Big companies have trouble with innovation. Innovation is about bad ideas, or ideas that look like bad ideas. That's the fundamental thing.
Ben HorowitzRead
In my experience as CEO, I found that the most important decisions tested my courage far more than my intelligence.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Courage is often more crucial than intelligence in making important decisions.
In this quote, Ben Horowitz emphasizes the significance of courage in leadership roles, particularly when faced with tough decisions. He suggests that the ability to confront challenges and take risks often outweighs the analytical skills that one might possess, highlighting the emotional strength required to lead effectively.
Themes
CourageDecisionsLeadershipIntelligenceExperience
In practice
Example use cases
During a leadership seminar, this quote can be used to highlight the importance of courage in decision-making.
More from Ben Horowitz
All quotes →As a company gets big, the information that informs decision-making gets massive. Depending upon the prism through which you view the business, your perspective will vary. If two people are in charge, this variance will cause conflict and delay.
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You read these management books that say, 'These are the hard things about running a company.' But those aren't really the hard things. The hard things are when you have to layoff half your company, or you have to fire your best friend. Or you have to figure out a way not to go bankrupt.
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Look - this is the terror of being a founder & CEO. It is all your fault. Every decision, every person you hire, every dumb thing you buy or do - ultimately, you're at the end.
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Nobody knows how to be a CEO. It's something you have to learn. It's a very lonely job.
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As long as people are clear on what they need to do and what's going on, you're very likely to succeed. When nobody is clear, then you're guaranteed to fail.
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