Most companies pursue linear growth, taking stock of competencies and
determining where those skills might also apply. Tangential growth usually comes
via acquisition. Doing it organically, the way Amazon favors, requires both
vision and discipline. Bezos says it's the difference between doing what you can
do and doing what you should do.
"You can always do what you should do if you're willing to put in the time
and energy to develop a new set of skills," he says. "If you only
extend into places where your skill sets serve you, your skills will become
outmoded."
