理查德?布蘭森非常幸運(yùn)。如今，這位維珍集團(tuán)（Virgin Group）的創(chuàng)始人到處環(huán)游世界，在他名下的無(wú)數(shù)房產(chǎn)和酒店物業(yè)中，管理著數(shù)十億美元的商業(yè)帝國(guó)。

本周二，在紐約市舉行的翠貝卡電影節(jié)（Tribeca Film Festival）的“想象日”上，布蘭森在臺(tái)上說(shuō)道：“我一直很幸運(yùn)。”

這一點(diǎn)毋庸置疑。但好運(yùn)不會(huì)從天而降。布蘭森將自己商業(yè)上的成功歸功于天生的“管它呢，我們干吧！”這樣的態(tài)度，他曾表示：“我最害怕的是對(duì)某件事情說(shuō)‘不’。”但僅靠無(wú)畏不可能打造出一個(gè)全球品牌。

多數(shù)人都能夠承擔(dān)風(fēng)險(xiǎn)。而布蘭森之所以成為創(chuàng)業(yè)領(lǐng)域的典型代表，是因?yàn)樗懿粩鄧L試，并且不論成功還是失敗，他都能從這些經(jīng)歷中總結(jié)出經(jīng)驗(yàn)教訓(xùn)，用于下一次冒險(xiǎn)。

到目前為止，他的創(chuàng)業(yè)源動(dòng)力來(lái)自哪里？他說(shuō)道：“我在很早的時(shí)候就知道，商業(yè)很簡(jiǎn)單，就是想出一個(gè)點(diǎn)子，讓人們的生活變得更好。有些最優(yōu)秀的公司之所以誕生，正是因?yàn)閯?chuàng)業(yè)者最初對(duì)其他人對(duì)待自己的方式感到不滿。”眾所周知，1984年，布蘭森一時(shí)興起創(chuàng)立了維珍大西洋航空公司（Virgin Atlantic）。當(dāng)時(shí)英國(guó)航空公司（British Airways）取消了布蘭森飛往英屬維爾京群島的航班，于是他自己租了一架飛機(jī)，載著同樣不滿的乘客飛往目的地。他說(shuō)道：“后面的故事大家都知道了。”

布蘭森主要談到了對(duì)生活和職業(yè)的一些感悟，不過(guò)他也分享了自己所收獲的一些具體的經(jīng)驗(yàn)。他認(rèn)為創(chuàng)業(yè)者和商界領(lǐng)袖應(yīng)該做到下面幾件事，并闡述了他的理由：

旅行。布蘭森表示，特別是對(duì)于年輕創(chuàng)業(yè)者來(lái)說(shuō)，訪問(wèn)其他國(guó)家和體驗(yàn)不同的生活方式非常重要。“去看看法國(guó)正在發(fā)生什么，再去看看英國(guó)，看看中國(guó)。”即使沒(méi)有其他收獲，接觸到解決日常問(wèn)題的不同策略，也可能給創(chuàng)業(yè)者帶來(lái)靈感和啟發(fā)。“如果你自己想不出好的點(diǎn)子，你會(huì)發(fā)現(xiàn)在別處還有其他好點(diǎn)子。”

記筆記。史蒂夫?喬布斯的遺產(chǎn)，令一種利用弱點(diǎn)的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)方式大行其道，但布蘭森卻采取了相反的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)方式。他認(rèn)為，為了“最大程度挖掘出人們的潛力”，領(lǐng)導(dǎo)者要“表?yè)P(yáng)而不是批評(píng)”。同樣，他眼中的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)力基于多聽(tīng)少說(shuō)的能力。

而在實(shí)踐中，這意味著記筆記。因?yàn)椋辽僭谶@方面，布蘭森是一位現(xiàn)實(shí)主義者：“如果你不將事情落在紙面上，你如何能記住別人告訴你的話？恐怕連一半也記不住。”

內(nèi)部招聘。從外部聘用公司首席執(zhí)行官，確實(shí)有一些好處，這是不可否認(rèn)的。外部聘用的人選可以帶來(lái)新鮮的視角，可以推動(dòng)必要的改革，這也解釋了為什么越來(lái)越多的大型上市公司正在采取這種做法。

但布蘭森卻在盡量避免這樣做。他說(shuō)道：“我們很少?gòu)耐獠空衅浮！睆墓粳F(xiàn)有的人才庫(kù)中進(jìn)行挑選，確實(shí)可能讓你錯(cuò)過(guò)某些選擇，但這樣做也意味著你永遠(yuǎn)不會(huì)招聘到有著未能預(yù)見(jiàn)的明顯缺陷的人。或許更重要的是，從內(nèi)部招聘可以鼓舞士氣。

“如果你從內(nèi)部招聘，整個(gè)公司都會(huì)感到高興；因?yàn)檫@意味著他們未來(lái)也有機(jī)會(huì)進(jìn)入公司的高層。”

允許員工在家里辦公。2013年，雅虎（Yahoo）取消在家辦公政策引起了廣泛爭(zhēng)議，雅虎的理由是要求員工每天到公司工作，可以提高生產(chǎn)效率和員工敬業(yè)度。雖然這一策略的優(yōu)劣仍在爭(zhēng)論當(dāng)中，但有一件事是可以肯定的：在這個(gè)問(wèn)題上，布蘭森的立場(chǎng)與雅虎截然相反。

除了現(xiàn)有的在家辦公政策之外，2014年，維珍集團(tuán)又頒布了無(wú)限制休假政策。這些政策的目的是提供“充分的靈活性”，尤其是為初為父母的員工。

對(duì)于靈活的上班時(shí)間的重要性，布蘭森有著切身體會(huì)。在他的職業(yè)生涯當(dāng)中，他的政策一直都是盡可能在家辦公（或者更準(zhǔn)確的說(shuō)，是在各地的家里辦公）。通過(guò)在家辦公，“我親眼見(jiàn)證了我的孩子們從在我腳邊爬來(lái)爬去，到長(zhǎng)大成人。”他曾經(jīng)一邊開(kāi)會(huì)一邊給孩子換尿布，他也希望員工有足夠的自由像他一樣。（財(cái)富中文網(wǎng)）

譯者：劉進(jìn)龍/汪皓

Richard Branson leads a charmed life. Today, the founder of the Virgin Group travels the globe, running his multibillion-dollar empire from his numerous homes and hotel properties.

“I’ve been fortunate,” Branson said onstage Tuesdayat the Tribeca Film Festival’s Imagination Day inNew York City.

Undeniably. But this good fortune didn’t happen by accident. While Branson credits his business success to an innate “screw it, let’s do it” attitude — “my greatest fear,” he said, “is saying ‘no’ to something” — recklessness alone doesn’t build a global brand.

Most people can take risks. What’s made Branson the bonafide face of entrepreneurship is the ability to try something and, whether it’s a success (as with Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Records) or failure (Virgin Cola), dissect the experience for lessons to use in his next venture.

Thethrough line so far? “I learned very early on in life that business is simply coming up with an idea that makes other people’s lives better,” he said. “Some of the best businesses come out of initial frustration with the way other people are dealing with you.” Virgin Atlantic was famously born on a whim back in 1984. When British Airways cancelled Branson’s flight to the British Virgin Islands, he rented a plane to fly there himself, filling it up with fellow disgruntled passengers. “The rest,” he said, “is history.”

While Branson dedicated most of his conversation to general reflections on life and career, he also shared a few concrete pointers he’s picked up along the way. Here’s his case for why entrepreneurs and business leaders should:

Travel. Particularly for young entrepreneurs, it’s important to visit other countries and experience other ways of life, Branson said. “See what’s happening in France, see what’s happening in England, see what’s happening in China.” If nothing else, the exposure to different strategies to everyday problems may get the creative juices flowing. “If you can’t come up with a great idea yourself, you’ll find there are other great ideas out there.”

Take notes. Steve Jobs’ legacy may have popularized a style of leadership based on the manipulation of weaknesses, but Branson takes the opposite approach. For him, a leader is someone “who will praise and not criticize” in order to “draw out the best in people.” Along the same lines, his version of leadership is based on the ability listen more than they talk.

On a practical level, this means taking notes. Because in this regard at least, Branson is a realist: “If you don’t write things down, how are you going to remember half the things the person told you?”

Hire from within. There are undeniable benefits to hiring an outside candidate as chief executive of a company. An external hire often comes with fresh perspectives and the ability to drive needed change, which helps explain why the practice at large public companies is on the rise.

Still, Branson tries to avoid it whenever possible. “We don’t often go outside,” he says. Yes, selecting from a company’s existing talent pool means that some boxes remain unchecked, but it also means you’re never exposed to a candidate with glaring, unforeseen weaknesses. Perhaps more importantly, it’s a morale play.

“The whole company will be pleased that you employ from within; they all have the chance to one day get the top job.”

Let employees work from home. When Yahoo controversially scrapped its work from home policy in 2013, it argued that requiring employees to come into the office each day would boost productivity and engagement. While the merits of this strategy are still up for debate, one thing is clear: Branson is on the opposite side of the issue.

On top of its existing work from home policy, in 2014 the Virgin Group adopted an unlimited leave policy. The overall aim is to provide “l(fā)ots and lots of flexibility,” particularly for new parents.

Branson knows the importance of flexible schedules firsthand. Throughout his career, his policy has been to work from home — or homes, more accurately — whenever possible. By doing so, “the kids have literally grown up crawling at my feet.” He’s taken meetings while changing a nappy, and wants his employees to have the freedom to do the same.