the job.
Not typed… handwritten. I would love to see a copy of the resume that was a part of the history of one of the wealthiest men around.
What are YOU reading that inspires YOU?
“The Coming Jobs War” by Jim Clifton-
Why are jobs the new global currency for leaders?
The Gallup orginization has discovered that having a good job is now the great global dream; it’s the number one social value for everyone. This is one of our most powerful findings ever. “A good job” is more important than having a family, more compelling than democracy and freedom, religion, peace and so on. Those are all very important but they are now subordinate to the almighty good job. So it follows that everything turns on delivering this ultimate need. Stimulating job growth is the new currency of all leaders because if you don’t deliver on it you will experience instability, brain drain, sometimes revolution — all of the worst outcomes of failed leadership. At the very least you will have no followers and no chance of re-election.
How does a leader create more jobs than the competition?
By creating more customers. Almost no one knows this. Keep in mind that no business is trying to create jobs. They are all working all day and every weekend to create new customers. New customers are the real goal of a nation. Because jobs always follow customers. Too few leaders have this figured out and it is at the very core of our failure to fix this seemingly colossal American problem. To create authentic, organic, real job growth — not pretend jobs made by government — city and country leaders need to focus on customers.
And to that I say Amen – now let us let America loose and see what her citizens can do!
Steve, I have always been inspired by your stuff… thank you for sharing this! I’m going to blog about it on my JasonAlba.com/blog blog.