LUIGIDOLLOSA

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LOTUS DEVELOPMENT

1.] Treat subordinates with esteem.

One serious blunder that Personal Software committed was to underrate Kapor. They overestimated the potential of Kapor’s undertaking and had sort of ignored him in terms of special treatment. Personal Software was not fully aware that the next killer app was going to evolve from what Kapor was initially developing (Troll-VisiPlot-Lotus 123). If I were Personal Software, I should regret of having this big opportunity go astray. The morale lesson should be that I should trust what I invest in. Cause, you’ll never know if it s going to turn out as the next big thing in the business. Holding an upper position in the management, we must trust the abilities of our subordinates in a sense that they should feel that they are being valued as an asset of the company.

2.] Prove yourself.

In connection with number one, it really shows that credentials make people trust you. Having lesser background on software engineering, Kapor had a tough time convincing others especially, the publishers and developers, to pursue his ideas and suggestions for the improvement of technologies. He had to prove himself in another way but people didn’t give him credibility because they’re too full of themselves. It goes to show that in a start-up scene, you have a lot of try-to-prove-yourself episodes, even more if you have no technical background. People will easily see future in brilliant ideas, but it is hard to obtain people’s trust to believe that you can accomplish the idea. At the end, Kapor has proven himself, with freedom and liberation, that he can build the killer app killer and which will overrule the ones in Personal Software that ‘discarded’ his capacity.  

 3.] Share the drive.

One important advice and insight I gained in the interview is that a group of people will become more productive if they aspire for a common goal and they are driven together. One important group dynamic for a successful start-up is having people that you can work with comfortably, people that will bring out the best in you, leaders that will bring out the leader in you. If working relationships are very healthy and are based on ethics, an atmosphere of creativity and open-mindedness will surround and will be truly conducive for quality outputs.