Leadership lessons from pop culture
​The BIG Takeaway newsletter
Feb. 28, 2022

​What leaders can learn from TV, sports and movies this week

Welcome to March Eve!

As the saying goes, March comes in like a lion and leaves like a lamb. Or, as in this famous sketch with John Belushi from SNL, it might come in like an emu; a must watch.

​This week is about recruiting and hiring and I will use the NFL's draft combine which starts on March 1 as our example.
  • Tom Brady will be the focus. 
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Before we get started, have you taken the Daring Leadership Assessment from last week? It's a good one.

Alright, let's go!

Rich Trombetta
@trombettarich
Feb. 28, 2022
Watch and learn
The big lesson this week
Tom Brady at the 2000 NFL scouting combine
​Image: NFL/The Boston Globe
The GOAT was slow and average 
Lessons from this week's NFL scouting combine

Background: Every year the NFL invites college players who might be selected in the league's draft to participate in what is known as the scouting combine.

  • The athletes run through a series of evaluations that measure speed, strength and key skills based on position; a brief interview is also included.

  • Fans can actually attend the combine; think of it as a Star Trek convention for football geeks where Mel Kiper is Captain Kirk.

  • In 2000, Tom Brady participated (Someone asked if the picture above was me in a beach photo. Not sure how to take that.); he ended up being picked in the 6th round at No. 199. 

What we can learn from this: "Hire for attitude, train for skills."
  • The concept of hiring for attitude and training for skills is often attributed to one of the founders of Southwest Airlines, Herb Kelleher and his emphasis on corporate culture.
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  • Skeptics will argue that many jobs require intense training and expertise (I'll take the surgeon with 20 years experience over the guy who stayed a Holiday Inn Express last night, thank you).

  • But consider this statistic: "89% of hiring failures are the result of attitude, not a lack of technical skills." - LeadershipIQ


Let's connect the dots to Tom Brady:
  • Brady may not have been the most athletic quarterback but he had an excellent college career at Michigan.

  • Despite this most scouts and coaches were negative on Brady.
    “I don’t like him. Smart guy. That’s it.” - NFC scout at the 2000 combine

  • However, there were some who saw potential.
    “Very accurate, good toughness, good leadership. Has a chance to be a good player in the league in time. I think he’d be a real solid backup initially and end up growing into a starter.” - Bill Rees, director of college scouting for the Chicago Bears in 2000

    NOTE: Instead of listening to this scout and picking Brady in the 6th round the Bears selected kicker Paul Edinger. Dear Chicago: I am so sorry.


My take: Companies need to place more emphasis on attitude and the ability to learn, especially during The Great Resignation

  • The NFL scouts and coaches were looking at the wrong data and asking the wrong questions; they should have been using behavioral interviewing.

    Instead they went with the "How much ya bench?" questions like in this 1994 SNL skit.

  • Behavioral interviewing focuses on a candidate's past experiences by asking candidates to provide specific examples of how they have demonstrated certain behaviors, knowledge, skills and abilities. - (source: Society of Human Resource Professionals)

  • Important note: New England Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick picked Brady at No. 199 AND kept him on the roster as the fourth quarterback, something unheard of as most teams keep only three.

    I guess he was, oh I don't know, looking at long-term potential and assimilating Brady into the team's culture known as The Patriot Way?

    And just like that, we're back to attitude.


What to do:
  • One: ​Read about behavioral interviewing and develop some questions based on this guide. How much emphasis are you placing on skills versus past experience?

  • Two: Your best hire is already hired at your company. For any open position you have look to someone already in your organization who has drive, attitude and the ability to learn. 
    ​
  • Three: Add a few wildcards to your next interview slate and have an open mind. So you take an extra hour or two? What's the risk?

What they are saying:​

  • “We've turned waiters and waitresses into great mortgage bankers. We've hired soap-opera actors and electricians. We can teach people about finance. We can't teach passion, urgency and a willingness to go the extra mile." — Michael Homula, former director of talent acquisition, Quicken

  • "I think my best asset as a player is that in the fourth quarter, with the game on the line, I have the desire to win and the feeling that our team is not going to lose." - Tom Brady at the 2000 scouting combine


THE BIG TAKEAWAY: 
  • ​The largest domestic airline and the winningest football team in the Super Bowl era have placed a large emphasis on hiring for attitude and training for skills; it works.
Did you know we can design a custom leadership program based on topics like the one above? Click the button to learn more.
30 seconds on the clock
Commercials - from nuisance to learning opportunity
Amazing insights in less than a minute
Before he became Walter White cruising the desert selling crystal meth, Bryan Cranston was doing commercials.
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  • Here's one he did for Preparation H hemorrhoid cream; is it me or does this seem like a spoof from SNL legend, Phil Hartman?

  • Like many actors he held many jobs like waiting tables, working on a loading dock and even officiating weddings.

  • But the drive, passion and willingness to work hard and improve was always there and he got his big break.

THE BIG TAKEAWAY:
  • Give someone with passion and a strong work ethic their big break; don't wait to see them in a starring role at another company.
Tune in
What to watch this week through a leadership lens
There is an avalanche of new shows and sporting events this month. Here's what I am watching this week.

  • ​"The Dropout" March 3 on Hulu. The show stars Amanda Seyfried as Elizabeth Holmes, the Stanford University dropout who went from billionaire to likely jail time after being convicted of fraud. I will be looking beyond the obvious (ethics, lying) and instead will be watching for examples of influence and storytelling.

  • "Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty" March 6 on HBO. As a Celtics fan this will be painful. As a sports, entertainment and leadership enthusiast I can't wait. I will be watching for decision making, team dynamics and handling conflict. This story is a good read on the drama behind the show's creation.

  • The SEC women's basketball tournament. All week on the SEC Network and ESPN. South Carolina, the nation's No. 1 team, fights for the top seed in the upcoming women's NCAA tournament. I expect to see great lessons on motivation, teamwork and strategy.
Social distortion
The amazing world of the web
Here are some quick links to follow and view
Deep dive
For those who have a little more time
This week's deep dive comes from my favorite author and storyteller, Malcom Gladwell.
  • It is a podcast called "Hamlet Was Wrong: The delicate science of hiring nihilism, examined in five deeply-personal case studies."
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THE BIG TAKEAWAY FROM THE STORY:
  • Don't overthink it.
That's all for now

​Hopefully I am helping you learn some new approaches to leadership and that you are enjoying the format. This is an experiment in progress so all feedback and ideas are welcome!

  • Have some examples you would like to share? Contact me and tell me your thoughts.
  • And, please remember, we can create a custom newsletter for your team, department or organization that aligns with specific topics, reinforces other learning activities and helps people connect and learn from one another. ​

Have a great week and keep the remote close by,

Rich Trombetta
​@trombettarich

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​​The Pop Culture Training Company's mission is to enable all existing and aspiring leaders to have the skills they need to bring out the best in themselves and their staff. 

We do this by providing quick, timely and practical leadership lessons using relatable examples from sports and entertainment.
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​Our vision is workplaces where there are no boundaries to learning and people are constantly growing, feeling great about the work they do and are able to be their true and best self.
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