Hit Refresh (publisher: Harper Collins) is a book that is the blueprint Nadella has in mind as he tries to change the culture of Microsoft from know-it-all to learn-it-all. The new culture at Microsoft is all about listening, learning more and talking less. The book is a terrific study in changing culture. Nadella’s decision to launch Windows 10 in Kenya instead of Sydney was an effort to build a culture of inclusion. Both countries have educated and tech savvy customers as well as skill gaps. Building a culture that obsesses about the customer is not easy.
Have you ever wondered how to define talent? In ancient times the word talent was referred to as a measure of silver that was paid in exchange of someone's work. Better output by the person resulted in more payment - hence more "talent".We get fooled because we believe since we spend a lot of time with human beings we must be good at evaluating their talent and potential. There is a science of human behavior and a science to talent, just like there is science to astrophysics.
Would you pay millions to have a Buffett lunch? For more than 18 years, people have tried to outbid each other to have lunch with the Oracle of Omaha – Warren Buffett. This year the winning bidder shelled out $2.68 million for the privilege of having lunch with the man.I have some good news for you. You can get the wisdom of Warren Buffet and his right hand man, Charlie Munger if you pick up the book titled “All I Want to Know is Where I’m Going to Die So I’ll Never Go There”. Yes, that is the title of the book. I was almost not going to read it. I thought it would be another compilation of financial mumbo jumbo and ratios. Then I read the subtitle. It says, “Buffett and Munger – A Study in Simplicity and Uncommon, Common Sense.” This a must-read.
The more data we create, the more important it is to bring in human judgment. Pulitzer prize winning journalist and columnist for Forbes, George Anders new book “You Can Do Anything” tells you that this may be era of the people with a Liberal Arts education. Technology is sterile unless we can make the human dimension work.








