The first who have great talent
The other who have great contacts
.... and they both need each other... however the rarest of most respected are those who have both.
For me the biggest difference in the transition from Academics to Professional circles has been the realization that meritocracy is not an absolute law. While in schools and colleges too, there would be some difference between different students due to their upbringing, but ultimately it was meritocracy which ruled. There are always students who do not have proper guidance at home or resources to make it to the ivy league, but unless the disparity is huge (like a slum child vs. rich brat), the meritorious always end up with a better career, even though the amount of hard work put in might be a little more for the unprivileged.
Probably this is the true testimony of the Indian educational system where higher education is within reach of middle class. With fees structures becoming increasingly westernized; I hope the system remains rooted in egalitarian principles.
However, in the industry one finds many people who are where they are, not because of merit but because of their lineage. They compete with those who have risen to their positions due to meritocracy but without possessing the requisite technical skills. These people are those who have ‘contacts & network’ as we call it in courteous professional language. These are people who have the capability to get business even when the product or service being offered fails to differentiate with competitors.
However today, due to the rise of the knowledge economy, the meritorious do get a chance to compete and outsmart others by using knowledge to create a product or service so far superior that it sells by itself and does not require 'contacts' and network to sell. These children of meritocracy are real wealth creators, the true leaders and genuinely respected individuals. N R Narayan Murthy is one of the best examples of such individuals.
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