Being product focused and seen as a technology innovator may be more desirable traits for a leader than having a business-centric persona.

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And that's a dangerous thing for any leader, especially one whose persona was tied to a different way of doing business.

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Whatever you may have thought of his act or his persona or his talent or the kind of schmaltzy old-fashioned show business he championed, there was also this: Alberts was an absolute stone professional.

FORBES: Al Alberts