Am I Being Too Subtle?: Straight Talk From a Business Rebel

When you’re a repeat player, when your world is your business and your business is your world, it’s all about long-term relationships. In any negotiation I believe in leaving a little bit on the table. And in any relationship I believe in sharing the stakes.

I often say I’m chairman of everything and the CEO of nothing. I stick to what I’m good at—vision, direction, strategy. That’s where I add the most value. I spend almost my entire day listening to other people. I ask questions, I probe, I raise possibilities

there’s no substitute for limited competition. You can be a genius, but if there’s a lot of competition, it won’t matter.

I tell my kids and grandkids, “Your responsibility is to maximize the skills you were given. But whatever you decide to do, invest everything you have in it—excel. What I’ve done is not the example I wanted to set; it’s the way I’ve done it that I hope you emulate, through focus, effort, and commitment.

if you’re really good at what you do, you have the freedom to be who you really are