Ovitz was horrible at it. He would keep people waiting while he was getting calls from all kinds of celebrities. People grew frustated of these rescheduled, postponed meetings. Ovitz didn’t make them feel that their time was valuable. -The Ride of a Lifetime, p.63 Continue reading Managing your own time and respecting others’ time is one of the most vital things to do as a manager.
When the two people at the top of a company have a dysfunctional relationship, there’s no way that the rest of the company beneath them can be functional. This is what happened between Michael Eisner and Michael Ovitz around 1995. Ultimately, Eisner fired Ovitz but the damage it caused to the company was significant. -The Ride of a Lifetime, p.62 Continue reading If sh*t happens in top management, solving it should be your priority
It’s a small gesture, but it feels awful to be the overlooked sidekick. Plus, anything that reminds you that you’re not the center of the universe is a good thing. -The Ride of a Lifetime, p.48 Continue reading Make sure to connect and speak with every person at the table.
This is a rare trait in a boss. When Dennis Swanson became the head of ABC Sports, something he had never done. He could have showed a kind of fake authority or knowledge. But if Dennis was asked something he didn’t know, he would say “he didn’t know” and turned to Robert and others for help. He often asked Robert, his #2, to take the lead in conversation with higher management -The Ride of a Lifetime, p.28 Continue reading Knowing what you don’t know
Roadmap to Billions 