How the Mighty Fall

Have you been paying attention to what’s been happening to HP lately? If you haven’t, in short, HP is not doing well. (For example, see this.) Surprised? I wasn’t. It’s true, every organization, no matter how great, is vulnerable to decline. What’s also true is that decline is usually (and largely) self-inflicted.

Since my intention is not to monopolize your attention with this topic, let me just say that in my opinion decline always starts at the top. Nowadays, if the person at the top of an organization doesn’t possess an entrepreneurial worldview, the organization is likely going to decline. Why? In short, because the people in business who don’t possess an entrepreneurial worldview usually excel at what Steve Jobs called the ‘folklore of business,’ rather than the content of business. (That this indeed could be the case for Meg Whitman, HP’s current CEO, check out the reviews of her book.)

Looking for proof that Steve’s hypothesis has merit? Look no further than Amazon. Most of Amazon’s success has to do with Jeff Bezos: the founder and CEO; computer nerd; and most importantly—an entrepreneur.

My 2¢: What other group of people has as good of a record of delivering a more productive future to both their organizations and the world as entrepreneurs do?

Feb 26, 2013