Reading Reflection No. 1

1) The book that I chose to read was Shoe Dog, an autobiography by Phil Knight. Phil Knight is the founder of Nike and the book detailed his eventful journey as an entrepreneur. From selling shoes out of his trunk to establishing one of the most prominent athletic brands in the world, Knight explains the different lessons he learned along the journey---all of which contributed to the business man and person he is today. While reading this autobiography, the thing that surprised me the most was how ambitious Knight really was. Entrepreneurs are usually characterized as having extreme faith in their own ideas, but Knight really demonstrated unwavering faith like no other. For example, Knight explains how he ordered thousands of shoe shipments from a Japanese manufacturer despite lacking the necessary funds, and how he aggressively exhausted cash reserves and pursued banks so that they would lend him some money. Although this would be considered reckless or even illogical by most, Knight never had any doubts in his methods. Rather than worrying about the damaging consequences that could ensue, he was always focused on the opportunity at hand. On this note, the aspect of Knight that I admired the most was his unwavering mentality. When he initially proposed his business idea of creating an athletic shoe brand to his classmates in college, he was met with boredom and uninterested feedback. When he proposed his idea to his family, his dad was very reluctant to believe his vision. However, Knight was never once discouraged. He had "faith in faith" and relentlessly pursued his idea---even while working as a teacher to make ends meet. As for the aspect of Knight that I least admired the least, it was probably how unorganized his ambitions would seem at times. He was always running around trying to configure different aspects of his business, but sometimes it almost appeared as if he had too chaotic of an agenda. I believe that having an organized plan ultimately allows for greater efficiency, so this was an aspect of his character that seemed rather overwhelming. As mentioned above, despite the different obstacles Knight faced (i.e. financial stability), he never questioned his convictions and always remained committed to his vision.

2) From perseverance to ambition, Phil Knight exhibited many different competencies. The one competency that really stood out to me is his ability to assemble an effective team. When he first began to hire employees, Knight sought out individuals who were just as passionate in his vision as he was. Many of these individuals were former runners and athletes, just like Knight, and could truly relate to the problem that Knight was trying to address. By assembling a team filled with passionate individuals, he was able to surround himself with a strong support system that was genuinely vested in bringing this business into fruition.

3) One part of the reading that was confusing to me was when he talked about his leadership style. He explained that once he assembled a functioning team, he wouldn't really tell them how to do things. Rather, he would present a problem and allow people to figure things out on their own. In this sense, he provided his employees a lot of autonomy and free-range. I was a bit confused by this mentality at first because I always thought that an effective leader is responsible for teaching subordinates or providing explanations for how things ought to be done. However, I realized that Knight's hands-off approach allowed for more creativity and provided his employees with a sense of empowerment. Therefore, I learned that rather than telling everyone what to do, a true leader is concerned with putting his or her team in a position that best allows them to be successful.

4) If I were to ask Phil Knight two questions it would be the following: Why did you initially oppose the Nike logo? How much do you perceive the logo to currently affect your business? I would ask these questions because he explained in the reading that he was not content with the Nike logo when it was first submitted to the shoe factory. This is a really interesting proposition to me because the logo has become should a staple in society throughout the world---I personally could not imagine Nike without the swoosh logo.

5) I think Phil Knight had a very enjoyable outlook on hard work. For him, pursuing a deeply held passion was not hard work, but rather a reward. Since he was ultimately pursuing his passion for running, he never despised the long hours and stress that he endured. Rather, it was exhilarating and exciting because he had a genuine interest in what he was doing. This allowed him to also excel in the work he was performing. I, too, share this opinion because I am a strong believer that if you are doing what you are really passionate about, you will never work a day in your life---work will not feel like "work" in the traditional sense. Rather, your endeavors become challenges that you eagerly accept.