Career News 24/7: INSTANT MBA: "Anybody Who Thinks They Can Do It Alone Is Probably Doomed"

Friday, November 11, 2011

INSTANT MBA: "Anybody Who Thinks They Can Do It Alone Is Probably Doomed"

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Friday, November 11, 2011

Today's advice comes from former Disney CEO Michael Eisner's interview with SUCCESS Magazine:

"Often those people who are truly, truly individual get themselves believing their own invincibility. Sometimes they become arrogant. Sometimes they even go beyond the line ethically and morally and that’s often when you see real problems."

Individual achievement isn't a useful basis for judging performance within a business, says Eisner, who has hosted a talk show and invested in other entertainment and production projects since he left Disney.

In fact, usually the people who appear to be the most independent trailblazers are the ones with the strongest support net -- like a savvy spouse or a business partner with a quieter personality, he says. But the workers who are truly on their own invite a series of risks, like crossing ethical lines.

Nurturing a sense of community within an organization can help stave off the chances for these potentially disastrous missteps. The biggest management takeaway from Eisner?

"Anybody who thinks they can do it alone is probably doomed at some point.”

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