[The Typing Baker] Bill Campbell, Friend and Mentor to Google, Apple, and Facebook 'IT Giants' Leaders

"Nothing Can Be Done Without a Team" The Success Secret of Silicon Valley's '1 Trillion Dollar Coach'
Dislike of Pessimistic Thinking and Office Politics... Emphasis on Trust

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyewon] It was in 2004, just before Google's initial public offering (IPO). At that time, Eric Schmidt, then CEO of Google, faced a critical moment for the first time since joining the company. Board members openly pressured him to resign as chairman of the board. This happened as part of efforts to strengthen board independence ahead of the stock market listing, but Schmidt was deeply shocked. He felt that his three years of tireless service as Google's CEO and board chairman were not being recognized.

Hurt in his self-esteem, Schmidt was even willing to give up his CEO position rather than be treated that way. However, he was persuaded by someone to stay at Google. Later, not only did he return as board chairman, but he also served as chairman, helping to build Google into what it is today. This was the result of swift action by Silicon Valley’s "trillion-dollar coach" when the greatest team in the tech industry was on the verge of disbanding.

The coach’s name was Bill Campbell. Once an unknown football coach, Campbell became an unparalleled friend and mentor to Silicon Valley legends such as Schmidt, Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, Google’s Larry Page, Apple’s Steve Jobs and Tim Cook, and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg. What was the secret to his immense popularity?

The author of Bill Campbell, The Great Coach of Silicon Valley is none other than Schmidt himself. Even after Campbell’s passing, Schmidt still thinks, “What would Campbell have done?” when making important decisions. Yes, Campbell passed away in 2016. The story of hundreds of Silicon Valley leaders gathering in one place to mourn him has become legendary.

Every company Campbell coached surpassed a valuation of $1 trillion (approximately 1,185 trillion KRW). Schmidt is convinced that Campbell’s success as a coach and leader came from his attitude that “nothing can be done without a team.” Campbell had an exceptional talent for coaching teams rather than individuals. His fundamental principle was that a team can succeed only when every member is loyal to the team and willing to sacrifice personal goals for the team’s objectives when necessary.

Campbell believed that for a company to succeed, it must operate as a single community. He despised pessimism and office politics because they negatively affected the team. What mattered was understanding each team member individually, identifying what made them unique, and helping them blend harmoniously with other team members. Campbell highly valued members’ cognitive abilities but also placed great importance on empathy?a quality often undervalued in the business world, especially in the tech industry.

According to Campbell, a combination of intelligence and heart makes an excellent manager. He believed that a manager’s role at Google was to push their team to act more courageously.

The value Campbell prized most was trust. To him, trust was nothing less than a superpower. Trust meant not only keeping one’s word but also loyalty and integrity. However, he drew a line by saying that trust does not mean always agreeing with the other person’s opinions. In fact, he believed that once trust is established, it becomes easier to disagree.

Bill often said that leadership is an evolved form of excellent management. “How can you succeed by gathering people and getting their help? You can’t do it by being a dictator. Nor can you tell them one by one what to do. Instead, make them feel that they are in the same boat with you, so they know their value is truly recognized. Listen well and focus. This is what great managers do.”

He also frequently said, “If you are a great manager, your subordinates will make you a leader. They make you a leader; you don’t become a leader by yourself.”

Adam Grant, a professor at Wharton Business School, called people like Campbell “disagreeable givers.” He also described this book as more of a “development of others” book rather than a personal development book. It is lightly recommended reading for organizational leaders or aspiring leaders.

(Bill Campbell, The Great Coach of Silicon Valley / Eric Schmidt, Jonathan Rosenberg, Alan Eagle / Translated by Kim Minju, Lee Yeop / Gimmyoung Publishing / 17,800 KRW)

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.