Sublime

Hegel predicted that the basic unit of modern society would be the state, Marx that it would be the commune, Lenin and Hitler that it would be the political party. Before that, a succession of saints and sages claimed the same for the parish church, the feudal manor, and the monarchy. The big contention of this small book is that they have all been

The realization of the critical importance of committed employees in growing the business transforms the entrepreneur’s perspective. Employees become the necessary “end” rather than simply the “means” to an end.

The fewer people, the smaller, the less activity inside, the more nearly perfect is the organization in terms of its only reason for existence: the service to the environment.

The ability to place ex-staff in prestigious positions is thus one of the prerequisites of a successful churning strategy.

Things get done in our society because of a man or a woman with conviction.

entrepreneurs kept control over finances, quality, and customer relationships until they had to delegate them.

Even if you’re an uber-visionary, perhaps even the next Steve Jobs, the single most important skill for building a great company is making superb people decisions. Without the right people, you simply cannot build a great company, period.

Stability—the system offers its participants a reliable picture of the future

talent sets the floor, but character sets the ceiling.