巴菲特女弟子的成长史

    库尔在伯克希尔-哈撒韦公司的发展并不轻松。虽然她一开始只负责管理公司在商业抵押贷款服务公司Berkadia Commercial Mortgage的2.17亿美元投资，但她的职责迅速扩展至其他方面。在最近升迁为Pampered Chef首席执行官之前，她是定制裱框公司拉森-朱尔公司（Larson-Juhl）、保温和屋顶供应商约翰-曼维尔公司（Johns Manville）、东方贸易公司（Oriental Trading Company）和本杰明摩尔公司（Benjamin Moore）的董事长。同时，她还在亨氏公司（Heinz）担任董事。在《财富》杂志2013年最具影响力女性峰会上（2013 Most Powerful Women Summit），库尔表示，她大部分时间都花在研究并参观伯克希尔-哈撒韦公司旗下的经营性公司上。她主要是了解它们的内部运作机制，偶尔会介入运营（有时会干解雇管理人员这种不愉快的事）。

    曾与库尔共事过的CEO们赞赏她的战略头脑。2011年被库尔聘为拉森-朱尔公司负责人的德鲁•范•佩尔特说，库尔让他与其他姐妹公司（如约翰-曼维尔公司和成型机制造商Marman Industries）的负责人建立起联系。他说：“这是一个非凡而独特的机会，让我能够与不同企业的CEO们交流。“伯克希尔-哈撒韦公司有鲜明独特的战略和领导力。”约翰-曼维尔公司的CEO玛丽•莱茵哈特要求巴菲特任命库尔为她所在公司的董事长。她说，她们能构成很好的互补，库尔的想法“总是有益、有见地并且到位”。莱茵哈特补充说，库尔的活力和商业头脑让她印象深刻。

    如果非要找出库尔骄人成绩中的瑕疵，在本杰明摩尔公司（Benjamin Moore）的遇挫或许算得上是一个。在这家历史长达131年的涂料公司出现一系列管理和战略问题后（《财富》杂志上个月介绍了这家公司面临的问题），库尔临危授命介入该公司。巴菲特向《财富》杂志承认，他对这家公司关注不够，让库尔去收拾残局了。

    2012年，库尔任命鲍勃•梅里特为该公司CEO，接替前任丹尼斯•艾布拉姆斯。梅里特曾在澳拜客牛排馆（Outback Steakhouse）担任首席财务官。他还是上文提到的库尔的导师狄罗萨的丈夫。但他在寻求变革时操之过急，与该公司企业文化格格不入，最终在2013年10月被伯克希尔-哈撒韦公司解雇。《纽约邮报》（The New York Post）报道称，梅里特被辞是因为他骚扰女员工（梅里特本人否认了这一说法），并在一系列文章中将该公司的乱局归咎于库尔的失策。

    库尔职业生涯的第一个错误——雇用梅里特和相关的新闻报道闹得人尽皆知。幸运的是，巴菲特是宽容的。库尔在在2013年10月向《财富》杂志表示：“巴菲特承认他也犯过错，他选用的一些人才在伯克希尔-哈撒韦公司成为耀眼的明星，另外一些也很棒，但有些人确实没有用对。”。她还说：“他一直非常信任别人，这对相关的人有巨大推动作用。”库尔说，在本杰明摩尔公司遇挫后，巴菲特的信任激励她更加努力，因为她不想让他和伯克希尔-哈撒韦的股东失望。从管理的角度来看，本杰明摩尔公司已重新步入正轨。新任CEO迈克•塞尔挽回了很多独立经销商，但其在战略上是否成功仍是个问号。但在经历所有纷扰后，库尔依然保持积极、冷静。她告诉《财富》杂志：“我们都会犯错，我认为我们就是这样成长起来的。”。

    最终，这些历练为她入主Pampered Chef铺平了道路。该公司是伯克希尔-哈撒韦公司投资组合中很小的一块，但却是库尔学以致用的练兵场。她是否能让该公司重现往日光彩还有待观察，但巴菲特显然认为她能够胜任。无论如何，这位年轻的伯克希尔新星获得的商业教育独一无二。莱茵哈特向《财富》杂志表示：“很显然，她前途一片光明。”。库尔下一步的行动绝对值得关注。（财富中文网）

    译者：Peter

    审校：Hunter

    Cool’s path at Berkshire has not been particularly easy. Though she initially oversaw the company’s $217 million investment in Berkadia Commercial Mortgage, her role quickly expanded to include other responsibilities. Before her most recent promotion, she was chairman of custom frame company Larson-Juhl, insulation and roofing supplier Johns Manville, Oriental Trading Company, and Benjamin Moore—and she also sits on Heinz’s board. At Fortune’s 2013 Most Powerful Women Summit, Cool said she spends the majority of her time reading and visiting Berkshire’s operating companies, learning about their inner workings and occasionally getting involved in the operations—a role that sometimes includes the unpleasant task of firing management.

    The CEOs Cool has worked with applaud her strategic thinking. Drew Van Pelt, the head of Larson Juhl who was hired by Cool in 2011, says she connected him with other chiefs at sister companies like Johns Manville and molding-maker Marman Industries. “It is an extraordinary and unique opportunity to consult with those different businesses and CEOs,” he says. “Berkshire [companies] have strategy and leadership that is distinctive and exceptional.” Johns Manville CEO Mary Rhinehart asked Buffett for Cool to be named her company’s chairman. She says they complement one another and her input is “always helpful, insightful and on point.” Rhinehart adds that she’s “impressed by Tracy’s energy and business acumen.”

    If there’s a blip on this otherwise impressive record, it’s Cool’s experience with Benjamin Moore, the 131-year-old paint company Cool was sent in to help after a slew of management and strategic problems (Fortune profiled the business’ blues last month). Buffett has admitted to Fortune that he didn’t keep a close enough eye on the company—and he sent Cool to clean up the mess.

    She named Bob Merritt CEO in 2012, replacing previous chief Denis Abrams. Merritt was formerly Outback Steakhouse’s CFO—and is also married to DiLosa, Cool’s aforementioned mentor. He tried to create change too quickly, he didn’t mix well with the company culture, and was let go by Berkshire in October 2013. The New York Post reported that Merritt was fired because he harassed female employees (a claim Merritt says is not true) and, in a series of articles, pegged the chaos on Cool’s decision-making.

    Cool suffered through her first professional mistake—the hiring of Merritt and the press coverage of it—in a very public way. Luckily, Buffett was forgiving. “He recognizes that he’s made mistakes, and he’s recognized that some people he’s chosen have gone on to be all-stars at Berkshire, and others have been great, and others have not worked out,” Cool told Fortune in October 2013, adding that “he’s been incredibly trusting, which is very empowering to an individual.” She said that Buffett’s trust has inspired her to work harder after the experience with Benjamin Moore, as she doesn’t want to disappoint him or Berkshire’s shareholders. From a management standpoint, Benjamin Moore is back on track; new CEO Mike Searles has won back many of Moore’s independent dealers—though its strategic success still remains a question mark. But through all the tumult, Cool remained positive—and, well, cool. “We all make mistakes, and I think that that is the way we learn,” she told Fortune.

    Ultimately, those learning experiences are what paved Cool’s path to Pampered Chef. The company is a tiny part of Berkshire’s portfolio—a small playground for Cool to put her learnings into practice. Whether or not she can sharpen the company’s dull kitchen knives is to be determined, but Buffett clearly thinks she’s up to the task. Regardless, the young Berkshire star has been given a business education like no other. “Clearly, she has a bright future ahead of her,” Rhinehart told Fortune. And Cool’s next moves will certainly be some to watch.