We’ve long had a little motto at MediaCom as far as finding new people to work here is concerned which runs “I don’t like you – you’re hired”. It is based on the thinking of Bob Sutton (http://www.bobsutton.typepad.com/my_weblog/2006/08/twelve_weird_id.html). His philosophies include the idea that you need to hire people who make you feel uncomfortable, or even people you actively dislike, because it makes your organisation better and stronger.
One of the seminars at Google’s glorious Zeitgeist conference this week reminded me of this when Ben Verwaayen (CEO of Alcatel-Lucent) clashed on a panel with Tony Hsieh (CEO of Zappos and author of Delivering Happiness) and Christian Stadil (owner of hummel). As you know usually panellists find themselves in violent agreement about the topics discussed. Not this lot (as you can see at (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRCeamgaS1M). Both Hsieh and Stadil were in agreement that you needed to employ like-minded staff. Verwaayen fought hard for diversity instead. Condemning most organisations as “Permission seeking societies where the nod of the boss is more rewarding than a satisfied customer”, he suggested that you needed to find people who were not like you and who could bring a diverse set of experiences and even values to the mix, and who would fight for what they believed was right, even if their boss didn’t approve.
My view is that truly great organisations do tolerate, and even welcome a rich mix of personalities and indeed diverse types of people. When your team disagree it stress tests ideas more and only the really good ideas get through.
It was noticeable this year, and indeed remarked upon by some delegates that there were few women at Google Zeitgeist, either speaking or as attendees. This isn’t a criticism of Google, I am sure it is a function of the business world that they’re operating in. (Our WPP media contingent stood out – Jane, Claude, Ita and Lindsay were all there). It has been remarked upon by commentators in the press of course that the members of our new government are mostly men and look remarkably similar too, and until today (May 20) the same could have been said of the candidates for Labour leader.
Thank goodness for Diane Abbott if only from a diversity point of view.
England winning the world cup won’t make you happy.
Tuesday, May 25th, 2010You might be surprised to know that one of my favourite consumer magazines is football monthly When Saturday Comes. Not because I am a particular fan of football (I don’t mind it when it is on), not because it is the best source of footballing analogies which are ever useful in explaining new strategies, but because it is usually very funny.
We can all learn something from June’s issue about happiness. In the “webwatch” feature writer Ian Plenderleith cites a column at (http://www.pitchinvasion.net) which concludes that if England win the World Cup fans will be no happier one year from now than if they had been knocked out in round 2.
The thing that brings you most happiness about football is actually gathering to watch it with your friends whatever the result which is just as well if you are a West Ham or Watford supporter, say, as the result won’t make you happy most of the time.
This in fact echoes the new findings from Nobel prize winner Dr Kahneman who was my absolute favourite speaker at Google Zeitgeist last week – watch and enjoy at (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUYQrLsmNMM). In a Zeitgeist scoop he revealed the results of his survey on wellbeing in the USA which distinguishes emotional well being or day to day practical enjoyment (experiencing happiness in your life), with life satisfaction or feeling good about how you’re doing in a keeping score type of way (reflecting on how happy you are with your life). Whilst money buys you a higher score in the latter category when you’re remembering how things are, for the former day to day category it has absolutely no power to buy you any more happiness in your life past a threshold of between $60000 and $80000. Above this threshold, whether you have $90k or $9m you apparently don’t get any happier day to day.
What does make you happier is the amount of time you spend with people you trust. Exactly in the way that the main happiness generator from a football game is time spent with your friends and not keeping score.
The research also highlights the importance of trusted colleagues in the workplace – you spend much too much time there to not be happy day to day. And actually sets finding colleagues you can trust as a much greater career consideration than finding yourself a footballer’s salary.
Interesting food for thought as you watch England’s first round games in June.
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