In one trial, a white, goateed, middle-aged man came up as most resembling the young black comedian Chris Tucker — and onlookers exclaimed, "You know, I can see that."
It is the reason why the wildcatter, the independent oilman whose test drillings might come up dry 20 times before gushing in the end, is an enduring Texas symbol.
In the March issue of the Harvard Business Review, Tammy Erickson and Lynda Gratton came up with some practical ideas that might help even the most unengaging of managers.