CHAPTER 5
Influence: Replacing and Reasserting “Control”
What one word would you like people to use when they describe you? When Adam Bryant (2011, B2), of The New York Times Corner Office asked Bing Gordon, a partner with venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield and Byers this question, he replied: influence. In fact, Bryant used this response to title the column: “Power? No Thanks, but I’d Rather Have Influence.”
As Gordon said:Early on, I learned that I'm better with influence than power. And, in fact, I’m not power-hungry… And there’s a cost to having power, which is that people you have sway over actually own you, especially if you’re in a business where there are more jobs than there are good people. I like having influence. I like ...
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