Theo Epstein is the President of Baseball Operations for the Chicago Cubs. The Cubs – oh, did you hear? – just broke a 108-year “curse” by winning the World Series.
Epstein is a pioneer of the analytics movement in baseball
Team
How to Blow Away Customer Expectations
I almost didn’t go. One of the last things I want to do in any country is wait for a retailer to prepare the tax refund documentation for the trip home. Most times I don’t bother.
But this was Selfridges, the UK retailer known for its innovation
How to be a Crap Manager
Let’s face it; there are a lot of crap managers out there. Which might cause you to think: How is that possible given all the available information about leadership, culture, engagement, and so on?
I know, it’s bewildering.
Why Tomorrow’s Leaders Will Be Better Than Today’s
Soft skills are crucial to leadership effectiveness. No revelation there. Leaders who lack soft skills simply aren’t as good at engaging their people or inspiring a high level of performance. And they certainly aren’t as good at getting things done
Why You Don’t Want People With the “Entrepreneurial Spirit”
I often hear leaders say they wish more of their people had the entrepreneurial spirit. Yet people with the entrepreneurial spirit are the ones who often become … entrepreneurs. So is it a hopeless wish?
How Adaptive is Your Leadership Style?
As leaders we struggle. Should I direct? Or suggest? Decide? Or involve others? Manage? Or lead?
The answer is: there is no one answer. The best leadership style is adaptive. To the people and the situation.
What I Love About Millennials
Generational differences are a hot topic of study and conversation. It’s no wonder, given Millennials now outnumber Baby Boomers in the workforce and the purchasing power of Millennials will surpass that of Boomers over the next two years.
Should a Leader Have a Big Ego?
All of us have horror stories about leaders with big egos. The leader whose self-serving arrogance destroyed a company culture. The leader who recklessly overextended a company that imploded.
But what would happen if you didn’t have a big-enough ego?
Why You Might Not Want to Hire for ‘Cultural Fit’
Any new-hire selection process should test for fit with the company culture, right?
Maybe not.
Recently, one of our clients was recruiting for a key executive position. It came down to two candidates both of whom had the capabilities and experience for the role. One of the candidates was a natural fit with the company culture; the other was a bit of a stretch. A no-brainer, right?
Yes, but not because what you’re thinking.
Hiring for fit with your current culture reinforces that culture. But what if you need to evolve your culture? What if your culture needs to think differently or act differently?
Then you should hire for fit with the desired culture.
That’s what our client did. They selected the candidate who will stretch the culture in the direction it needs to go. The candidate who will inject some discomfort into the status quo.
(Caveat: Organizational cultures can tolerate only so much deviation so fast. Move too far and your new hire might get marginalized. Move too fast and you could create a culture war. If your desired culture is a long way from your current culture then take it in manageable steps.)
Hiring for cultural fit? Just make sure you define which culture.
Your thoughts?
Michael
The Traits That Made This 33-Year Old a Billionaire
You almost certainly haven’t heard of him. David Baazov is the founder of Amaya, the largest publicly traded, online gaming company in the world. With 93,000,000 registered users, a portfolio of brands such as PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker, and a market cap of $10 billion, Amaya accounts for about one-quarter of the value in its industry.
So who is Baazov?
As a 17-year-old he tried to convince the owner of a local restaurant to buy into his discount coupon venture despite having no business cards, no cash, no pricing model, and no entrepreneurial experience. When the owner told him to do his homework and come back, Baazov did … the next day. And soon closed the deal.
Fast forward past his other ventures to Amaya, which in 2013 was doing almost $150 million in revenues. Baazov decided he wanted to buy the big player in the industry – the Rational Group, whose revenues were over seven times those of Amaya’s. His CFO told him not to bother even thinking about it. Baazov approached the owners anyway and after being taken less than seriously did the one thing all highly successful people do. He persisted.
“Most entrepreneurs fail when doubt sets in,” he says. “Doubt kills more deals than economics.”
A year later, the owners of the Rational Group sold to him.
Regulatory, legal and financial challenges mean Amaya’s (and Baazov’s) story is not yet done. But the lesson is this:
Those who are steadfast in their belief, relentless in their efforts, and courageous in facing adversity, are those who can achieve big things.
Belief. Persistence. Courage. How do you rate?
Your thoughts?
Michael
Six Interview Questions They'll Never Expect
Job interviews can be like theater. Each person has a role, prepares for it, and takes the “stage” to play it. Interviewees have become especially skilled actors, deftly anticipating questions, and providing answers that make them appear – take your pick – confident / humble / successful / experienced / driven / creative / friendly, in order to position themselves as the ideal candidate.
Shake it up! Here are six interview questions they won’t anticipate. They won’t tell you whether the person is the ideal candidate but they will help you evaluate the real person.
1) Describe the culture of a company in which you would be a poor fit.
2) What’s the biggest misconception people have about you?
3) What early influence shaped who you have become as a person?
4) What is a little known fact that people would be surprised to learn about you?
5) How have you intentionally improved yourself over the past year?
6) Why shouldn’t I hire you?
Interviews are just one part of a rigorous selection process. Make sure you’re interviewing the real candidate, not just someone playing the role of the ideal candidate.
Your thoughts?
Michael
Should High-Performing Employees Select Their Manager?
Ask anyone who knows classical music and they will tell you the Berlin Philharmonic is among the top three symphony orchestras in the world. Today, for only the seventh time in the past 70 years, the orchestra will select a new conductor.
How?
The 124 tenured members of the orchestra will meet in a secret location – without access to cell phones or the outside world – and vote. They can vote for any living conductor yet, as a practical matter, several front-runners have emerged based on talent, temperament, musical approach, career stage, and interest in the position. After several rounds of voting the members will reach a consensus.
So, an interesting question: Should an organization of high-performing employees be able to select their manager? Given a unique set of assumptions, the answer may be: yes. If there is a strong motivation to sustain organizational excellence, personal incentives (monetary and/or psychological) for doing so, and a recognition that sustained excellence depends on a highly capable leader who can work well with and get the most from a group of skilled performers, then, yes, this may be an effective (the ideal?) model.
The question to ask yourself: For your organization and your employees, would this model, or a modified version, lead to better results than you’re getting now?
Your thoughts?
Michael