I have been amazed by the analysis done on Malcolm Gladwell in his book "Outliers - The story of success" on the successful personalities the world has seen. From the software giants to New York Lawyers to the ice hockey players of Canada.
I have been particularly impressed by the way the author has proven by statistics his point that people born just after the cut-off dates have an added advantage as they compete with younger people in their category. Different games, settings and environment have same result. The world is not a level playing field and some people do gets added advantages. Apart from being a born genius, the other factor play an equally important role to make a person an outlier. Bill Gates or Bill Joy were successful because they got the opportunity at the right time. Bill Gates got free computing times because his school got the donation to set up computer lab and Bill Joy joined University of Michigan at the time when new Computer Center started there.
People born in 1830's were successful because at the time of industrial revolution in 1860's they were of the appropriate age. So was the case with New York immigrant Jew lawyers.
I liked the way the author has linked all these examples in a very subtle and intriguing manner with the exceptions where a genius has gone wrong like Chris Lagan who had an IQ of 195 or the Termites (subjects of Termans field project on geniuses).
I would recommend this as a must read book for the budding entrepreneurs and leaders.
I have been particularly impressed by the way the author has proven by statistics his point that people born just after the cut-off dates have an added advantage as they compete with younger people in their category. Different games, settings and environment have same result. The world is not a level playing field and some people do gets added advantages. Apart from being a born genius, the other factor play an equally important role to make a person an outlier. Bill Gates or Bill Joy were successful because they got the opportunity at the right time. Bill Gates got free computing times because his school got the donation to set up computer lab and Bill Joy joined University of Michigan at the time when new Computer Center started there.
People born in 1830's were successful because at the time of industrial revolution in 1860's they were of the appropriate age. So was the case with New York immigrant Jew lawyers.
I liked the way the author has linked all these examples in a very subtle and intriguing manner with the exceptions where a genius has gone wrong like Chris Lagan who had an IQ of 195 or the Termites (subjects of Termans field project on geniuses).
I would recommend this as a must read book for the budding entrepreneurs and leaders.
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