Mastery is great, but even that is not enough. You have to be able to change course without a bead of sweat, or remorse.

When it comes to e-book playback devices and software, I have always thought that the emphasis on ergonomic concerns as a tipping point for the end-user population was misplaced.

The top athletes are consummate pros who work obsessively at their craft. Approach yours the same way.

The thing that keeps a business ahead of the competition is excellence in execution.

Digital ink technology holds substantial promise in terms of legibility, portability, and power consumption, but I am less confident about the communication aspect.

Business, life itself, is damned hard work if you wanna be good at it. Actually, that's precisely wrong. Business ceases to be work when you're chasing a dream that has engorged you. ("Work should be more fun than fun" - Noel Coward.) And if the passion isn't there. then biotech and plumbing will be equal drags.

As far as I'm concerned, the first business leader who was able to establish a cult of personality around his tenure was Lee Iacocca.