ONLY THE QUALIFIED NEED APPLY

A recent article in the Arizona Republic newspaper really caught my attention. The article was for a possible job opening at a major, high profile organization here in Arizona. The body of this article was mostly the job description.  This is a big deal. It is a once in a lifetime kind of job if you fit the bill. Heck, the publisher of the Phoenix Business Journal (Don Henninger) even ran a story on the job opening.

The job itself has a tremendous amount of pressure requiring one to function at a very high level at all times. However the benefits also include fame and fortune.

Here is just a few of the requirements in the job description as taken directly from Mr. Henningers’ article:

• You must have knowledge, love and respect for the industry served
• You must have a natural sense of humor and timing and know how far you can push the envelope without straying from the core purpose at hand.
• You must enjoy being around all types of people
• You must be able to think fast on your feet to improvise and take advantage of opportunities.
• You must be comfortable with your name remaining out of the spotlight and to make sure your ego does not get in the way of the position, which will be highly recognizable
• You must know how to say “no” to your operations people
• You must have the ability to be always thinking ahead about the next opportunity or competitor, and how you are going to respond
• You must have a deep appreciation for clients on and off the job and be an ambassador at all times for your organization, especially since scandals, strikes and individual failures have brought lots of negative national attention to the industry.
• You must perform at a level that will ensure you will leave an enduring legacy
• You must value the people around you who back you up and give you the support to learn new skills and grow in your talents

This job description could be for any high level executive of a company, right? All of the foundation and elements are there. But you might be surprised at the reality.

This is the job description for the mascot for the National Basketball Associations, Phoenix Suns….The Gorilla! The original Gorilla, Mr. Henry Rojas, wrote the article for The Arizona Republic a few weeks ago. The Gorilla is considered by many to be the prototype for the modern day mascots of professional sports. It’s a job that requires responsibility, pride, morality and the pressure of meeting the expectations of fans worldwide. It’s a business and the requirements to fill these shoes have an eerie similarity to that of any CEO of any company anywhere. You get a better feel for the whole thing when you look at my previous statement about “….pressure of meeting the expectations of fans worldwide”, and change it a bit with the words“…pressure of meeting the expectation of investors worldwide.”

The simple fact is that whether you’re a mascot or a CEO or the owner of your own business, this job description describes the absolute essential ingredients of the mindset and values of a leader and a serious achiever. These are the ingredients that spell success in any economy!

If you’re struggling with clarifying business and/or life issues, you don’t have to do it alone. Give me a call or write. That’s what I do and I’m open for business! And as always,

BE GREAT!

Coach Dan