I think there is a way to set a strong objective s and give freedom for the solution. Generally I’ve found that success comes from limiting objectives: one part focus, and one part humility, saying no to anything ill-defined or potentially impossible. Those are the things that the marketing engine is built on. The difference between the audience and the magician is that the magician doesn’t believe in magic. There are many more audience.

Martinis seems like a very focused leader. The problem chosen was very specific to what they knew they could do with the technology, assuming only that the theory works. He had to say no to business units asking for application value, no to easier paths to publication, no to other people trying to build their careers on a different problem, because he needed everybody’s best ideas on the one problem. But many people can’t adapt to a new problem, and many leaders can’t tell the difference between an idea for solving the problem, and an idea for solving a different problem.

The wiring thing sounds petty, but maybe it was really a divergence. I don’t know. It sounds like part of the problem is that he achieved the goal and didn’t know what to lead with next.