Some Iowans have been invited to speak with President Obama today as he tours the midwest on what is being called a listening tour. We'll find out what they'll talk about. There's an escalating war for talent in Silicon valley, with companies resorting to "acqhiring," or buying up companies just to snatch away top engineers, sometimes paying in the millions for each star employee. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg justified the tactic recently, saying an exceptional employee is "100 times better than someone who is pretty good." That led Bill Taylor to respond in the Harvard Business Review with a blog essay, Great People Are Overrated. Taylor says claims like Zuckerberg's have a long history in American business, especially in Silicon Valley, but experience and serious research shows that companies are not made by stars, but by a culture that values cooperation and humility. He points to the long term success of IBM, as well as the success of sports teams that emphasize team work over star power. We'll learn more about the practice and whether it's worth it. And in a poll earlier this month, 45% of Floridians said they don't like Governor Rick Scott personally, but his approval numbers went up six points. Scott is being sued for several policies he's enacted, but those same laws are popular with voters. We speak with Miami Herald and St. Petersburg Times reporter Michael Bender about the contradiction.
Laura is LPM's Director of Podcasts & Special Projects.
Email Laura at lellis@lpm.org.