From Chapter 15 “Intuition” in Ingredients of Outliers. On the Job If your work responsibilities involve interviewing and hiring new employees, then recognizing the wide array of red flags you’re likely to encounter will make your job a whole lot easier. For example, let me tell you about a recent experience I had with a candidate for a leadership position in my organization. This woman came with high marks from colleagues and friends. I was really looking forward to meeting her, as we needed what I was told was in her “wheelhouse” (a/k/a skill set). Prior to any interview, I try … [Read more...]
Knocking Down Barriers
From Chapter 12 “Indefatigable” in Ingredients of Outliers. The Reasons Why For many, going the distance or emptying the tank is simply for personal reasons, to overcome internal barriers, and to challenge themselves, or to get out of their comfort zones and test the limits of their ability, strength, endurance and courage. They want to discover how far they can go. Gordon Ritter, a venture capitalist and entrepreneur, is another of those profiled in the SUCCESS magazine article mentioned above. In college, he’d been a member of the rowing team and later took up mountain climbing. … [Read more...]
Hello Extra Mile, Goodbye Comfort Zone!
From Chapter 12 “Indefatigable” in Ingredients of Outliers. What do I mean by “empty the tank?” Well, it’s described in lots of ways: going the extra mile, and beyond; giving it all you’ve got; going for broke; and, to borrow a term from the popular poker game Texas Hold ‘Em, going “all in,” or betting your entire resources on winning. It’s going above and beyond, to the absolute limits of your talents and strengths, over whatever barriers have kept you from becoming the best you can possibly be. Most barriers are imaginary. Most people have greater capacity than they ever give … [Read more...]
Keeping Customers Happy
Pages 124- 126, from Chapter 11 "Perspective" in Ingredients of Outliers The Almighty Customer Ask anyone in business, from the proprietor of the corner convenience store to the CEO of a multi-national corporation, what the key to the success of that business is and the answer to your question is likely to be “customer satisfaction.” Entrepreneurs and corporate executives brag about their customer service in such terms as “knock their socks off,” “outrageous,” “unexpected,” “above and beyond,” etc. The headline of a feature article in a recent issue of SUCCESS magazine (August 2012) … [Read more...]