

Ask HN: Can a person considered an "asshole" succeed as an entrepreneur? - sjtgraham

I am interested to know your thoughts on this question and how you formed your opinion on it. I foresee people citing Steve Jobs, but is there a certain point in one's trajectory before which being an asshole smothers one's chances of success? How much harder is it to succeed with those personality traits?
======
adrianwaj
Assholes and sociopaths succeed because they are very efficient at doing the
things normal and nice people may find hard or wrong - but which nevertheless
lead to business success. The overall issue I wonder about, is that if
sociopaths wind up at the tops of corporate ladders, is the culture they set,
while useful, in fact counterproductive.

------
byoung2
There are a lot of people who come across as assholes in the blogosphere, but
could be quite the opposite in person. I think just having a reputation of
being an asshole is enough to hurt your chances of working with some companies
or people to some degree. Hopefully that is countered by a degree of tenacity
and ambition "assholes" tend to have.

A good example would be Jason Calcanis. I've never met him in person (though I
did come within 5 feet of his office when I interviewed at Mahalo). He comes
across as someone I would never want to have dealings with, business or
otherwise. Good thing for him I'm just a small fish. But I would probably feel
the same way if I were the CEO of a big company looking to buy Mahalo. But I
bet Mr. Calcanis wouldn't want to be bought out anyway.

------
asdfguj
An asshole at the helm is an advantage.

An excellent opportunity has arisen for two almost identical companies, A and
B, but it involves ethics that would make a decent person uncomfortable. A is
run by a decent person, and they skip the opportunity because it's the decent
thing to do. B is run by an asshole, and they jump at the opportunity with
glee, maybe even with a small chuckle at all the companies that would have
passed up the opportunity on ethical grounds.

Company B is now better off, because of, not despite, their asshole.

------
rcfox
<http://www.stevejobsisanasshole.com/>

~~~
sjtgraham
Jobs is an anomaly, no?

~~~
SwellJoe
Bill Gates is widely regarded as an asshole. Likewise Steve Ballmer.

Counter-examples include Warren Buffett, who is regarded as a sweetheart.
Larry and Sergey are famously nice, though they've apparently had their
moments of being assholes. Sam Walton was nice to his people but ruthless in
every other way.

------
joelesler
Happens all the time. I would cite references, but that would preclude me from
working for them ;)

------
c00p3r
Why not? Look at almost any construction site in an ex. Soviet block - bunch
of assholes 'managing' a crowd of wage-workers from a ex Soviet republics. It
is the most popular business in Russia nowadays. ^_^

