Some people have this uncanny ability to ignore all things happening around them, choosing to believe what they want to believe, and most of all, sticking to that which they believe - regardless. And they're not idiots, mind you.
This guy is a reasonably successful businessman, having worked in a multi national listed corporation for quite a while. As a senior executive of that company, he'd actually made contributions -- which can be quantified - that helped the company to new heights with one of their products.
And his current business isn't doing too bad either, despite the structural deficiencies and high staff turnover.
So how can someone who doesn't listen get to where he is?
I've had this discussions with our circle of friends several times. We initially felt he wasn't all that intelligent but re-thought that after we took into account empirical evidence of his achievements so far. I can only conclude that the key was in his "hard-headed-will" to believe in what he believed. Even if its a lie, believing in it and sticking to your guns could make that lie appear "factual". Maybe that's the secret of his success, so far at least.
My company happens to be a partner on some of his company's projects, unfortunately. And dealings with him are always tests of patience.
We can have several email and text message exchanges for weeks on end, only to have the same questions asked, AGAIN, several weeks later. It's not forgetfulness I've concluded, for the clarity and unequivocal manner in those exchanges were understood by everyone else told me so.
So what is it about people like these?
My only conclusion as of now is that the way the system tolerates them. Incompetence, ambiguities etc. It's probably taking Sun Tzu's words in The Art of War about "taming chaos with organization, and vice versa" to the limit, I guessed.....
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