Why did investment banking pay so many people with so little experience so much money? Answer: When attached to a telephone, they could produce even more money. How could they produce money without experience? Answer: Producing in an investment bank was less a matter of skill and more a matter of intangibles-flair, persistence, and luck.
by Michael Lewis
(0 Reviews)

In Michael Lewis's book "Liar's Poker," the author examines the high compensation in investment banking, particularly for those with minimal experience. The primary reason for this trend is that the job's structure allows individuals to generate substantial profits through their connections and communication, often linked to their roles on the phone. This highlights the transactional nature of the work, where the ability to engage and persuade clients can lead to significant financial outcomes.

Moreover, the success in investment banking isn't solely dependent on technical skills or extensive knowledge but rather relies on personal attributes such as creativity, determination, and a bit of luck. These intangibles play a crucial role in navigating the fast-paced environment of finance, where quick decisions and charisma can drive profits, thus justifying the high salaries of less experienced employees.

Stats

Categories
Votes
0
Page views
5
Update
January 26, 2025

Rate the Quote

Add Comment & Review

User Reviews

Based on 0 reviews
5 Star
0
4 Star
0
3 Star
0
2 Star
0
1 Star
0
Add Comment & Review
We'll never share your email with anyone else.
More »

Other quotes in Liar's Poker

More »

Popular quotes

My life amounts to no more than one drop in a limitless ocean. Yet what is any ocean, but a multitude of drops?
by David Mitchell
A half-read book is a half-finished love affair.
by David Mitchell
The pollenless trees were genomed to repel bugs and birds; the stagnant air reeked of insecticide.
by David Mitchell
Our lives are not our own. We are bound to others, past and present, and by each crime and every kindness, we birth our future.
by David Mitchell
Travel far enough, you meet yourself.
by David Mitchell
I believe there is another world waiting for us. A better world. And I'll be waiting for you there.
by David Mitchell
People pontificate, "Suicide is selfishness." Career churchmen like Pater go a step further and call in a cowardly assault on the living. Oafs argue this specious line for varying reason: to evade fingers of blame, to impress one's audience with one's mental fiber, to vent anger, or just because one lacks the necessary suffering to sympathize. Cowardice is nothing to do with it - suicide takes considerable courage. Japanese have the right idea. No, what's selfish is to demand another to endure an intolerable existence, just to spare families, friends, and enemies a bit of soul-searching.
by David Mitchell
A random sequence of seemingly unrelated events.
by David Mitchell
You say you're 'depressed' - all i see is resilience. You are allowed to feel messed up and inside out. It doesn't mean you're defective - it just means you're human.
by David Mitchell
Books don't offer real escape, but they can stop a mind scratching itself raw.
by David Mitchell