What I learned today - Entrepreneurship

Attended a workshop led by Verne Harnish, a guy called 'Growth Guy'.
Although I've never heard about him before,  I really enjoyed the workshop because of his enthusiastic and engaging lecture. I can absolutely say that this was one of the few best lectures I've taken here at LBS.

Here are the lessons from the workshop.

1. Routines set you fee.
However small and trivial they are, routines set you free. All the successful leaders and entrepreneurs have their own routines, such as Bill Gates' "Think Week" and Eric Schmidt's "Time to Read", which help themselves to stay ahead of others.

2. Find a mentor/advisor.
It's impossible to succeed by going alone. Every great leaders have their own trusted mentors or advisers. Find your own mentor and talk to him/her on a regular basis however short it is.

3. Four critically decisions to make
In short, entrepreneurs have four critical decision to make: strategy, execution, people, and cash. All four should be simple and clear enough that even idiots should understand and act on them.
Strategy is about thinking of how to generate revenue and growth.
Execution is about planning to make profit without wasting time.
People is about structuring people to work happily.
Cash is about modelling oxygen to sustain your business.

4. Two leadership traits
Talk less and listen more.
Less statements and more questions.

5. Three questions to ask myself
Are you playing the game not to lose or to win?
Do you have the discipline (or routines)?
What did you learn today?

Recommended readings
"Hidden Champion" by Hermann Simon
"Influence" by ???
"Emergence" by Steven Johnson
"Delivering Happiness" by Tony
"Good to Great" by Jim Collins
"What is Strategy" by Michael Porter, HBR
"Catalytic Mechanisms" by Jim Collins, HBR

Recommended sites
http://www.gazelles.com/
http://www.google.com/alerts