The secret to success for many Silicon Valley tech companies isn’t necessarily that they’re ultra-nimble start-ups, or that they’re led by tech-savvy geniuses. In fact, their success often has more to do with a specific type of corporate culture—and it’s a culture that even companies not based on the US West Coast or focused on technology can adopt.
How the Geeks Rewrote the Rules of Management
Geeks are “obsessive mavericks”, and every company can benefit from their leadership style.
September 15, 2023
Summary.
Andrew McAfee is a principal research scientist at the MIT Sloan School of Management. Throughout his career, he has done ground-breaking research on how digital technologies are changing the world. He is a prolific writer, a frequent contributor to HBR and other outlets, and a sought-after commentator on technological change – especially, these days, on the potential of generative AI. He is the author of the forthcoming book “The Geek Way: The Radical Mindset that Drives Extraordinary Results,” the subject of much of this “New World of Work” interview. His big idea is that “geeks” have created not only the technology that’s driving our future but also a management approach that defines contemporary corporate excellence. It’s a somewhat contrarian view; after all, many of us have criticized Silicon Valley-run businesses as being male-dominated and lacking in empathy (even, of course, as we continue to use their products). What does McAfee mean by geek? He defines them as “obsessive mavericks,” people who become obsessed with hard problems and are willing to pursue unconventional solutions – to avoid the dysfunctions that have traditionally plagued companies as they expand.