The Kmiec Ramblings

Category Archives: Misc.

Being Focused And Consistent

Written on September 23, 2012 by adamkmiec in Campbell, Misc.

Be focused. Be consistent. Those are simple phrases I would say, sum up what the best leaders I’ve ever worked for have been able to do. Read or listen to a company’s earnings calls and their annual report. The well run companies have a very specific talk track that repeats from quarter to quarter. It’s not that a talk track is created to simply fool the public or to offer scripted answers. No, the talk track is there because they want to make sure there’s a level of consistency in what they’re communicating.

Organizational change is tough. Early on in my career, I tried to plug every hole…quickly. As I progressed and had the benefit of learning from other leaders, I realized that was a foolish approach to leadership. Sure, people start to see instant results, but they see them at the expense of sustained change.

To produce sustained change…the type of change that sticks, you have to be focused and consistent. When I joined Campbell Soup the organization ran a press release announcing my role. The press release included quotes that I would forever have to live up to. I chose my words very carefully; they would set the tone for the organizational change I knew we needed and I hoped to bring.

After we put the final polish on our year 1 focus, we created a common language and framework for how we wanted to share that direction. My interview with Chris Heine at Adweek was the first time we outwardly shared that in my first year we wanted our entire global organization aligned on 1 Digital Philosophy, Process, Lexicon and Measurement Model. Those 4 pillars are things I personally track every day. I want to make sure that when we look back, at the end of year 1, we feel like we’ve accomplished those goals.

From there, we started to communicate both our global vision and strategy for digital. It was in back-to-back podcasts with Kevin Hunt and Frank Emanuele at Likeable Media, where we first tested how simple and palatable the vision and strategy really were. While the general concepts of both were solid, the podcasts with Kevin and Frank were great feedback loops that drove subtle, but critical word choice adjustments.

Those word choice adjustments important and it was in an interview with eMarketer where we offered a deeper look at not just the vision and strategy, but how, in a practical sense we were using it to think about social, mobile, analytics and more.

Just past 100 days and nearly 4 months since joining Campbell, I’m thrilled that we’ve been able to maintain the focus and consistency needed to bring about organization change. This recent interview with E.J. Schultz at AdAge, brings together, for the first time, our:

Global Vision: To be the most digitally fit CPG organization in the world, across our consumers, customers and associates
Growth Investment: A more than 40% increase in digital media spending (though I’m more excited about how we’re investing those media dollars)
Staffing Plan: Between now and November 1 we’ll add 7 new hires to the organizations, including critical hires in Digital Insights and Mobile.
Examples Demonstrating How Digital Fitness Is Working: From the twitter beta initiative we turned around in 24 hours to the upcoming work breaking this Fall for 2 major new product launches, we’re getting more and more wired for speed, everyday.

We’ve been very focused. We’ve been very consistent. The language you see in the trades and blogs is the same language we’re sharing and reinforcing everyday internally. Just last week I had the opportunity to share the Digital Fitness vision and strategy with our global Consumer Insights teams and with our marketers across the globe.

We’re in the very early stages of becoming the most digitally fit consumer packaged goods company, in the world. But, we’re making strides every day. I remain ever energized to come into the office everyday and work with a leadership team that is constantly removing friction and enabling us to reach our vision.

If you noticed, I rarely talk about digital marketing or social media programs. Those are outputs. Outputs, that become better as we continue internally wiring for digital fitness. Unfortunately those who are ignorant to the efforts of organizational change and the role of digital leaders in organizations, rarely grasp this. Campbell didn’t hire me, because they needed a digital marketer. They’ve been an amazing an innovative company for the last 143 years without me and without anyone in a digital/social leadership role. But, as well documented by actual thought leaders in the organizational innovation space, you need to hire “aliens,” people who don’t quite fit in, to help bring about that change and realize the opportunity that’s been recognized.

I don’t have all the answers. No one does. But, I think we have the right vision and the right approach. Digital Fitness is going to take us to new heights and it will position us to connect with the consumers of today and the consumers of tomorrow. That’s why I’m here and it’s why I’ll be here for a long time.

Tags: Leadership

Interview Questions I Wish I Could Ask

Written on August 28, 2012 by adamkmiec in Marketing & Advertising, Misc.

0 Comments - Leave a comment!

I’ve done a lot of interviewing over the years. From designers to account managers and developers to social media strategists, I think I’ve interviewed just about every type of role out there. I’ve had great interviews that left me wanting to hire the person mid-interview and I’ve had bad interviews. I also had one interview where a young candidate tried to explain to me that Eleanor Rigby was in fact, NOT a Beatles song.

When you interview you’re trying to get a feel for:

Does this person have the right experience?
Can this person do the job?
Are they a good cultural fit?
Will they make our team better?

Part of getting to those answers is asking about their education, work experience, key projects and how they’d approach the job they’re interviewing for. Some companies, like Target, have very specific scripts that you follow, while others are less formal. Many organizations have classes or coaching sessions to help you interview better. I’ve found these to be extremely helpful.

When you interview someone, there’s a list of questions you can’t ask…legally, a list of questions you probably shouldn’t ask and of course questions you should definitely ask. For example, did you know that legally you can’t ask someone if they are a U.S. Citizen, but you can ask them if they are legally authorized to work in the U.S. It’s a nuance, but it’s an important one.

Well, given that the person you hire is someone you may be spending a lot of time with, shouldn’t you want to get to know them? I mean, really know them? If I could and it was acceptable, here’s 10 questions I wish I could ask in an interview:

Favorite movie? With a quick follow up of…what’s the best Star Wars movie?
In the Wonder Years, should Kevin and Winnie have ended up together? What about Dawson and Joey, Kelly and Dylan and Zach and Kelly?
If you could pick 5 people, alive or deceased, to have over for dinner, who would you pick?
Favorite commercial of all time?
Who would play you in a movie about your life?
Beer, wine or cocktails?
If you could live your life over, what 3 decisions would you change?
Go to karaoke song?
Is Bigfoot real? What about the Loch Ness monster?
What’s your real dream job?

There’s no science to these questions, I just find them interesting.

Tags: Interviewing

3 Interview Rejections I Learned From

Written on August 2, 2012 by adamkmiec in Funny, Misc.

0 Comments - Leave a comment!

Rejection. I don’t know anyone that loves it. Be it, asking your parents for that cute puppy, only to be told not a chance. Be it, asking for that girl’s number and being shut down. Be it, getting that letter from the college you really wanted to attend, and having it say, sorry, no dice.

Rejection, in its many flavors just sucks. It’s disheartening. It leaves you feeling blah. Now, I’ve had my fair share of rejection over the years. From not making the basketball team in high school to having Georgetown tell me: umm…you can come to our school, but you’re not good enough to earn even a $2.00 scholarship.

One spot I’ve definitely faced rejection was in the interview process. The Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota had a class taught by Mike Henle that was all about interview and resume prep. Honestly, one of the best classes I ever took. Whether it was that class or luck or whatever, early on in my career I generally aced interviews. I remember keeping track of my “close rate” – the ratio of offers to interviews. I stopped tracking it years ago, but I do recall at one point being in the 90% area.

Now, this isn’t about the offers. This isn’t about the jobs I took. This isn’t about my successes. This is about the failures. Specifically, I want to tell you about the 3 jobs I interviewed…that I really wanted…that I felt I was very qualified for…BUT didn’t get.

General Mills
It was just after the dot.com bust. Or rather, the middle of the bust. I was working in Chicago, but my girlfriend was Minneapolis based. And as many of you know, long distance for a relationship is no fun. Brad Smith was the director of Digital at General Mills and he was looking for a manager of digital. Several of Brad’s colleagues recommended me to him. After a phone screen, I came in for the full day of interviews. Now coming in I felt like I had a lot on my side. First, I knew Brad; it’s a small circle of digital people in Minneapolis. Two, I knew the VP of HR/Talent; she even endorsed me for the job. Three, I had a lot of CPG experience at the time. From Kellogg’s to Nestlé and from Altoids to Coca-Cola, I’d managed a lot of great brands. Four, I had the “buzz” that came from having worked at Fallon, on BMW on BMW Films. The General Mills interview process was standard…meet a lot of cross-functional team members, talk about your background, explain why you want to leave your current role, etc. Well, it was standard to a point. Part of the process involved the Myers Briggs personality test. And apparently, that’s where I failed in legendary fashion. I left the interview thinking I had nailed it. My initial conversations with Brad and HR, post interview, were encouraging and positive. A week went by. Then another. On the 3rd week, I got a call from my HR contact. She explained, I would not be moving on. I was shocked. My heart dropped. I inquired why. She hesitated initially and explained, that while everyone “loved” me and though I’d be great…I had failed the Myers Briggs test. Well, that’s a head scratcher..how do you fail a personality test, I asked. She explained, that I was too extroverted, an apparent no-no in Big G land. The test indicated that I would be the type of person who wouldn’t simply follow the process and approaches that had been used by the company or years…that I would challenge the norm too frequently. Baffled, I called Brad, who confirmed what I had been told and said something I remember to this day, “dude, I’ve never seen anything like this before, I’m sorry, I didn’t realize you could fail a personality test.” Well, me neither. It’s safe to say I’ve remained quite extroverted, so I’m not exactly expecting a call from General Mills any time soon. I love many of the products in the General Mills family and have a lot friends who have thrived there. Sometimes, it’s not about talent, it’s about fit. And in this case, I didn’t fit.

R/GA
Somewhere at the middle point in my career, just before I joined ConAgra Foods, I interviewed with R/GA to run the SC Johnson business. At this point in my career, I felt I was tailor made for this role. In addition to the CPG experience I listed above, I’d also cut my teeth on Similac, M&M and a few others. In short, I knew how to move pallets of product to Wal-Mart, using digital. R/GA at the time was one of the few digital agencies doing it right. Even today, they are one of the best digital shops in the world. I had and have a lot of respect for the agency and it’s commitment to great work. After a lengthy interview process, I was notified that after careful consideration I was not going to be offered the position. My notice came via phone by the head of account management. That’s a classy move and something more companies should do. Anyhow, of course I wanted to know where I didn’t measure up. Imagine my surprise when I was told, “unfortunately, you don’t have enough CPG experience.” Huh? I mean had you said, not enough telecom or retail experience, I’d have agreed. But, not enough CPG experience? Well, that was just obviously BS. Not only was a bummed, I mean R/GA was probably one of the few shops everyone really wanted in at, but I was irked I wasn’t getting the full story. How can you improve if you don’t know where you fell short? Well, shortly thereafter, I took a job working with a great team at ConAgra Foods. We were conducting an agency review for new digital agencies. I wanted R/GA in the pitch. Like I said, they did and do amazing work. I wasn’t harboring any bad feelings and more importantly, you have to set aside personal feelings (when they exist) and make the right business decision. Well, 3 things happened during the pitch that just shows what can happen when you aren’t level with someone…it can always come back to you later on. First, during the first round of the pitch, I got a call from the head of new business, he had with him the head of account management. She wanted to tell me how much she thought of me and was thrilled that while it didn’t work out with me joining R/GA, she’d finally get the chance to work with me as a client. He, wanted to make sure, there weren’t any hard feelings…there weren’t. Second, I relayed the call to my boss and his boss; in doing so I gave them all the context. They were surprised I’d still want to work with them. But, like I said, they did amazing work. Third, R/GA lived up to their reputation and made it to the final presentation. In that meeting, the head of account management explained that R/GA doesn’t have a “B” team, because they only hire the best. At that point, my boss asked…if you only hire the best, how can you explain not hiring Adam, because I happen to think he is one of the best. I was stunned. It’s a hell of a question and not one I was expecting. Initially, they thought he joking, but realized he was serious. I honestly, don’t remember the answer and it had ZERO impact on how we reviewed and rated them. Even today, nearly a decade later, I wish I knew why I wasn’t good enough for R/GA. If you’re reading this R/GA can you let me know why…call me…maybe?

Crispin, Porter + Bogusky
Let me first say, I’ve never had an interview, ever, like my interview at CP+B. You show up. There’s not set agenda. You meet some people for an hour and others for 5 minutes. They want you to meet with as any people as possible. But, here’s the catch…if one of those people, gives you a thumbs down, you fail. It has to be 100% consensus. I learned this all after the fact. On my interview day, I showed up at 8. I sat. I sat some more. And I sat even more. Around 9:30 I met my first interviewer. Between 9:30 am and 6:30 pm I met with no less than 30 people. I met with assistants, receptionists, Jeff Benjamin, the HR team, Winston Binch and more. As I boarded the plane back home, my head was spinning. I had no idea if I’d done well or if I’d bombed. A few days later I received a call from HR. It started out great. She was complimentary of me and my background. But, you just knew…you just knew, a “but” was coming. And, about 5 minutes into the call, it came. She explained their 100% consensus policy and indicated that while the core team I’d be working with and my “boss” thought I’d be a great fit, there was 1 dissenting vote. That one dissenting vote was enough to reject me. I was bummed to say the least. Now here’s the funny part. A few weeks later, after I’d already accepted another role, I received a call from HR. The person who had cast the no vote, had left the company, which paved the way for them to offer me the job. I passed. Good thing I did. Sometimes things happen for a reason, right? A few months later, CP+B lost the account I was going to work on.

You have to learn from your rejections and your failures. As I’ve gotten older any bitterness I had from being rejected by General Mills, RG/A and Crispin subsided. You get more pragmatic and realize that “fit” is really important. You start to evaluate opportunities based on philosophical alignment, culture and fit. You realize that having a company want you as much as you want them is an awesome feeling. I became better from those experiences. I learned from them. And frankly, without them, I probably wouldn’t be where I am today.

While not making the cut for the top 3, special mentions for Best Buy, Edelman and Carmichael
Lynch are well deserved.

Tags: Career Advice, Interviewing, Perspective

Tumi, You’re Killing Me

Written on July 31, 2012 by adamkmiec in Marketing & Advertising, Misc., Shopping

0 Comments - Leave a comment!

UPDATED 8/1/2012

After publishing this post and sending it to the Tumi twitter account, Tumi responded via twitter with a 1-800 # to call and instructions to ask for a manager. I spoke with a manager who was already prepped that I would be calling (awesome end to end customer service for nailing that). She acknoledged that they were having some product quality issues with the case and that they were actually in Asia working to address the known issue. You have to love when a company admits there’s a problem and tells you they are fixing it. What they offered to do was:

1. Refund my money

2. Send me a new case of the same design AND THEN replace it when the product was updated to newer specs at NO COST.

3. Let me choose from any other case they had.

I chose option 2. Folks, this is customer service at its best. Well done Tumi. Thank You.

I love Tumi. Great brand. Great products. Great customer service. I’m a huge advocate of the brand. When I purchase luggage it’s Tumi. When I recommend luggage, it’s Tumi. My daughter, 5 year’s old, nearly received a Tumi backpack for kindergarten, before I was over-ruled. If I’m not mistaken, I believe I have 4 Tumi pieces registered with their outstanding Tumi Tracer program.

All that said, I have to tell you, while they may make great luggage and great bags, I have to question their ability to make accessories. A couple of months back, I purchased a Tumi Ballistic Snap Case for my iPad. After a month of use, it developed a crack in the plastic backing, on the lower right corner. I tweeted the Tumi twitter account, they recommended I call the 1-800 number. I called the 1-800 number, who wanted me to mail back my case, they would assess it and then determine if a replacement was warranted. The estimated time frame for the entire experience was expected to be 14 days. Not cool, in my opinion. I instead visited the Tumi store at the Philadelphia airport. I explained everything that I had explained on the phone and the manager, fixed the problem. How? By, taking back the clearly defective item and replacing it with a new one. Like I said GREAT customer service.

It’s not been a month since receiving a replacement case, and the EXACT same problem has happened. Now look, I get that coincidences happen. But this seems a bit out there, don’t you think? Here’s a photo to illustrate the issue.

Tumi Ballistic iPad Cover Broken

Look, I’m not a whiner. I get it, stuff happens. I get that you can’t respond to everyone. Having worked in digital and social for a long time, I get all of that. But, as a consumer, I don’t understand how an item that retails for $95.00 from a brand like Tumi, can have the same defect in two separate cases. I also don’t understand, how, as a consumer it makes sense for me to have to pay to send it out and wait nearly 14 days to maybe receive a new one. It just doesn’t add up.

Tumi, by their own words states:

Product quality and selection are key attributes that have made Tumi a leader. Simply put, there is no other product made like Tumi. This is what we call the Tumi Difference. It is how we approach every aspect and detail of product design. We regard each component — from the smallest, case-hardened solid steel machine screw to our exclusive, virtually abrasion-proof FXT ballistic nylon fabric-of each item as if it were the most important. It means that our products are made from hundreds of custom-designed and engineered parts.

I have to be honest with you, this product doesn’t deliver on that brand promise. It just doesn’t. So Tumi, yes, I still love you, but you’re killing me.

Tags: Customer Service, Shopping, Social Media, Tumi

What Would You Save?

Written on July 19, 2012 by adamkmiec in Misc.

0 Comments - Leave a comment!

Confession: I’ve seen the Movie “Leap Year.” It’s bad. Like really bad. Could be Amy Adams’ worst performance ever. I won’t give away the plot…even though you can probably accurately predict how it ends…but, there’s a very poignant moment where Amy Adams is asked, what would you save in a fire? Later on in the move, she creates an opportunity to see what her fiancé would save. What he chooses to save sets the stage for the movie’s climax.

I hope none of you ever have to actually decide what to save if your house were to catch fire. Last night I was talking with a colleague, Tonya Hall, who I met on twitter. During our conversation, she shared that recently, during the Colorado fires, she had 15 minutes to decide to what to save in her house, before flames engulfed it. The house perished. The only word that comes to mind is, “tragic.” Thankfully, she made it out unscathed.

Her story, put a very sharp point on the question often asked at parties as a hypothetical: What would you save if your house were on fire and all you had were 15 minutes to get out?

Recently I saw a quote from the founder of Patagonia, Yvon Chouinard that stuck with me and in the face of the hypothetical question, seems appropriate: “The more you know, the less you need.” That quote comes from, Let My People Go Surfing: The Education of a Reluctant Businessman. It’s a solid read and I highly recommend it. After my divorce I started over completely. Beyond my clothes, camera equipment, laptop and car, I had nothing. Mind you, this was by choice. The best part of starting over, was how selective I could be in what I purchased. My focus was very much on quality over quantity. I live a rather sparse life, but the “things” I do have, I value.

With 15 minutes to save the most valuable items, I’d be done in 5. There’s only 4 things I’d rush to save:

1. Apple Time Capsule. It holds every photo I’ve ever taken since 2001. Photos are memories and I’d hate to lose those memories.

2. Watch Box: I don’t own lots of jewelry. It’s not my thing. But, watches, are something I love. Each watch tells a story. Each watch was purchased with a story in mind and a moment to to attach to it.

3. Camera Bag: Some items in the bag have sentimental value that can’t be replaced. But, more importantly, I’m always happy, behind the camera, capturing a moment.

4. Document Box: I have a box that contains all the important documents…birth certificates, passports, etc. If you have to start over, you’re going to need most of those documents.

That’s it. Small list. No clothes, except those on my back. No, computers or electronics. No pieces of furniture, regardless of how cool they are. Nope, just 4 things.

What would you save?

Tags: Movies, Perspective

Do It Right, Or Don’t Do It

Written on July 15, 2012 by adamkmiec in Marketing & Advertising, Misc.

0 Comments - Leave a comment!

I love Michael Keaton. One of my favorite actors, hands down. If you haven’t seen My Life, I highly recommend it; although bring along the Kleenex…you’ll need it. Grantland, recently did an amazing interview with Keaton that’s worth your time to read. There’s some truly great exchanges and one-liners in the interview, but none better than this discussion on why Michael Keaton passed on doing Batman “3″ after having so much success in playing the role of Batman in the previous 2 movies.

Michael: And, I will take credit for this, though: The third Batman didn’t happen because I said this is not good, this is just not good.

Daniel: You were right.

Michael: And I said, “So let’s make it good,” and I run up against this resistance, and I said, “OK, I ain’t doing it, man, I just won’t do it.” And they didn’t believe me, but I said, “No, I’m really not doing it … ”

Daniel: I know — I heard they backed the truck up. I read the whole story. Fifteen million bucks they offer you, and you just said screw it, no.

Michael: Yeah, that was it. Anyway, so I just said no.

Powerful concept, right? Obviously this goes beyond movies. It’s something I truly believe in. If you can’t do something right, if you can’t do it the best you can, if you can’t do it in a way you can be proud of and ultimately defend…DON’T DO IT. This philosophy, which one could argue, allows you to put more wood behind less arrows, is why I think Google is on the upswing. The renewed focus by Sergei Brin and Larry Page is admirable. You’re also seeing it become part of the formula for other companies who are just killing right now, like, foursquare, Ford, Amazon, Square, and Roku. They aren’t rushing to market with something. They aren’t offering a rip off of something else out there already. They aren’t doing it to simply check a box.

No, they’re focusing. They’re being smart about when to invest and what to invest against. This focus isn’t just for show. It’s part of their strategy. They’re doing it right, or they’re not doing it. Perhaps if the music industry took a page from this book, we’d have more AC/DC Black Ice and less Just Bieber [anything].

So, the next time, you’re about to do something, ask yourself, can you do it right? Because, if you can’t, you probably shouldn’t do it.

Tags: Acting, Advice, Movies

Have I Mellowed?

Written on July 8, 2012 by adamkmiec in Misc.

0 Comments - Leave a comment!

The other day I was asked, “so, do you think you’ve mellowed since you had kids?” It got me thinking. There’s nothing quite like becoming a parent. Everything changes. Your perspective on a variety of topics, completely changes. For example, I went for thinking the Victoria’s Secret shorts with “Pink!” written across the arse were cute. After my daughter was born, I found them offensive and was appalled that parents would let their relatively young daughters wear them. Things change.

But, on the whole, I don’t think I’ve mellowed. Most people would characterize me as intense, driven and aggressive. I tend to think I’m also a risk taker and a ask for forgiveness, rather than permission, type of person. There have only been slight adjustments to the DNA of me since becoming a parent…twice over.

The more I thought about the question, I realized that while on the whole I hadn’t mellowed, there were definitely fairly 2 specific and recognizable (for those who knew me well) changes.

1. Punctuality: I definitely pride myself on being a person that’s punctual. If we agree to meet at 9PM, I’ll be there by 8:55. Simply put, I value and respect time. A major pet peeve of mine was someone who didn’t respect my time and would routinely be late. It was the sort of thing that could torpedo an evening. While, people being late still irritates me…only because I’m rarely, if at all late, it doesn’t impact me in the ways it once did. I’m certainly more understanding and forgiving.

2. Changes In Plans: Let me first say, if you didn’t know me before Cora and John were born, you’d never notice how more laid back I am these days when things don’t go according to plan. I’m a planner. Always have been. Always will be. It’s how I’m wound. I make plans. I make contingency plans for the plans. I have contingency plans for the contingency plans. I unfairly held people to the same expectation. When you have kids, you realize nothing ever goes according to plan. You just can’t account for temper tantrums, or accidents, or potty breaks, or the restaurant not having chocolate milk. You start to accept that sometimes, it is, what it is…simple as that. You learn to simply role with it, not look back, get focused and start looking forward. I have to say, this has helped me professionally, more than any coaching advice, conference or book. My ability to manage change has never been better. And, in today’s constantly changing world, it’s an invaluable skill.

These have been changes for the better. I’m sure there are other subtle mellow-ings, but those were the 2 that stuck out to me.

Tags: Kids, Parenting, Personal, Perspective

Decorating The New Office

Written on June 23, 2012 by adamkmiec in Misc.

0 Comments - Leave a comment!

One of my favorite things about a new job is getting to “decorate” your office. I’ve always had these sayings…you know things you find yourself saying all the time. They start to become a mantra of sorts for how you manage, lead, govern, think and act. Well, in my new role at The Campbell Soup Co. I wanted to make those sayings, something permanent. I asked a family friend to help me out. She’s a whiz and typography and was thrilled to help out. These 4 sayings will end up being 20″x20″ letter pressed prints that will be framed and hung in the office.

While you can’t deliver on this all the time, it should be something to aspire to. Always bring your A-game, always think big and always focus on how can we make this better.

Go Big Or Go Home

Lots of opinions. Lots of opinion makers. But, I always trust insights. They’re better than opinions. Bring your insights, leave your opinions at the door.

Insights Over Opinions

Something that my teams at MARC USA and Walgreens I’m sure hear way too often. When it comes to digital, speed does win.

Speed Wins

Lastly, my favorite saying, from my favorite character, Doctor Gregory House.

Everyone Lies

I think she did an awesome job. What do you think?

Tags: Decorating, House, Sayings

Some Thoughts On The “King” Being Crowned

Written on June 22, 2012 by adamkmiec in Misc.

2 Comments - Leave a comment!

I’m not a Lebron fan. Let’s just get that out of the way up front. My distaste for Lebron is about more than the “Decision.” It’s about the way Lebron, a millennial, has approached just about everything he’s done in his career.

Where should we start? How about the nickname, “King James.” Kings where crowns and lead. Up until last night when he finally won his first championship, what had he done to deserve a crown? How about the fact that by going by “King James” he draws comparisons to the bible and one Jesus? I’m not reaching. Here’s the ads that back me up:

We Are Witness

And just to keep it factual, where the phrase, “we are all witness” comes from is in fact, the Bible…Matthew 7:7-8 to be specific:

You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this.

That’s arrogance. That’s a lack of humility. That’s asking for attention. But, that’s been Lebron’s M.O. since the beginning.

One of the wonderful things about sports, is history. We can see what’s happened before us. We saw Jordan work on his game. Hone it. Make it better. We were witness (pun intended) to his attempts at dominating the existing regime of Magic, Dr. J. and Bird. We were witness to his dismissing of would be challengers like Clyde, Malone, Barkley, Ewing, Payton, Hardaway and others. We saw him struggle to beat the Pistons. Twice he faced them. Twice he lost…until finally he overcame them. Throughout it all, we didn’t see Jordan complain or whine or give the Bulls the impression he might leave. He didn’t hold them hostage. He didn’t quit on Chicago to join the Lakers, Celtics, Knicks, etc. so that he’d have an “easier” path to a title. He didn’t look to create a “big 3.” No. Jordan earned it. Then again, Jordan isn’t a millennial. He had that 80s work ethic in him.

Look back on Jordan’s 6 titles. He didn’t have an easy path. There was no Derrick Rose blowing a knee. No refs gifting a game when Rondo scores 40+. Jordan faced tougher competition, in a more physical NBA and dominated. Keep in mind he didn’t dominate once…oh no…he retired, took a year and half off, came back and still dominated. He retired again and still dropped 40 points while playing for the Wizards at the age of 39. When Jordan came back a second time, he didn’t join the Spurs or the Lakers to get an easy title. He joined the Wizards. Are you kidding me, the Wizards?

Nothing Jordan did was easy. He never took the easy path. And that’s why we love him. And it’s also why Lebron is so polarizing. Never has someone so gifted (and make no mistake LBJ is gifted) chosen to take the easy path…the paved road, at every turn and opportunity.

Lebron may have a ring, but he didn’t earn it; you could argue he bought it. He’s no Jordan. Not in concept. Not in actions. Not in accolades. Just so you don’t think this is just theory, here’s reality:

Jordan vs. Kobe vs. Lebron

This isn’t about Michael Jordan. But, yet, it is. This is about what we should expect from our heroes. We should expect that they don’t take the easy way out. We should expect that they have humility. We should expect that they fight their way through the gauntlet and earn their successes. It’s why we love and revere Manning, Armstrong, Jeter (even though he’s a Yankee), and Duncan. It’s why so many people are pulling for Tiger…we want to see him walk through the fire and find redemption. It’s the time you put into earning your successes that makes someone legendary.

Tags: Failure, Humility, Jordan, Lebron

The People Who Shape You

Written on June 1, 2012 by adamkmiec in Misc.

0 Comments - Leave a comment!

As I was watching this week’s MadMen, titled, “The Other Woman” in which Peggy, resigns from Sterling, Cooper, Draper, Price; I couldn’t help but realize, I’m damn lucky. I grew up in this industry, during a time, when mentoring was still a common practice. Without some great mentors over the years, I would never have been ready to join The Campbell Soup Co, in this role. Peggy, during her resignation speech, thanks Don for the mentorship and tutelage she received and perhaps more importantly, for Don recognizing the potential deep insider of her and giving her an opportunity.

Today, mentorship is sorely lacking. I thought this article from Adweek summed it up well when it explained that a Starbucks Barista receives more training than an agency account person. That’s not just the state of the agency business though. I hear this concern and complaint from people employed across all types of industries. Some companies, like Target, have gone so far as to create formal mentorship programs to help ensure employees receive more than adequate support in their career growth.

The episode of Mad Men really got me thinking. In nearly 15 years, I’ve had more than 20 direct managers and have collaborated with thousands more. Some were great. Some not so much. But, as I look back, man, I was really lucky to have learned from so many bright people and to have had so many who invested in me.

So, with that in mind, I want to thank a few key people, who over the last 15 years, shaped me into the marketer I am today:

Sarah Zanger Perron and Jen Nord gave me my start at Fallon, at 18, and let me run wild and question everything.

Paul Schield at Fallon taught me that age is irrelevant and always be mindful of what you already have.

Chris Miller at Chemistri taught me how to dance in the New Business arena and taught me to always balance thinking bigger with what’s right for the business.

Kevin Doohan showed me how to maneuver through a large organization, while at ConAgra Foods. It was also at ConAgra Foods where I met Bob Gilbreath and learned what a real client-agency relationship should look like.

Michele Fabrizi of MARC USA is someone I just can’t say enough about. She put my feet to the fire, challenged me to be better than I thought I was and never rest til it’s right. I learned now to run a business working under her and potentially more importantly, what real life networking looks like.

There are too many people to name at Walgreens, but Chuck Greener, Sona Chowla and Rich Lesperance are just 3 from a long list who helped improve just about every skill I’d learned before Walgreens.

Lastly, for over 10+ years I’ve worked with Reed Roussel. He remains one of the most brilliant people I’ve ever known and if it wasn’t for him I’d have accepted the status quo years ago. It was Reed who made me want to understand the technology aspect of everything. His sage advice of, when you know why it’s broken you’ll learn how to make it better, sticks with me, today.

You don’t get to where you are without the help of others. I’m thankful to have had so many people who took the time to teach me. It’s a lost art.

Tags: Career Development, Mentorship