1. The hidden power of the catalyst works because he empowers people and gets out of the way.

2. Letting the people close to the action become more of a driving force is how change happens.

3. Everyone is interesting at least a hour.

4. Silicon forum is a network of thinkers and business executives that convene to discuss social issues. The Silicon Valley 100 enables marketers to get their products in the hands of the biggest influencers in the Bay area.

5. Auren is the founder of Silicon Forum. Auren makes a map of all the people that know the person he is meeting. A lot of people you meet are not direct revenue relationship. “You might meet someone who is not a customer, but who might introduce you to customers.” Auren never works on commission. Auren decides who he wants to meet, figures out how to meet them, and likes chaos. Auren prefers to meet people lower on the social ladder and than help them. Auren thinks it is fun to help people. A catalyst maps out all the people they know and who might contribute.

6. A catalyst is a great listener. He understands how important it is to understand what people want. He listens to find out what people are excited about.

7. A catalyst has personal conversations with thousands of interactions, thrives on meeting new people every day, and is genuinely interested in others. Catalysts find these kind of relationships incredibly meaningful.

8. A Catalyst wants to help. Wanting to help is the fuel that drives a catalyst’s ability to connect people.

9. A catalyst provides the drumbeat for a decentralized organization.

10. A catalyst assumes a peer relationship and listens intently. A catalyst does not prescribe a solution. You follow a catalyst because he understands you.

11. When we give advice to someone, we automatically create a power hierarchy. The advice-giver is superior to the recipient. This kind of hierarchy is detrimental to a decentralized organization.

12. A catalyst is intellectual bright and they tend to lead with emotions. To a catalyst emotional connection comes first, then and only then is it time to brainstorm and talk strategy.

13. A Catalyst depends on emotional intelligence; their job is to create personal relationships.

14. Catalyst are inspiration and collaborative. Catalyst talk ideology and urge people to work together to make the ideology a reality.

15. In “Concept of the Corporation” - Drucker argued that GM’s decentralization efficiently distributed power around the organization and freed top management to focus on larger issues. Drucker also suggested GM continued innovating; ask customers what worked for them and what didn’t and incorporating feedback into corporate strategy. GM empowered the customer. GM’s response was, “why should we change?”

16. Decentralization brings out creativity, but it also creates variance.

17. The sweet spot is the balance between enough decentralization for creativity, but sufficient structure and controls to ensure consistency.

18. Starfish organizations are wonderful places for those who want to freely share information and can easily server as hosts to anonymous sharing. Anonymity and free sharing of information make the industry more decentralized.