Thang Nguyen 555

In my earlier blog, I tackled the subject of staying ahead of the (horse) race.

In this follow-up blog, I want to explore the theme of being no 2. Yahoo’s no 2, or N Korea’s no 2, all got sacked.

To be great leader, one needs first to be a good follower: one for all, all for one.

The command-control model encourages arm-twisting tactics to stay top dog.

At Lazard Freres, Steve Rattner , aka Car Czar, rubbed shoulders with Felix the top dog, but had a (media) field advantage, enough for Felix to raise hell, which eventually led to Steve’s leaving for his own Quadrangle private equity firm.

Luckily, we got Tech model of collaboration and outsourcing, where talent are respected and used wherever they are found i.e. from fab to factory, from drawing board to assembly line.

It’s about time our understanding of organizational model be adapted to new changes in other fields such as network effect, globalization and sustainability.

One cannot rule the seas and the shores in one fell swoop (Steve Rattner kept filing motion to build an extension of his dock in Vineyard Sound against neighbors and conservationist – just to show money cannot buy everything).

Back to being no 2. Al Gore knew what it’s like to play no 2. He went on to win the Nobel Prize despite terrible set-back in 2000, or his eventual sales of Current TV.

I grew up as the youngest in the family whose siblings were a generation apart.

I have lived the underdog life since day one as no 3.

I work harder (like AVIS). I collaborate (like Sprint did with Clearwire).

I don’t mind at all to be part of the team. I enjoy servant leadership (Jesus feet-washing model).

Someone ought to clear those tables, cheerfully.

Someone ought to stay in the audience to applaud and clap.

Victory is sweet when someone out there sitting in the bleacher sharing it with you.

Be not the lone top dog. Even wolves hunt in pack, and wait patiently for the lead wolf’s signals.

Life is a series of next steps. Someday, it will be your turn. But you must be present to win.

Root for your leader, even in the midst of disagreement. The universe hosts all the planets which rotate in many dimensions, not always top-down or bottom-up.

Restrict not your orientation within just one axle.

He who is in sync with his larger surrounding (universe) will find happiness in the here and now, if not hereafter.

Being a surviving no 3 is far better than a dead no 2.