Only Obsessive Egomaniacs Create Tech Breakthroughs

I once worked for a CEO who thought he was the next Larry Ellison. He was an early Oracle employee but did not go so far as owning a yacht or racing team. What he did do was adopt Ellison’s intense leadership style — ultimately creating a workplace of unhappiness and fear. He owned the company so he could do what he wanted. But he pushed out almost everyone who ever worked there.  

Yes, Ellison and others like him pushed a “business-is-a-war” philosophy. Steve Jobs was certainly famous for h...