Building the Venture Team
A Good Leader Must be Flexible
Judy Estrin Packet Design
Description: A good leader and entrepreneur should have flexibility--flexibility in dealing with people, flexibility in navigating through changes, flexibility in changing your plan. Estrin thinks that this is a hard time/environment for startups, but that should not prevent people from being entrepreneurs. Big companies must embrace entrepreneurial thinking.
Strength of a Team
Vinod Khosla Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield & Byers
Description: Vinod states that people make a company, but most importantly, it's the team. At Kleiner Perkins, we learn much from each other. Personalities and approaches are diverse and combined and we create great strength.
Putting Together a Team
Fern Mandelbaum Monitor Venture Partners
Description: When putting together a team, Fern focuses on the CEO. She looks for someone who is incredibly committed, persevering, a great listener, attracts great people, and knows their strengths and weaknesses.
Who Should You Surround Yourself With?
Carol Bartz Autodesk
Description: Carol stresses the importance of surrounding yourself with good people.
Right People, Right Time, Right Behavior
Stephanie Tilenius eBay
Description: Lynn talks about a key principle that the CEO instilled in the management at the company. "Right people at the right job at the right time with the right behavior". A company should have the flexibility to change people as it grows and needs people with different skills. Managers should mentor their employees and focusing on career development.
