1) For this assignment I read "Shoe Dog: Phil Knight" by Phil Knight. This book was about Phil Knight who was the founder and creator of Nike. What surprised me the most about this book and about Phil, is how little of starting funds he had for this business. He started with only 50 dollars that he had to borrow from his dad and now Nike is one of the biggest companies in the world. I figured he would've had more money considering how successful Nike is.
What I admired most about Phil Knight is his perseverance. There were so many times where the future did not look bright for Phil and Nike, but Phil never gave up on his dream and was willing to fight against his competitors and overcome the hardships that he faced.
What I admire least about Phil is probably his lack of planning. In the book he just happens to be in Japan and calls the CEO of a Japanese shoe producer asking to meet. So Phil just meets up with this guy and luckily for him it worked out and the CEO gave him the rights to sell in the U.S. So even though it worked out for Phil, I don't like that his entire plan was just to call the guy and see if he would be willing to meet and talk to him.
Phil definitely did encounter adversity and failure on his journey, as banks were trying to swindle his money and competitors were fiercely trying to stop him. Like I mentioned earlier, he handled this by being tenacious and never giving up.
2) I noticed that Phil Knight exhibited tenacity, perseverance, patience, critical thinking, selflessness, fearlessness, innovation, and dedication.
3) One part of the book that was confusing to me, but now makes sense, is that Knight emphasizes "Don't tell people how to do something, tell them what to do and let them surprise you with their results." This confused me because I felt like this might not always be the best strategy, but now I realize this kind of framework leads to innovation.
4) The two questions I would ask Phil Knight would be: What gave you the idea to sell shoes? Did you ever dream that your company would become this big?
5) I think Phil Knight's opinion of hard work is that the only way you will succeed in life is through hard work and I 100% agree with that opinion. No one ever made it big by being lazy.
Graham,
ReplyDeleteIt was great reading your post because while I've heard of Phil Knight, I never really knew who he is or whats he does. It's crazy to think he only started with 50 dollars (that wasn't even his) and now owns the largest sport apparel company in the world. It really shows that you just have to get out and do it, even if you fail, like what Dr. Pryor says. I'm also a bit confused about his strategy on not telling people how to do things, but yes, it does seem like a proper way to foster innovation,
Graham,
ReplyDeleteI didn't read this book but in enjoyed this post and definitely learned a few things about Phil Knight that I found very interesting. I thought the fact that he started with a $50 loan from his dad and was able to turn that into the Nike we know today is extremely impressive. I also like the questions you chose and I think I would ask similar ones.
Graham,
ReplyDeleteI think I'm going to pick this book for my third reading. After reading through your post, it sounds like a very enjoyable book, not to mention I'm a big fan of the Nike brand. Phil Knight sounds to have been wise beyond his years and extremely trusting of others. I have read one other post about Shoe Dog, but it had a different point for what was least admired about Phil. I agree with your point, but are there other instances of his lack of planning? I feel that many great businesses start that way. Just a simple call or meeting is made on a whim and the business becomes a global hit. Either way, great job! It was very interesting.