Doing is not the goal, but merely a tool.

Who you work for matters—it’s the old saying, “When striking a dog, you look at its owner.” It’s crucial which “master” you serve. In the end, you’re really working for yourself. Coming along for someone else’s ride is just a temporary arrangement: if the paths align, you go together; if not, you transfer to a different line. (It’s about working for people who can shape your future.)

Talent itself isn’t the priority; what matters is talent that delivers solutions. (This is about working for yourself.)

Eventually, you need to carve out an ecological niche. (Serve the ecosystem.)

A key responsibility of executives is engaging in office politics. Regardless of why any department was originally founded, once established, it exists to continually prove its own necessity through its work.