Team GigaOM gave me this baseball signed by Derek Jeter for my 45th birthday after throwing me a surprise party. It was the first time someone threw me a surprise bash and I loved it. Thanks guys for such a thoughtful gift, which now sits proudly on my desk, next to things of importance – photos of my family.
As a New York Yankees fan, it has been a delight to watch Derek Jeter over past 16 seasons. Regardless of winning or losing, or you hating the Yankees, Jeter is a great player who has a lot of qualities we founders and entrepreneurs can learn from. I wrote about that back in the day. Today, I read an interview with Jeter, who is entering the 2011 season after a lackluster 2010. Reminded me, why his attitude towards the game is the difference maker and we could all take a cue
Good or bad, you have to forget about what happened the previous year. Once you’re satisfied, you’re in trouble. I don’t think negative. If that’s the case, why are we playing? Let’s just plug everyone’s names into a computer. If everyone knows what’s going to happen, what are we all doing here?
To put it in some perspective, I quote this bit from Ben Horowitz’s latest blog post, who should be more known for his Opsware CEO gig, that he is for his VC firm, Andreessen Horowitz.
Whenever I meet a successful CEO, I ask them how they did it. Mediocre CEOs point to their brilliant strategic moves or their intuitive business sense or a variety of other self-congratulatory explanations. The great CEOs tend to be remarkably consistent in their answers. They all say: “I didn’t quit.
Like Jeter.
It is playoff time and soon all teams – from young hustlers from Colorado to the Bronx Bombers are going to start competing for the championships. It is my favorite part of the year for I get to watch my beloved New York Yankees play for another few weeks. It is also the time of the year when Derek Jeter, the face of the New York Yankees takes on a whole new aura. Diving into stands, making unbelievable plays and coming up with hits when there are none.
About two years ago, I wrote a post DJ as a good role model for start-up guys. The comments to that post weren’t all that kind, but I have not changed my opinion. Earlier this week, I read an excellent profile of Jeter in the New York Magazine, which essentially said what I really wanted to say two years ago:
He has become the hero of the Bronx because he effortlessly exudes the qualities we wish we had ourselves: He is always confident, always composed, always in control. Baseball is an unpredictable game; failure is a constant. But Jeter doesn’t allow himself to absorb it, or even really acknowledge it. He just keeps cruising along, as if playing shortstop for the most scrutinized, glorified sports franchise in the world every day for the past fourteen years is the most natural thing on earth.
As a start-up founder, one lives with threat of failure. As a leader, one needs to stay confident confident, composed and in control. You just have to assume the hits are going to come, and the win is only around the corner.
