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Vishu Bheda
ย โขย
Medialย โขย 4m
Marc Andreessen explains IBM founder Thomas Watsonโs famous โWild Ducksโ program Big companies often struggle with innovation. One major reason is complexityโtoo many layers of management and rigid structures slow things down. But thereโs another, deeper reason: only a small number of people can truly create breakthrough innovations. Marc, who worked at IBM when it had over 440,000 employees, saw this firsthand. IBM had a system that worked for decades, where most employees followed rules. But they also had a special category of people called Wild Ducksโa term coined by IBMโs founder, Thomas Watson. These Wild Ducksโonly about 8 to 10 people in a massive companyโwere given complete freedom. They didnโt have to follow the usual corporate rules. They could work on anything, pull resources from other teams, get funding when needed, and report directly to the CEO. One such Wild Duck, Andy Heller, stood out. In a company full of men in blue suits and red ties, he wore cowboy boots and was known for pushing boundaries. IBM management knew that innovation wouldnโt come from a 6,000-person divisionโit would come from someone like Andy Heller. But over time, companies like IBM and HP lost their edge because venture capital gave these Wild Ducks an alternativeโthey could start their own companies instead. This is why large corporations often fail to produce groundbreaking ideas. True innovators donโt thrive in rigid systemsโthey need freedom. And if they donโt get it, they leave to build something new. Follow me for more such amazing content!
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