Every era has its model of business practice. In the 1950s, it was the organization man. In the 1970s, it was the gamesman. Going forward, the model is the producer. The reason is simple: The world is nothing if not unstable.

In this absurdist jungle, trust was a quaint anachronism. Contracts for millions of dollars were actually written on the back of a napkin, notwithstanding Samuel Goldwyn’s famous observation that verbal agreements aren’t worth the paper they are written on. Sometimes, just a handshake sufficed. When doors opened, it was not because of the quality of your ideas or the strength of your talent, but on the basis of your relationships. Your most valuable asset was your Rolodex, and ours wasn’t full of the right numbers.