Student question

Questions that a monograph should answer:

a.Who is the author and why is this work important to the study of Leadership;

b.Where is this work weak or lacking;

c.What situations or organizations would this type of leadership be most useful;

d.How can someone improve their leadership ability with this book; and

e.Does this work lead you to other works on similar topics? Does it make you more interested in this field or less?

The author of "Outliers: The Story of Success," Malcom Gladwell, discusses various scenarios and circumstances that contribute to success in his book. Malcom Gladwell goes into detail about several situations that appear to be self-made stories but are molded by the circumstances and realities into which they were born. Malcom also explains the 10,000-hour rule, which explains how to master a skill rather than having it come naturally to you. Examples of topics I will discuss in this monograph include the 10,000-hour rule, the downside of genius, and the advantages of being from a different religion or country's location at birth (Joe Flom story).

Gladwell raises issues on the drawbacks of having a high IQ and the idea that there is an upper limit to intellect. He makes the point that people with IQs between 120 and 180 will not continue to benefit in real life. Although the range of 120 to 180 is wide, Gladwell adds that once a person reaches this IQ, more education is no longer necessary, and the person will no longer benefit from new chances. Gladwell does not downplay the significance of IQ, but he does make mention of a test that can reveal whether a person is intelligent in addition to their IQ. He makes mention of a divergence test in which participants answer a question or solve a problem. The more options an individual can produce for an issue, the better the outcome. Instead, then merely looking at IQ, this example helps to identify a person's creativity and imagination. This highlights the idea that success is more about opportunity than IQ; if a person has encountered a difficulty like the one in the test, they will perform better than someone with a higher IQ. This applies to instances at work where it is important to hire people with practical experience since their varied backgrounds will benefit the project and inspire more original solutions.

One of the anecdotes in the book that I found compelling was the one about Joe Flom; it also provides some insight into Gladwell's analytical and research skills. Joe Flom is a "rags to riches" tale of an immigrant youngster and how he rose to success, but it was due to the circumstances of his birth. Because he is Jewish, Joe Flom was unable to work at any other firm but Skadden and Arps. This company specialized in instances that the large firms did not desire, such as aggressive takeovers (they were too much work). Joe specialized in hostile takeovers during the 1970 hostile takeover boom, which gave him a significant competitive edge. Joe was given a fantastic opportunity to advance his profession because he was born at the proper time. The second world war is used by Gladwell as an illustration of how important it is to be born at the proper time to succeed in life. If you were born later (1911) when you were drafted, your career and family were disturbed, but if you were born early (1915) when you were drafted, you did not notice much distribution in your life when you returned. Joe Flom was born to the right parents and at the appropriate time for the aggressive takeovers. Instead of the Italian immigrants who were farmers and peasants, 70% of the Jewish immigrants who came over had a trade skill because they were not permitted to own land in Europe. Joe Flom's father supported his son financially and provided him with prospects for success by working as a sewer for a women's garment company.

The question of whether a superstar or someone who stands out from the crowd was born that way or developed through practice is always there. In other words, is this talent that came from hard labor or from God? The 10,000 rules, put out by Malcolm Gladwell, states that "it takes 10,000 hours to become a master at a skill." In a research study on the violinist at the Berlin Academy of Music, a psychologist by the name of K. Anders Ericson was able to classify the pupils according to their skill levels. Around 4,000 hours of practice had been put in by the bottom tier, 8,000 hours by the middle tier, and 10,000 hours by the top tier. The pianists were then subjected to this study, with the same outcomes. Gladwell goes on to illustrate the effectiveness of the 10,000 rules using the Beatles as an

example. The Beatles used to perform nonstop at a strip club and needed to play music that would entice patrons to enter. They played 270 nights in the first 18 months, which amounted to more than 1,200 live performances by the time of their major break in 1964. They were therefore experts in their field and able to rule the globe with their music. The 10,000 rules can be applied to the scenario as well. Joe Flom worked hard to perfect his skill so that he could seize the opportunity when it presented itself (1970 shift in business practices).

Malcom Gladwell provides evidence to support his claims that IQ has a threshold and that after a certain point it is no longer useful because there are no other tangible benefits. His also clarifies that opportunity, rather than IQ, is more of a factor in success. Gladwell goes on to provide real-world instances of how a person's opportunity depends entirely on the time and place of their birth; for example, how being born four years later can ruin your career and family life. Gladwell explains the 10,000 rule and how preparation is more important than natural talent. As a result, practise is necessary if you want to improve.