On superstars...........................Part the second

     Something else the superstars had in common is they were proportionately drawn to assignments that were in their early stages.  This was surprising, because joining a project in its infancy is risky.  New ideas often fail, no matter how smart or well executed.  The safest bet is signing on to a project that is well under way.
      However, the beginning of a project is also more information rich.  By joining fledgling initiatives, the superstars were cc's on emails they wouldn't have otherwise seen.  They learned which junior executives were smart and picked up new ideas from their younger colleagues.  They were exposed to emerging markets and the lessons of the digital economy earlier than other executives.  What's more, the superstars could later claim ownership of an innovation simply be being in the room when it was born, rather than fighting paternity battles once it was deemed a success.

-Charles Duhigg,  Smarter Faster Better: The Secrets of Being Productive in Life and Business