A Relationship Story - Honesty and Success – Poll Results

December 2005

A Relationship Story
Honesty and Success – Poll Results

Thanks friends for taking time to offer your thoughts. I received 100+ responses, and I definitely consider that a representative sample of our community and a real reflection of our version of "Conventional Wisdom". As a reminder, the question was:

On a 0% - 100% scale, from dishonest (0%) to honest (100%), what is the average % for successful people? (If you missed the November story that posed the question, just email me and I'll send it).

Now I knew this had the potential to be a trick question, and a lot of people commented on the lack of clarity. But that’s really part of the learning process here, as you’ll see. I did not know what nugget of wisdom was going to come from this exercise when I asked the question, but I just knew it would be very interesting, and sure enough it was.

The first reassuring result was that 92% of the answers were above 50%, and 70% were at 75% or above. So we know that the vast majority have a positive view of the correlation between honesty and success. Whew, our hopes for society are not lost! But then it got interesting.

After reviewing the results and the comments, I discovered the "trick" in the question, and that is what I found most intriguing. "Success" had not been defined, so it was left up to everyone’s interpretation, thus giving us a glimpse into the prevailing Conventional Wisdom about people’s perception of success. Some mentioned that their answer would differ based on the definition of success, for instance, the number would be lower if only considering financial success. This is not a surprise to anyone, I’m sure.

However, what I found most compelling was that 10% of the respondents unequivocally answered 100% to the question. Their definition of success required that a person must be honest. Any level of dishonesty was a disqualifier. Now forgive me if you think I was being tricky, but I didn’t plan this or know what would come from it (I'm clearly not that smart). I did, however, find that this single aspect of the data taught me more than anything else.

It means is that our Conventional Wisdom, at a 90% rate, accepts some level of dishonesty in the definition of success. In our Machiavellian world, I expect that is also not too much of a surprise, and in fact I’m afraid my own answer was similarly affected by convention. However, the message that I take away is that there is a higher standard that can be applied when viewing others (and ourselves), and it differs from the Conventional Wisdom of our times. I ask you, what’s wrong with us joining the 10% who just don’t accept dishonesty?

I hope you’ll all accept these thoughts as my gift for the holiday season. I hope it can become part of your New Year’s resolutions, as I plan for it to be part of my own.

In the words of Epictetus, the ancient stoic philosopher who is the ultimate anti-Machiavellian: "The only prosperous life is the virtuous life". Words to live by. I welcome your thoughts and comments. Thanks!

Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year to all.

Book Recommendation: The Art of Living by Epictetus

Sincerely,

Jeff Black
Principal Consultant
McDermott & Bull Executive Search
black@mbsearch.net

A Relationship Story - The Freakonomics of The Conventional Wisdom

November 2005

A Relationship Story
The Freakonomics of The Conventional Wisdom

Things are not always what they seem, and it takes a clear view of reality (and the data to support it) to get our perceptions out of our way. Here’s an example. I think we all share a perception that drug dealers are all driving cool cars and rolling in dough…so why do nearly all of them still live with their Mothers? In Freakonomics - a book by a self-admitted "rogue economist" about how prevailing incentives make things what they really are – the real world of the drug dealer is described based on exhaustive research. The stark reality is that it’s a classic pyramid, where for every one person with a cool car, there is a giant pyramid of foot soldiers who are effectively enslaved at far below poverty wage. The author contends that based on their own perceptions, getting to be the boss is the only "success" they can hope for, and there is nothing that protects them from being exploited.

While this book addresses some very controversial issues - and I’m not endorsing all the assertions it contains - I am endorsing the idea that we need to look beyond the perceived "obvious" to seek the truth. I think our world encourages us to believe in conventional wisdom, and also that somebody’s incentives are being realized by getting us to believe. It’s sort of a Question Authority thing for me, and it bugs me.

A perfect conventional wisdom example is something I come across all the time…what is most important for people in getting the best reception from potential employers (I also believe this is true for all relationships). The conventional wisdom tells people they need to morph into what the market is looking for. I don’t buy that. If they try to morph, they’re going to be half-baked, and they won’t fool anybody. This isn’t science fiction, it’s people, and people just don’t "transform" themselves very well. Face it, people are what they are, and they’re always more effective just being themselves and leveraging their natural strengths. What I tell people is that they need to find ways to get people excited about what they really are - and then let the network give them leverage - instead of trying extra hard to be a square peg for a round hole.

Another conventional wisdom old standby is that you can’t trust others or you’ll get screwed. I hate that one, although I’m no fool and I know some people have gone to the dark side…I just prefer to try to keep them out of my life.

So ok, let’s try and experiment. Let’s assess the conventional wisdom within our own little community as it relates to honesty. Just press reply and send me your quick answer to this very simple question:

On a 0% - 100% scale, from dishonest (0%) to honest (100%), what is the average % for successful people? Don’t think too hard, just press reply with one number between 0% and 100%. I’ll compile the data (confidentiality is assured) and share it with you all in an upcoming story.

Book Recommendation: Freakonomics by Stephen Levitt and Stephen Dubner

Sincerely,

Jeff Black
Principal Consultant
McDermott & Bull Executive Search
black@mbsearch.net

A Relationship Story - A Tale of Two Companies…and the Big Difference

October 2005

A Relationship Story
A Tale of Two Companies…and the Big Difference

It was the best of companies, it was the worst of companies…and the difference was very clear.
It’s fascinating to see how different the cultures and priorities can be in different (yet equally successful) companies. With success measured much more in the short term by our fast-paced world, making the numbers is what usually defines a good company. It is my belief that there are two clearly different ways that companies go about achieving similar short-term success, and I believe the "big difference" has deeply significant impacts on long-term success.

Two companies side by side along the highway, Brand X and Brand Y. Both are characterized by corporate achievement and success at making their numbers. Both are short-term successes.
Brand X and Y share some key characteristics:

• They only want smart people
• They live by metrics
• They are process focused
• They are customer centered
• They value strong product brands
• They run lean and smart

However, there are critical differences:

Brand X identifies first with intensity and outcome-focus.
Brand Y identifies first with fairness and alignment-focus.

Brand X tends to be secretive and selective in communicating.
Brand Y insists on being open and candid in communicating.

Oh no, here this Jeff Black guy goes again stating the obvious. Of course it’s better to be fair and open. But wait! The Brand X mentality really happens! Some companies pay lip service to fairness and openness, but what really matters is action and behavior, not policy and slogans. I see it all the time. It’s amazing how different cultures can be – and how differently people feel about being in them.

Brand X believes that only intensity will drive the desired outcome. Brand Y believes fairness (I didn’t say wimpiness) and alignment of needs between the company and employees make greatness flow naturally – creativity and ingenuity are not bottled up by the need to look over your shoulder all the time.

Brand X behaves as if people don’t need to really know what’s going on – believing knowledge is power, and leaders need to retain power. Brand Y has a strong enough center and self-image as a company that it wants everyone to part of the knowledge process.
Now come on, tell me you haven’t seen Brand X in practice. You can try to deny that it’s bad, but I don’t buy it.

The center of company greatness is not smart people – they’re a given; it’s not efficiency – good tools make that happen; it’s not innovation – smart people innovate. The center of company greatness is mutual respect between a company and it’s people.

The result for people in Brand Y companies:

• Less worry, more confidence
• More passion and less aimlessness
• More loyalty and positive energy
• Better retention, no "reasons to leave"

For Companies - The big differences of the "big difference":

• Easier to attract talent – believe me, it’s hard to "sell" a bad company.
• Getting the best out of people – people perform better when they’re confident, not scared.
• Increased company reputation – as Vance Caesar says "the key to a person’s success is how many influential people are telling stories about their ability to build relationships of trust." I believe this is also true for companies.

I have great clients who really believe and behave like Brand Y. I really love working with them…and I think they really get the best out of me as a partner. I welcome opportunities to work with more like them. Please let me know if your company is one, or if you know one you would like for me to know.

Sincerely,

Jeff Black
Principal Consultant
McDermott & Bull Executive Search
black@mbsearch.net

A Relationship Story - A Baseball Metaphor for Your Business – Focusing on What “Really” Matters

The Dog Days of Summer 2005

A Relationship Story

A Baseball Metaphor for Your Business – Focusing on What "Really" Matters

Seeing things as they really are is what every business wants to believe it does. No disguises.
Sorry, it’s not that easy. Here’s my example:

During the last 5 years, things have started to change in the business of fielding winning major league baseball teams. That’s just the last 5 years of a game that has been played professionally for 130 years. Only recently have team owners begun realizing that the logic for choosing players that prevailed for 125 years was dead wrong. Fortunately for the fans, the good-old-boy network and "group-think" mentality that prevailed all that time caused every team to be stupid together, so at least the playing field was level for the fans.

The new economics of the game, with the huge imbalance in resources between the rich and poor teams, has spawned a sort of guerilla warfare among the wiser of the "have nots". If a team spends only half what others do, then they really have to spend smart. It sounds a lot like the battle between the big guys and little guys in any business, and the underdog behavior that is necessary for the little guy to compete.

Here’s how it works, and as with many good ideas, it’s really simple – just seeing things as they really are. For 125 years, while mountains of statistics have been collected on ballplayers, teams have consistently been blinded by their perceptions about "talent" (like the 95-MPH fastball).
They have failed to truly evaluate what the data shows the player has actually done – as measured against what really contributes to winning and losing – generating and preventing runs. What’s happening in these guerilla units is that the Harvard MBA is replacing the grizzled veteran scout in identifying the right talent worth the investment of limited resources. Just like when businesses are seeking key talent, the best predictor of future success is past success…and this means real accomplishments - facts and data - and not just a good-looking fastball. We have to make sure we are measuring the right things.

Although Baseball had a natural tendency to value facts and data, as indicated by the extraordinary focus on collecting and cataloguing statistics, it has regretfully and blindly continued to rely on the flawed-but-familiar performance measurements that were crafted 100+ years ago (like batting average). Just like the technology business that can’t bear to move away from its engineering roots and focus on real business issues, Baseball has been run by insiders and good-old-boys forever, and the game has been the victim of its own reliance on tradition – it failed to evolve and to see itself as it really is. We’ll see in the next few years whether the new guerilla clarity makes the difference in who really wins more ballgames cost effectively, but the early signs point to a logic landslide. Just take a look at the Oakland A’s this year, with ¼ the payroll of the Yankees and ½ that of the Angels, they are doing awfully well.

In terms of relationships, this trend isn’t happening without some ruffled feathers, as you can imagine. There are a lot of Baseball old-timers harumphing around and whining about these renegades. Making revolutionary changes in an institution takes fortitude. The same is true for how your business looks at its own talent. Who can argue with the ideal of a highly integrated team with an open and honest culture where the best is brought out of every individual? Nobody can. However, if you don’t have winners and natural difference-makers on the team, the results are at risk. Are you evaluating your talent for their real contributions to your company’s success? Or are you blinded by how good they look throwing their fastball? Measure the right things, and remember, what gets measured gets improved.

Book Recommendations: "Moneyball" by Michael Lewis

Sincerely,

Jeff Black
Principal Consultant
McDermott & Bull Executive Search
black@mbsearch.net

A Relationship Story - The Underdog Advantage

April 2005

A Relationship Story - The Underdog Advantage

The Underdog Advantage is a book that draws a fascinating business parallel with a world we all find ourselves wrapped up in every 4 years…politics. The primary principle is that there is no value in coming in second; unless you get 50.1% or better, you are nothing but a big loser. It’s a lot like winning in competition for business. Losing costs you in 3 different ways: first, you don’t get the business you wanted; second, you don’t recover the cost of pursuing it; and finally, you don’t get to build a future annuity with repeat business. Nothing good comes from losing.
The book suggests that good businesses must think like a political campaign does…you absolutely must win, and nothing else will do. You have to think like the underdog all the time, even after you move into a commanding lead. Some key principles include:

Relationships among all the members of your company must be focused on a common outcome – everyone must be pulling the same rope to beat the competition. When businesses get too big and people lose focus on the real goal, it’s time to break things down into smaller parts to keep them focused and thinking like underdogs.

Every dollar, and every minute of energy, must be focused on the business equivalent of getting votes…if spending does not make it more likely you will win in competition, then save the money or save the minute. When money or energy are spent without a direct link to the real goal of winning, it’s again a sign that bureaucracy is making decisions on its own.

You have to know who can realistically be expected to vote for you, or in a business sense, what business you can win. Potential "votes" are categorized as one of the following:

• Hard Support
• Soft Support
• Undecided
• Soft Opposition
• Hard Opposition

Obviously, pursuing the hard opposition is a waste of energy. A surprising premise of the book is that not only is the soft opposition a waste of energy also, but so are the undecided. The primary reason is that the soft opposition and the undecided have no real relationship with you and little connection with your distinctions and your values. The undecided may say "yes", but they are unlikely to ever become hard support because they are easily swayed (or bought) and are not true believers, friends, or partners.


The real objective is to increase the number of hard supporter clients. They are not only the most reliable source of repeat (and inexpensive) business, but they also serve as the evangelists to spread the word about your greatness without you doing (or spending) much of anything. The book’s premise is to focus all your attention on moving the soft support to hard support – think of this as the equivalent of the political campaign getting out the vote.

For me, this means first understanding my own values and focusing my personal energy on consistently living them, and then seeking relationships with people who share those values. Fortunately for my business, I am able to pass up relationships that disconnect in terms of values…but when the connection is a good one I just can’t take "no" for an answer.

Ask yourself if your business is really focused on winning without compromise. Start with knowing who you are and what you want. If everyone on your team is aligned on the same goal, and you are not wasting money or energy, you can’t be stopped. Stay an underdog!

Book Recommendation: The Underdog Advantage by David Morey and Scott Miller

Sincerely,

Jeff Black
Principal Consultant
McDermott & Bull Executive Search
black@mbsearch.net

A Relationship Story - Authentic Relationships Are Good Business…Machiavelli Was Wrong!

January 2005

A Relationship Story

Authentic Relationships Are Good Business…Machiavelli Was Wrong!

I’ve been fascinated in my consulting experience observing the power of authenticity. There are a lot of very slick people who are in fact successful in our dynamic market, but I believe there is an increasing demand for anti-slick authenticity. I’ll admit that when I asked you to answer questions recently, I did have a premise I was trying to test - that authenticity, integrity, and ethics mattered more to people in their work lives than the conventional machiavellian-wisdom of our society would suggest. I do truly believe the look in people’s eyes matters a whole lot to a lot of people.

The questions again (and thanks to the 125+ who responded): (1) Think of the person or people you like best in your work life. Why do you like them? (2) What do you not like about your work life? (3) Describe the ideal work environment. A key thing to note: answers were limited to 10 words each, so people had to focus, and hopefully their most prominent thoughts came through. Also, while the sample was admittedly not representative of the population, it is a relatively credible reflection of our work-oriented relationships. It’s not totally scientific, but it’s still pretty cool. Some of the key results:

People love to be challenged and to have the ability to grow - 55% identify growth and challenge as part of the ideal work environment. Interesting…they don’t complain about their pay – only an amazing 2% mentioned it as an item they "don’t like about my work life".

However, while people did not complain about their pay, "feelings issues" mattered a lot. 64% complain about things that hurt them personally – Personal-life sacrifices, conflicts of values, bureaucracy wasting their time. Interesting…far fewer complained about not liking things they have to do – only 26%.

Also, people love to enjoy themselves at work. 55% include fun and cooperation in "what we like about others". Interesting…even more – 60% – identified fun and cooperation as elements of the ideal work environment.

Integrity, ethics, and trust were included by 52% as part of "what we like about others". Interesting…this was more than the 48% who included intelligence, work ethic, and results as reasons why they like others.

While challenge and growth are extremely important to most of us, we clearly desire a fulfilling, enjoyable, and high-integrity work life. Success doesn’t seem to be enough. I believe the answers also indicate that integrity, ethics, and trust - the keys to authenticity – are more part of our person-to-person relationships than our connections with companies, environments, or jobs. In fact, more than twice as many people mentioned integrity in people they like (52%) than included it in their description of the ideal work environment (22%).

I have observed the power of authenticity and openness that exists in some companies while not at others, as well as the significant positive differences in company effectiveness and individual fulfillment that result. This power has been clearly demonstrated also in our own firm’s experience with the coaching of Vance Caesar. The potential for our firm’s success and the personal fulfillment of our people appears to be more authentic and real with each passing day.

If you’re worried that this focus on authenticity doesn’t reflect the attitudes of some people you could do business with, you’re probably right. However, ask yourself if you are someone for whom authenticity really matters…and then ask yourself if you want to, or really need to do business with inauthentic, unethical, or low-integrity people.

I would welcome your thoughts about these results and my observations. I have adapted this story into an interactive speech entitled "Authentic Relationships Are Good Business – Machiavelli Was Wrong!", and I would welcome ideas on potential groups or companies who may find the subject interesting. If you would like to see the complete results of the survey, just respond with an email and I’ll send the data along to you. Thanks again to all who provided their input. It is very much appreciated.

Links: The Vance Caesar Group www.vancecaesar.com

Sincerely,

Jeff Black
Principal Consultant
McDermott & Bull Executive Search
black@mbsearch.net

A Relationship Story - Giving Back, Giving Smart

Holiday Season 2004

A Relationship Story - Giving Back, Giving Smart

We are all very blessed with our successes and each of our individual places in the community. But hold on - this is not another holiday-season admonition for everyone to give more and remember others. It seems to me that most of us do not need much encouragement – we all look for ways to give back. And this is also not about donating money - I want to talk about the "time" part of giving back…that’s really the hard part. My friend Mike Issa from Ballenger, Cleveland, & Issa LLC said recently that the Big Brothers/Big Sisters program (where he is a Big Brother) is not experiencing a critical shortage of money but rather Big Brother volunteers (the kids have a 2-year wait to get matched!). Needless to say, the reality of time pressure on each of us is a very big deal.

Now we are all smart business people. We understand using resources wisely. I want to suggest we should look for the best ways to use our greatest strengths to get maximum impact from the limited time and energy we can share with our favorite causes. It seems intuitive also that if we spend time doing things we are really good at and like to do, we will surely be more effective and more interested. I have a story that offers two good examples of what I mean.

One of my dearest friends, and a person who improves the lives of everyone she touches, is Janice Kraus – the founder and producer of the non-profit Stagelight Family Productions. Janice produces arguably the best community youth-theater shows in Orange County, in cooperation with the City of Brea and a variety of local schools. FIRST EXAMPLE: Janice is a charismatic and brilliant artist and teacher, but not as much a risk-taking entrepreneur. The affiliation with the City and schools took the risk out of her vision while letting her focus on her strengths. As a result, over the last 15 years Janice’s continuing inspiration has given thousands of kids the confidence boost of performing live on stage, along with the pride of excellence and the team feeling from a unique shared experience. My 16 year-old daughter Lisa’s life will never be the same for this experience, as she rehearses for her 13th Stagelight production over the last 7 years. SECOND EXAMPLE: My own life will also never be the same for the opportunity to be part of Stagelight as a volunteer, which is also true for so many parents who have become my best of friends. However, I am just not good at the same things many other parents are. In fact, I am sort of a joke around the group of set designing/building volunteers – I am not really what you might call "handy". But while I’m not so brilliant with hammer and paint brush, I am fairly handy with business strategy, generating ideas, growth planning, and evaluating alternatives. My volunteer contributions include working along with others to help Janice through these business challenges. As a result, I have played a small role helping Janice expand her program to have even more impact in the community and touch more and more lives.

Ask yourself whether you are helping others in ways that are both effective and fun for you. If so, you have the best potential for making a bigger difference. Much greater power for good can come from wisely using our most precious resource – our time.

I also wanted to acknowledge the non-profits and charities that are most important to some of my close friends in the community. I would love to hear your stories about where each of you commit your passion to make a difference. My best to you and your families for a wonderful holiday season.

Links: Stagelight Family Productions (http://www.stagelightproductions.com)

Mike Issa of Ballenger, Cleveland & Issa LLC: Big Brothers Big Sisters of Orange County www.bigbrooc.org
Kristi Barens of Mullin Consulting: Junior Achievement of Orange County http://orangecounty.ja.org/http://orangecounty.ja.org/
Will Sproule - Prentice School (for language learning differences) www.prentice.org.
Bertha Masuda of Vivient Consulting: Society To Aid Retarded (S.T.A.R.), Torrance, CA
Kevin Francis of Corporate Resources International: YMCA of Orange County www.ymcaoc.org
Roger Kraemer of ProActive Direct Marketing: CSUF Guardian Scholars Program http://www.fullerton.edu/guardianscholars
Charlie Spencer of Dynalectric: Habitat for Humanity www.habitat.org
Terry Goldfarb-Lee of Resources Connection: Human Options shelter for abused women and their children www.humanoptions.org
Mark Rowe of Rowe Consulting: Orangewood Children's Home Providing Assistance, Love and Support "PALS" www.orangewoodpals.org
Mark Strom of PRTM Consulting: Union Rescue Mission for the homeless www.urm.com

Sincerely,

Jeff Black
Principal Consultant
McDermott & Bull Executive Search
black@mbsearch.net

A Relationship Story - Trust Your Gut and Grow Out of Your Rut

Most of us stay pretty tight in our normal rut. Here is an example of how being open to learning and experiencing new things may help you discover unexpected opportunities.

November 2004

A Relationship Story - Trust Your Gut and Grow Out of Your Rut

In asking me to find ideal fit talent for them, two of my clients, Shea Homes and Snyder Langston, each specifically asked me to include a special characteristic in the criteria for their team’s new talent – they must demonstrate a passion for continuous learning. Now this obviously is intuitive good sense, but I know from my own corporate experience how easy it is to stay in the world our job defines for us - to try to become perfect at the things we have to do. Yes I know it’s true that we are often incentivized to be great as specialists, but aren’t we missing a huge growth opportunity offered by breaking new ground? The priority on learning emphasized by my clients reminded me of a learning experience I had that led to an unexpected and highly beneficial opportunity. I thought it might make you think about whether you are trusting your instincts and taking advantage of your own breakthrough learning opportunities.

After I had decided to quit my job in 2002 after 23 years, and before I decided that a new career as a consultant with McDermott & Bull would be this much fun, I took the opportunity to check out something that had always fascinated me. I always thought there was no product more tangible and powerful than what the building industry created. I was curious about an industry that made such a lasting impact in our world and in our lives, while much else in our lives is so shallow and transitory. I realized also that one of my most charismatic, dynamic, and respected friends had been enjoying a wonderful career in this business - Charlie Spencer leads the Electrical Division for Dynalectric. I saw an opportunity to trust my instincts and investigate an industry that had always intrigued me, and to see it through the eyes of a trusted friend who loved what he did for a living.

I asked Charlie to let me spend a day with him in his world, purely in the interest of learning, and without any specific objective beyond that. Charlie was extremely gracious, and had me ride along all day with him visiting the amazing construction projects where he and his team were contributing. I discovered an extraordinary world of complexity and intricacy, of commitment to performance discipline, safety and quality. I also discovered a unique leadership challenge - juggling scarce and unpredictable resources under oppressive environmental and political constraints, and all subject to the tightest of fiscal and schedule demands. I gained a real appreciation for success as a builder, and the special people involved in that success.

What I didn’t realize at the time was that a few months later, when evaluating the industries that I could help in my executive search consultancy, I found the building industry to be a perfect fit. Because I took advantage of an opportunity to investigate something that had always intrigued me, I was able to recognize the great business opportunity the building industry could offer me.

While it’s hard to break away from the constant demands of your regular grind, ask yourself if there aren’t things that you intuitively know make good sense to explore, and give yourself a chance to test your instincts. You just never know what it might mean for you. I would love to hear your stories about similar experiences.

Links: Shea Homes LC www.sheahomes.com, Snyder Langston www.snyder-langston.com, Dynalectric www.dyna-la.com

Sincerely,

Jeff Black
Principal Consultant
McDermott & Bull Executive Search
black@mbsearch.net

A Relationship Story - The Power of Doing Things Differently

September 2004

A Relationship Story - The Power of Doing Things Differently

Do you know who Alan Wurtzel, Colman Mockler, and David Maxwell are? They are CEO’s of three of the most successful U. S. companies over the last 25 years. Why don’t you recognize their names? Their companies are household names – Circuit City, Gillette, and Fannie Mae – so why not the CEO’s? Even the most casual observer of popular culture might assume that only high-profile self-promoters succeed, especially doing something as "significant" as leading a world-class company. Not true! These companies did things differently.

The key message in "Good to Great" by Jim Collins is that only certain companies understand and exemplify the bold behaviors necessary to be truly special and outperform every competitor. While each of the Good to Great "behaviors" are examples of doing things differently, what I found truly counterintuitive was that each chief executive was self effacing and humble, focusing their considerable professional will on building the company and its people.

The real power was created from the relationships within the company and with customers, and not the "relationship" between the CEO and the public eye. The priorities embodied in this behavior must invariably make these great companies to work for, and thereby able to attract great people.

In the "Deviant’s Advantage" by Watts Wacker and Ryan Mathews, it is argued that deviance is the source of all innovation (hold on now…they’re talking about positive deviance - a force for transformation). "The well of deviance irrigates the imagination; offers an inexhaustible font of new ideas, products, and services; and, in the end, is the source of all innovation, new-market creation, and for business, ultimately represents the basis of all incremental profit". We each know examples of deviance that fuels innovation and success, but here are 3 of my favorites:

• Branch Rickey signing Jackie Robinson to be the first African-American to play in the modern major leagues. Of course, the impact on society was huge, but the business impact on the Dodgers was unmistakable. They were in 6 World Series in the next 10 years, after only one in the previous 26 years.
  
• John F. Kennedy prophesizing that we would go to the moon by the end of the 60’s. Not only did this provide the paradigm-stretching challenge to make it happen, it also helped fuel the technology creations that have shaped the last 40 years.
  
• A couple of nerds who were ahead of the curve and knew the hardware didn’t matter. Microsoft is a great example of the power of deviance in business.
  

A unique approach to executive search consultancy is what makes McDermott & Bull a special firm - building real relationships of trust with our clients and sharing resources beyond our search services; contributing to the business community in industry organizations; providing a networking platform for executives in transition through McDermott & Bull's Executive Network; and also by only adding members to our team who embody this model. The firm must be a unique – how else to explain why they would hire a "different" sort of guy like me?

The primary areas of focus in my search practice are the Building Industry and related products, and Manufacturing/Technology. I welcome your ideas for continuing to grow my practice in these areas, but I am happy to be of assistance to any good company who seeks a trusted relationship with a consultancy partner.

Book Ideas For You: Good To Great by Jim Collins and the Deviant’s Advantage by Watts Wacker and Ryan Mathews. Let me know what you think.

Sincerely,

Jeff Black
Principal Consultant
McDermott & Bull Executive Search
black@mbsearch.net

A Relationship Story: Saying “Yes” to Helping Others – You Just May Get More Than You Give

We are all asked to help others in the business community, and of course, we all try to make time whenever we can. I think this story shows that you really cannot predict the positive impacts to your business objectives, beyond feeling good about helping, that saying "yes" might provide.

Summer 2004

A Relationship Story
Saying "Yes" to Helping Others – You Just May Get More Than You Give

While attending a meeting of the National Human Resources Association (NHRA) in Orange County, I sat at a table next to an extremely engaging fellow named Karl Feierbacher. Karl explained that in addition to seeking a corporate Human Resources position himself, he was a U.S. Marine Corps reserve officer and his volunteer work was raising awareness about the talented individuals who are leaving the service and can be great assets for good companies.
Karl made a very strong impression on me, as he would on you. After the meeting Karl followed-up with me and suggested we connect, an idea I welcomed especially based on what a giving person Karl is himself. As we in our firm often do, I took the opportunity to share some ideas with him that I thought may increase the effectiveness of Karl’s job search, leveraging the learning from my own transition experience and what I observe that works for others.

I soon learned that meeting with Karl was more than just helping a strong individual with a few ideas – I was surprised to learn how much more it would do for me. Unexpectedly, Karl asked if I would consider speaking at an upcoming meeting of the Marine Executive Association (MEA), a group of Marine Corps senior officers who are transitioning from the service into industry.

I was honored and truly excited about this opportunity. Then the wheels started turning, and I began to see this as a special chance to accomplish a number of things important to me: first, to contribute potentially valuable ideas to a group of people deserving of my utmost respect; second, to involve and work together again after many years with my mentor and friend U.S. Navy Captain Ed Whelan – whose own experience transitioning into industry offers great insights; and third, to develop a structured speech out of the message I had been developing conversation-by-conversation since I began as a consultant with McDermott & Bull – while also providing the impetus I needed to launch myself toward public speaking opportunities, something I had long hoped for but had been too "busy" to prioritize and get done.

So, on June 17th, Ed and I were pleased to visit Camp Pendleton and address a very receptive and appreciative group of Marines. In addition, a text version of our thoughts will be shared by email with hundreds of Marines/MEA members worldwide.

Had it not been for my discussion with Karl Feierbacher about his career transition, I would have missed out on some great things. First, I got the satisfaction of contributing to the career prospects of these great Americans. In addition, I got another opportunity to work with Ed, a pleasure I had not imagined having again. And if that wasn’t enough, I have now re-shaped my messages into a "Transition to Success" talk that I now hope to share with other groups. I believe I got much more that I gave.

I suggest you keep this story in mind the next time you are asked to help. Feeling good about helping is really enough, but you just never know how you and your business might benefit.

Sincerely,

Jeff Black
Principal Consultant
McDermott & Bull Executive Search
black@mbsearch.net

A Relationship Story – What’s So Special About Paul Revere?

I think this story demonstrates the big difference between just making contacts versus sharing real knowledge with powerful personal connections. We should all aspire to make as significant a difference for others as Paul Revere did.

June 2004

A Relationship Story – What’s So Special About Paul Revere?

Paul Revere’s ride is one of those compelling legends that fascinated us all when we were growing up. But did you ever wonder how one guy could manage to alert the people in town after town and convince them to prepare for something as frightening as taking up arms, and to do it in only one night and all without a cellphone or the internet?

And why is Paul Revere such a legend, while his riding partner Thomas Dawes is little more than a trivia quiz answer?

The answer is not because Revere had a better Public Relations firm. The secret lies in his unique commitment to
the New England community and to his network of relationships, along with his ability to recognize who the other influential connectors were in all the communities around Boston. He was, after all, a member and leader in more community groups than anyone else. Equally important was his personal commitment to gathering information and knowledge about the British and their movements, and his leadership in actively sharing this critical knowledge with everyone in the region. As a result, Paul Revere was not only connected with many other connectors, he was also considered a highly credible source of information by everyone.

On the contrary, while Dawes was also knowledgeable and involved, he tended to stay close to home in Boston proper. So when they both went on their fateful ride, Thomas Dawes told whomever he saw and hoped they would share the news. Paul Revere knew who to tell to get the news spread, and they knew they could trust him.
McDermott & Bull strives to be a trusted resource for all our friends in the market, and not only to serve your needs for retained executive search. In our firm, we all try to be well connected and knowledgeable about the providers of services of all kinds, and we are also always looking to connect our corporate friends and their products to each other. Please feel free to ask me if you are ever in need of the best in business services, and not only related to the services I provide. I will gladly connect you with people you can trust to help your business in most any area.

A Book Idea For You: The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell – The key elements required for an idea to "tip" and become the next big thing…how little things can make a big difference. The "Paul Revere effect" represents one of these keys. Let me know what you think.

Sincerely,

Jeff Black
Principal Consultant
McDermott & Bull Executive Search
black@mbsearch.net

Welcome to JeffBlackMcDermottBull Blog

Greetings all, I hope you enjoy this Blog, and that there is value received for you. I look forward to your comments and ideas. Thanks, Jeff