????庫(kù)爾在伯克希爾-哈撒韋公司的發(fā)展并不輕松,。雖然她一開(kāi)始只負(fù)責(zé)管理公司在商業(yè)抵押貸款服務(wù)公司Berkadia Commercial Mortgage的2.17億美元投資，但她的職責(zé)迅速擴(kuò)展至其他方面,。在最近升遷為Pampered Chef首席執(zhí)行官之前,，她是定制裱框公司拉森-朱爾公司（Larson-Juhl）、保溫和屋頂供應(yīng)商約翰-曼維爾公司（Johns Manville）,、東方貿(mào)易公司（Oriental Trading Company）和本杰明摩爾公司（Benjamin Moore）的董事長(zhǎng),。同時(shí)，她還在亨氏公司（Heinz）擔(dān)任董事,。在《財(cái)富》雜志2013年最具影響力女性峰會(huì)上（2013 Most Powerful Women Summit）,，庫(kù)爾表示，她大部分時(shí)間都花在研究并參觀伯克希爾-哈撒韋公司旗下的經(jīng)營(yíng)性公司上,。她主要是了解它們的內(nèi)部運(yùn)作機(jī)制,，偶爾會(huì)介入運(yùn)營(yíng)（有時(shí)會(huì)干解雇管理人員這種不愉快的事）。

????曾與庫(kù)爾共事過(guò)的CEO們贊賞她的戰(zhàn)略頭腦,。2011年被庫(kù)爾聘為拉森-朱爾公司負(fù)責(zé)人的德魯?范?佩爾特說(shuō),，庫(kù)爾讓他與其他姐妹公司（如約翰-曼維爾公司和成型機(jī)制造商Marman Industries）的負(fù)責(zé)人建立起聯(lián)系。他說(shuō)：“這是一個(gè)非凡而獨(dú)特的機(jī)會(huì),，讓我能夠與不同企業(yè)的CEO們交流,?！安讼?哈撒韋公司有鮮明獨(dú)特的戰(zhàn)略和領(lǐng)導(dǎo)力?！奔s翰-曼維爾公司的CEO瑪麗?萊茵哈特要求巴菲特任命庫(kù)爾為她所在公司的董事長(zhǎng),。她說(shuō)，她們能構(gòu)成很好的互補(bǔ),，庫(kù)爾的想法“總是有益,、有見(jiàn)地并且到位”。萊茵哈特補(bǔ)充說(shuō),，庫(kù)爾的活力和商業(yè)頭腦讓她印象深刻,。

????如果非要找出庫(kù)爾驕人成績(jī)中的瑕疵，在本杰明摩爾公司（Benjamin Moore）的遇挫或許算得上是一個(gè),。在這家歷史長(zhǎng)達(dá)131年的涂料公司出現(xiàn)一系列管理和戰(zhàn)略問(wèn)題后（《財(cái)富》雜志上個(gè)月介紹了這家公司面臨的問(wèn)題）,，庫(kù)爾臨危授命介入該公司。巴菲特向《財(cái)富》雜志承認(rèn),，他對(duì)這家公司關(guān)注不夠,，讓庫(kù)爾去收拾殘局了。

????2012年,，庫(kù)爾任命鮑勃?梅里特為該公司CEO,，接替前任丹尼斯?艾布拉姆斯。梅里特曾在澳拜客牛排館（Outback Steakhouse）擔(dān)任首席財(cái)務(wù)官,。他還是上文提到的庫(kù)爾的導(dǎo)師狄羅薩的丈夫,。但他在尋求變革時(shí)操之過(guò)急，與該公司企業(yè)文化格格不入,，最終在2013年10月被伯克希爾-哈撒韋公司解雇,。《紐約郵報(bào)》（The New York Post）報(bào)道稱,，梅里特被辭是因?yàn)樗}擾女員工（梅里特本人否認(rèn)了這一說(shuō)法）,，并在一系列文章中將該公司的亂局歸咎于庫(kù)爾的失策。

????庫(kù)爾職業(yè)生涯的第一個(gè)錯(cuò)誤——雇用梅里特和相關(guān)的新聞報(bào)道鬧得人盡皆知,。幸運(yùn)的是,，巴菲特是寬容的。庫(kù)爾在在2013年10月向《財(cái)富》雜志表示：“巴菲特承認(rèn)他也犯過(guò)錯(cuò),，他選用的一些人才在伯克希爾-哈撒韋公司成為耀眼的明星,，另外一些也很棒，但有些人確實(shí)沒(méi)有用對(duì),?！薄Ｋ€說(shuō)：“他一直非常信任別人，這對(duì)相關(guān)的人有巨大推動(dòng)作用,?！睅?kù)爾說(shuō)，在本杰明摩爾公司遇挫后,，巴菲特的信任激勵(lì)她更加努力,，因?yàn)樗幌胱屗筒讼?哈撒韋的股東失望。從管理的角度來(lái)看,，本杰明摩爾公司已重新步入正軌,。新任CEO邁克?塞爾挽回了很多獨(dú)立經(jīng)銷商，但其在戰(zhàn)略上是否成功仍是個(gè)問(wèn)號(hào),。但在經(jīng)歷所有紛擾后,，庫(kù)爾依然保持積極、冷靜,。她告訴《財(cái)富》雜志：“我們都會(huì)犯錯(cuò),，我認(rèn)為我們就是這樣成長(zhǎng)起來(lái)的?！?。

????最終，這些歷練為她入主Pampered Chef鋪平了道路,。該公司是伯克希爾-哈撒韋公司投資組合中很小的一塊,，但卻是庫(kù)爾學(xué)以致用的練兵場(chǎng)。她是否能讓該公司重現(xiàn)往日光彩還有待觀察,，但巴菲特顯然認(rèn)為她能夠勝任。無(wú)論如何,，這位年輕的伯克希爾新星獲得的商業(yè)教育獨(dú)一無(wú)二,。萊茵哈特向《財(cái)富》雜志表示：“很顯然，她前途一片光明,?！薄?kù)爾下一步的行動(dòng)絕對(duì)值得關(guān)注,。（財(cái)富中文網(wǎng)）

????譯者：Peter

????審校：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.