[People Met Through Books] "Worried About No Talent? You Can Win Just by Having 'Edge'"

Effective Technology and Strategy Development in Specific Situations
Gain Competitive Advantage and Edge Over Others
'My Own Way' Is Crucial When Implementing Ideas
Maintain Clear Self-Awareness and Responsibility
Numerous Constraints in Personal and Professional Life
'Right Questions' Help Find Solutions
Sometimes Bold Discontinuation Provides Growth Opportunities
Always Remember Your Important Goals

Laura Huang is currently a chaired professor at Northeastern University, having previously taught at the Wharton School and Harvard Business School. She has long studied implicit biases that arise in interpersonal relationships and business, applying her findings to real-world situations to achieve high investment returns. Her research achievements were recognized in 2020 when she was nominated for the prestigious Cozzarelli Prize by the U.S. National Academy of Sciences. Her book Edge (Segyesa) has gained attention as a bestseller on Amazon.com in the United States. Marketing guru Seth Godin called it "a must-read for everyone who works," and futurist Daniel Pink recommended, "If you want to gain an advantage in life, you must read this book."

At this point, one might say she has had a successful life, but her journey was not smooth. As the daughter of immigrants, despite her outstanding abilities in childhood, she faced many barriers simply because English was not her native language. At that time, Laura Huang chose to accept reality. Rather than hiding the limitation of not having English as her mother tongue, she actively mentioned it and guided the situation in a positive direction. This kind of mindset shift strategy brought significant achievements at important moments throughout her life. The core of this is summarized as ‘EDGE,’ an acronym for Enrich, Delight, Guide, Effort. It means properly conveying one’s value to improve unfavorable situations (E), bringing joy to those who hold biases against you (D), guiding others to eliminate their own biases (G), and consistently making efforts to follow the path you have chosen (E).

We met Laura Huang in writing to introduce ‘EDGE,’ a method for advancing oneself into advantageous positions in difficult and important situations even without innate talent.

- You introduced the concept of ‘EDGE.’ You said it is the ability to create favorable situations for oneself even without innate talent. Could you explain?

▲ ‘EDGE’ means developing effective skills or strategies in specific situations to gain a competitive advantage or benefit over others. For a company, it could be an innovative marketing strategy; for an athlete, an effective training method or technique. It does not require innate talent. Everyone starts from different points, but simply developing certain skills or strategies within that can give you an edge over others.

- You emphasized building an ‘environment’ where one can do their best and receive corresponding work and rewards.

▲ The ‘environment’ mentioned in the book refers to the overall conditions, culture, and systems of a workplace or organization that support and encourage good work and productivity. The real environment is not always fair. Working hard or producing results does not necessarily lead to rewards. You might be excluded due to favoritism from a superior, or your individual contributions might be drowned out by the size of the organization. ‘Effort’ is a necessary element for success but not a sufficient condition for recognition or reward. Once you find your own edge, it is important to prepare strategies and tactics to maintain that advantage in any situation.

- How can an individual build such an environment?

▲ There are various ways, but one is to help managers, colleagues, and stakeholders understand your contributions. Regularly updating them on work progress, emphasizing successful outcomes, and sharing positive feedback from clients are good methods. Strong relationships with these people can help increase visible recognition. Requesting mentoring and seeking feedback also demonstrate a strong commitment to your work. This is not about pretending but genuinely accepting feedback and showing changes. Then, others will perceive your strong desire, creating an environment where you receive positive evaluations.

- You said not to rely on others when implementing ideas but to do it alone. However, doing everything alone is almost impossible. To what extent should one be directly involved?

▲ It is less about ‘alone’ and more about ‘your own way.’ You need a unique approach or perspective that reflects your personal values, strengths, and vision. Instead of seeking others’ opinions, focus on your own ideas. The same applies to team projects. Present your own ideas and provide reasonable grounds without being swept away by the majority. This does not mean recklessly sharing unrefined ideas. Pursuing your own way also involves risk-taking. You must have self-awareness and confidence in your ideas and take responsibility for the results.

- You advised not to give others the right to judge you but to understand your strengths and weaknesses yourself. In fact, many learn about themselves through others. How can one objectively understand oneself while avoiding overestimation or underestimation?

▲ It is true that feedback and insights about strengths and weaknesses, sometimes even those you are unaware of, can come from others. However, it is important to take ownership of your self-assessment rather than relying on others’ opinions. Others’ perceptions are easily influenced by biases, preferences, and personal experiences, which may not align with your self-awareness. For objective self-understanding, you need to be more proactive in self-reflection and evaluation. Set aside time to reflect on experiences, behaviors, and achievements, and carefully identify the traits that emerge. Participating in objective assessments that measure personality traits and values is also a good way to enhance self-understanding. Since self-awareness changes over time, it is best to compare feedback from others with your own understanding to determine the direction of self-development.

- There are always external constraints around us. How should we effectively cope with these constraints?

▲ Living in the 21st century, we face numerous constraints, barriers, risks, and adversities. Various constraints that can affect our personal and professional lives exist, such as financial, time, gender roles, traditions, social norms, and organizational culture. The recommended way to cope is to ask the ‘right questions.’ Within the diverse forms of constraints, you must ask yourself about the ‘essence of the constraint.’ What kind of constraint is it? What is the root cause? Is the environment or process the problem? Approach the fundamental factors through step-by-step questioning. This questioning process itself greatly helps identify the advantages and risks of the constraint, as well as its short- and long-term impacts, leading to potential solutions.

- You emphasized ‘humor’ as one way to move others’ hearts. Some serious people find humor difficult. Is humor a skill that can be developed through effort?

▲ I believe a sense of humor can be developed through practice and effort. Observing and studying helps. You can watch stand-up comedy, read articles or books about humor, or observe humorous people. It is important not to make yourself too serious. Practice telling jokes or funny anecdotes to close friends or family. Learning to ‘laugh at yourself’ (a kind of self-deprecating humor) can also be a good way to develop a sense of humor. Don’t be afraid to be the target of laughter. With practice, you can develop the ability to find situations that provoke laughter in everyday life. Anyone can do it with time and effort.

- Could you give an exemplary case of ‘EDGE’?

▲ There is a concept called ‘strategic quitting.’ When a certain path or strategy is ineffective, making a swift decision to ‘quit’ and seek a transition. Sarah Blakely, founder of the global shapewear brand Spanx, is an example. While working part-time as a Disneyland mascot and selling fax machines door-to-door, she dreamed of a shapewear business. During the early days of the business, she struggled for a long time to attract investors and manufacturers but realized her approach was wrong and boldly decided to stop the business. Afterwards, she shifted her focus to home shopping channels, and this strategy led her to great success. The ability to properly analyze one’s situation is also part of ‘EDGE.’ Strategies like ‘strategic quitting’ based on self-analysis provide new growth opportunities.

- What message would you like to give to readers who want to practice ‘EDGE’?

▲ I want to advise you to ‘protect what is important.’ Always remember what your important goals are. Especially in today’s busy era where attention is easily distracted, this is even more crucial. Do not prioritize urgent or seemingly urgent tasks over your ‘important work.’ That will only hinder your ‘EDGE.’