The book that I chose to read was Shoe Dog by Phil Knight. The thing that surprised me the most about Knight was that he had managed to stay hidden for so long. Most people didn't know his name or his affiliation to Nike until a few years ago. I admired that he let other people be. He let his employees make have their own ideas and be able to lead their own lives in some aspects. The thing that I admired least about Knight is that he pretty much surrounded himself with yes men. I don't think it is smart to have a bunch of negative people who don't believe in you in your circle, but I think it is important to have some close skeptics or people who don't see you point your point of view. The adversity that Knight faced was always being broke. Since his parent company was in Japan, he needed numerous bank loans in order to keep brining the shoes to the U.S. Despite not feeling appreciated by the Japanese business men he worked with, he continued to try to make the company better. He improved the shoe designs as well as the name and the logo to try to attract more customers.One of Knight's competencies is undoubtedly that he isn't afraid to take risks. He started the company on a small investment and a bold approach to a CEO in Japan. I also think leadership is one of his core competencies. He has a more hands-off approach to leadership, but I think some of the best leaders trust their team. We can see that Knight does trust his team by not micromanaging them. I would say the most confusing part of the book was how he portrayed himself versus his actions. He said he was super awkward and could barely manage to tell the woman who would eventually become his wife that he had a crush on her. Yet, all of his actions seem to contradict this shy, introverted nature. For example, he walked up to a CEO and basically asked for a part of his company.One question I would ask Knight would be if he would do it all over again, start Nike, considering all of the hardships he endured. I would also ask if he believes that his shy and nervous attributes help him in any way. I think Knight's opinion of hard work is that it is the foundation of everything. He believes that hard workers make the difference in a company. He values the struggles that he has endured. I would say that I share that opinion. I think that hard work is the foundation of anything that is successful and has longevity, especially a company.
Hi Nala!
ReplyDeleteI found your reading reflection to be well-written and thought out! I feel that Phil Knight's struggle with financial capital is something that a lot of entrepreneurs also deal with, and his having to rely on loans is something else that a lot of entrepreneurs might end up relying on in order to succeed. I feel that while a lot of people one might interact with everyday might identify as introverted, but in reality, would might definitely be more extroverted than they realize, something which also might apply to Phil Knight in his biography, which might explain his actions.
Thanks for sharing!