Conference Presentation, Fireside Chat
Jack Dorsey at Startup School 2013
- The future is anticipated to demand that individuals "open the book" to discover new possibilities, with the world predicted to stagnate without artistic contribution while remaining beautiful with it present.
- Success in arts or business is forecast to require "years and years and years and patience," often entailing a lifelong cost to pay for meaningful achievement alongside the enjoyment of that success.
- A specific risk exists in technology sectors where creators may fall "in the footsteps of others," copying success rather than forging original paths.
- Increased personalization in art is expected to lower the likelihood of acceptance by juries or the general public, whereas future great artists are predicted to use fewer words and copy less.
- Organizational forecasts suggest that without a shared motive, groups will "wander about" and "wobble," failing to produce anything "timeless."
- The transition from individual creation to leading a team is identified as a necessary step for many, with a lack of clear standards expected to leave teams "rudderless" and reactive to external roadmaps.
- Building an organization through attention to small details is predicted to constantly raise performance bars, with Bill Walsh's standard requiring the "highest level of expertise" in area and responsibility.
- "Nearsighted" thinking is warned to be easily accessible compared to "farsight," while early startup staff are noted to often face the least pressure when they should face the most.
- An organizational environment described as "comfortable and laid back" is characterized as a "misbelief" that neglects the need for "appropriate levels of tension and urgency."
- A "success disease" is forecast to develop as minor wins escalate to major wins, requiring apprehension toward applause and a strategic return to the operational modes that originally produced success.
- Reaching the top is predicted to make tasks harder rather than easier, creating a condition where there is "never a better time to do the hard things" than when things are going extremely well.
- Personal "do and don't" lists are expected to provide focus by filtering out noise, translating into company-wide lists that allow organizations to "move fast" and continue innovating.
- Organizations are expected to "push the boundaries," "invent," "question," and "reset" their core concepts, with the ultimate goal of creating end products that delight people and compel engagement.
- The audience is positioned as "the future" with the agency to build for themselves, making bets with the world that resonate with others, where outcomes vary between winning and losing the bet.
- Good luck is predicted to be a product of preparation and planning, enabling individuals to recognize and immediately act on fortunate situations.
- Creators are described as making a bet that others want the same things they do, a risk where they will "sometimes win the bet" and "sometimes lose the bet."
- Passion for building for oneself is forecast to be "infectious," capable of attracting others to the cause and team.
- Listeners are identified as having "great luck" to paint "what you want to see in the world," such as the specific vision attributed to Kevin Rose.
- The ultimate organizational outcome is anticipated to be something people cannot help but engage with, driven by the alignment of personal passion and shared purpose.