Lesson Learned: Talent Often Has Little To Do With Success

Yep, that's what I learned... success quite often is not achieved by way of talent.  Perhaps the first few stepping stones relied on talent, but when it all comes down to it, success is more often reached via excellent business and people skills.

I know of successful people who couldn't even begin to survive in the day to day operations of their own business.  They are generally clueless, really, as to what actually takes place in their companies.  Apparently, they can be oblivious.  Although I have to believe that if they were capable of programming a website or creating their own marketing budget reports that they would be a far better manager, which would lead to greater profits in the end.

On the flip side, I've seen countless employees with outstanding talent who will never be anything more than an employee.  I'm sure for some, it's fear, and for others, it's complacency or lack of ambition.  The managers that take advantage of those rare gems should be ashamed of themselves.  The gems should demand more respect (especially in the form of cash).

When it all comes down to it, though, if you are blessed with excellent people skills, you are destined to be a successful person.  The business end can be learned quite easily.  No other talent required!  Oh, and of course I can't go without mentioning that it's also about who you know ;)