Barack Obama, the former president known for his grassroots organizing and transformative political leadership, shares insights with Reid Hoffman. He discusses the connection between politics and entrepreneurship, emphasizing the importance of strategic patience and belief in a better future. Obama reflects on his rise from community organizer to a national political figure, detailing the innovative strategies that fueled his 2008 campaign. Highlights include the birth of the 'Yes We Can' anthem and navigating the pivot from campaigning to leading a large government entity.
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question_answer ANECDOTE
Yes We Can
will.i.am initially rejected using his song "I Got It From My Mama" for Obama's campaign.
He later created the "Yes We Can" video, which became a viral anthem.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Community Organizing
Barack Obama moved to Chicago in 1985, inspired by social movements, but found no active movement.
An older organizer advised him to spend a month listening to the community's stories.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Listen to Your Community
Learn to listen to your target audience or community to identify your mission.
This helps in understanding their needs and crafting a relevant message.
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My Promised Land is a comprehensive and personal narrative history of Israel, written by Ari Shavit. The book combines family history, memoir, archival research, and interviews to provide a rich and nuanced account of Israel’s history from the late 19th century to the present. Shavit examines the complexities and contradictions of the Israeli condition, asking crucial questions about the origins, survival, and future of Israel. The book is praised for its balanced and empathetic portrayal of both Jewish and Palestinian experiences, although some critics have noted its controversial handling of certain historical events. It is a landmark work that brings to life epic history without being a conventional history book, deepening contemporary political understanding without being a one-sided polemic[2][4][5].
Politics and entrepreneurship have much in common: Both versions of scale leadership require strategic patience, hard work, a clear vision of a better future, an unshakable belief that you can bring that future to life – and the ideal opportunity to make it all come together. President Barack Obama sits down with Reid Hoffman in Part 1 of our two-part episode on finding the right moment to act, and when the moment chooses you. Obama talks about how being in the right place, at the right time, with the right mindset enabled his political ascension. Fueled by what President Obama calls “preparation and perspiration,” his 2008 campaign was a startup that defied expectations. Then came the big pivot: figuring out how to move from renegade mode to leading one of the world's largest enterprises, the U.S. government. With guest will.i.am.
Masters of Scale 
