Philosophy
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Leaders can be appointed or they can emerge on their own. I believe in leading by example first, then focusing on these seven areas.
- Competency. A leader must demonstrate knowledge of all the processes involved in production. Without that, the leader can't identify areas for improvement.
- Clarity. A leader must communicate clearly. Team members will respond well when their responsibilities and roles are definitively outlined.
- Creativity. Is there a new way to try old things? Are there unexplored opportunities for new initiatives? Can problems be identified and solved? A good leader won't let boundaries stand in the way of growth. In fact, a creative leader knows that failure is an important precursor to success. The question is how you respond when a new idea fails to hit.
- Flexibility. While rules and standards are important, a flexible manager can get the best out of their team. Every organization is made up of individuals, so one size doesn't always fit all. A sure way to become stagnant is by clinging to a rigid way of thinking.
- Generosity. Good leaders praise their team members for their hard work. They are also generous with opportunities, giving every person a chance to grow. A good leader will also be generous with their time, stepping in on rare occasions to help preserve a team's work-life balance.
- Accountability. A team respects a leader who holds people accountable. When expectations and consequences are set out in advance, the path becomes clear.
- Capacity. Leaders must be able to handle the feedback from their superiors while addressing the needs of their team. The ability to convey important messages from above while advocating for the necessities from below is a rare, but important skill.
Process
I'm a fan of the reality TV show, "The Profit." Investor Marcus Lemonis meets with small business owners and decides if he'd like to partner with them. In each episode, Marcus focuses on the 3 P's: People, Process, and Product. I've found this to be an effective way to gauge an organization I'm joining.
People: Do you have the right people working for you? Even with diligent hiring, we must be on guard for complacency or declining effort. In some cases, you may have the right person in the wrong role. A simple job switch can remedy that. In other cases, you may have to cut ties with an employee to try someone new. The best people are self-starters, capable of improving their quality and productivity without additional help. Such assets are worth their weight in gold. I try to do everything I can to empower those people.
Process: In my experience, this is where most organizations struggle. There is almost always a faster, better, or smarter way to do something. Sometimes, legacy policies take root and prevent improvement. Strong leaders aren't afraid to step back and blow up a process and start from scratch. When I started with Curiosity.com, the process was a mess. The company was spending thousands of dollars on freelance writers and the team only had a two-day surplus of stories. By installing a smarter process, I quickly eliminated the need for freelancers and helped the team build a 40-day story surplus within just three months. Our story quality improved, our audience grew, and we bought some much needed breathing room that allowed for innovation. We generated more work in less time and got greater results. That's the power of perfecting your process.
Product: Is your product something the public wants? It's important to make sure you've refined what you're offering so the value proposition is clear. At Curiosity.com, I constantly asked my team to consider the audience with each story or podcast they produced. "Would you email this story to your mom? Would you post it on Facebook? Would you tell it to someone at a party?" As we focused more on the audience, we got significantly greater results. Of Curiosity's 25 most-read stories of all time, 23 were produced during my tenure. Fix the product and your customers will sing your praises.
People: Do you have the right people working for you? Even with diligent hiring, we must be on guard for complacency or declining effort. In some cases, you may have the right person in the wrong role. A simple job switch can remedy that. In other cases, you may have to cut ties with an employee to try someone new. The best people are self-starters, capable of improving their quality and productivity without additional help. Such assets are worth their weight in gold. I try to do everything I can to empower those people.
Process: In my experience, this is where most organizations struggle. There is almost always a faster, better, or smarter way to do something. Sometimes, legacy policies take root and prevent improvement. Strong leaders aren't afraid to step back and blow up a process and start from scratch. When I started with Curiosity.com, the process was a mess. The company was spending thousands of dollars on freelance writers and the team only had a two-day surplus of stories. By installing a smarter process, I quickly eliminated the need for freelancers and helped the team build a 40-day story surplus within just three months. Our story quality improved, our audience grew, and we bought some much needed breathing room that allowed for innovation. We generated more work in less time and got greater results. That's the power of perfecting your process.
Product: Is your product something the public wants? It's important to make sure you've refined what you're offering so the value proposition is clear. At Curiosity.com, I constantly asked my team to consider the audience with each story or podcast they produced. "Would you email this story to your mom? Would you post it on Facebook? Would you tell it to someone at a party?" As we focused more on the audience, we got significantly greater results. Of Curiosity's 25 most-read stories of all time, 23 were produced during my tenure. Fix the product and your customers will sing your praises.