Leadership Bio: Edward ScottJoseph Sinatra

Who is Edward Scott? ACTOR? MUSICIAN? ADVISOR TO WORLD LEADERS?

A recent article said that he just might be “Silicon Valley’s most effective philanthropist…”

Who is Edward Scott?

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A TRI-SECTOR LEADER

Ed Scott is a tri-sector leader who has used his skills to make an impact in the government, for-profit, and non-profit sectors:

• Awarded the “Presidential Rank Award of Distinguished Executive” for his 17 years of distinguished service in the federal government.

• Founded BEA Systems Inc. which was the 12th largest software company in the world before it sold it to Oracle for $8.5 billion.

• Launched numerous non-profits such as: the Center for Global Development, DATA (which has become the ONE Campaign), and Friends of the Global Fight Against AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

A Critical MomentHOW ONE GIFT STARTED HIS PHILANTHROPIC JOURNEY

Relevant quotesON SCOTT’S PASSION FOR PHILANTHROPY

I have a deep-seated conviction that people who have the wherewithal to make a difference have an obligation to do so.

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All four of the outfits I’ve funded have the same thing in common... They focus on the behavior of rich countries in how they deal with poor countries. So the whole concept is leverage—trying to make major, major things happen.

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The Four CirclesED HAS USED HIS SKILLS AS AN ENTREPRENEUR TO ACHIEVE INTEGRATION ACROSS THE DOMAINS

Home

Work

Community

Self

Key Lessons

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MY PERSONAL TAKEAWAYS

1. Live your values – It is important for leaders to continue to reflect upon and live their values. This will influence what jobs you take and how you will perform in them.

2. Develop portable skills – Scott was successful, in part, because he was a seasoned executive with broadly applicable management skills and sales acumen. Leaders should aim to develop deep competencies in a few skillsets that they can then apply across sectors and industries.

3. Prepare financially – Having a financial cushion – even if it is just six-months – can allow leaders the freedom to seize opportunities and make choices based on their values.

4. Look for leverage – Leaders seek to have influence beyond themselves. This could mean identifying trends early on, or recognizing opportunities where you can have a unique impact because of your previous skills and experiences.

5. Embrace calculated risk – Sometimes you just have to take the plunge! We are all biased toward the status quo. When opportunities arise to do something different, embrace them!