Reading Liar’s Poker in college changed my life.
The book was supposed to be “an unflattering portrayal of Wall Street.” And it was. But college-me thought his book made Wall Street sound like a lot of fun!
Maybe that’s why I spent five years on Wall Street…
In the book, Michael Lewis joins Salomon Brothers in its 80s heydays, where he was taught a poem:
“God gave you eyes, plagiarize.”
One funny chapter details how one of his coworkers tries to steal credit for a big deal the author had pulled off in Germany. In fact, the opportunist writes a “victory lap” memo taking credit for the entire deal, to ensure he’d get a large year-end bonus.
Not good news for Michael…
For spiteful revenge (and to ensure he got that large bonus), Michael then plagiarizes his own deal by adapting it to the Japanese market. This makes it obvious to everybody that he’s the innovator behind both deals, and Michael wins the backstabbing battle against the opportunist.
So why am I telling you this story? Continue…