THOUGHTS OF CHAIRMAN MAC

  When to Break the Rule That Says to Hire the Most Qualified Candidate for a Job One of the most important responsibilities the leader of a vibrant, growing organization has is to make sure the right people are hired or put in place to assure continued growth and success. Failure to accomplish this objective could portend the ultimate failure of the organization. Find the future in the present. I have an abiding belief that the best way to sustain a successful organization’s growth is to do so organically by identifying, developing and promoting people from within. Indeed, a clue to a company beginning to fail is when management decides it is easier to hire from the outside, rather than grow talent from within the organization. Certainly, there are times when introducing some “fresh blood” into a culture can be good for the system by preventing inbreeding or staleness, but this approach is fraught with risk and must be done the right way, for the right reason. (And it should...

  “Do the right thing” is the mantra most often uttered by those who believe this sentiment creates the psychological and spiritual power to build a successful life, career or business. The assumption is that when in doubt, falling back on doing the right thing will make things right. Most (but certainly not all) understand, accept and try to do the right thing. However, because the real world is never as black and white as right and wrong, the reality is that doing the right thing is not always as easy as it may seem to be. In most cases it is not difficult to understand or identify the right thing to do. What can make it difficult to consistently do the right thing is that often the challenge to do so emerges at the wrong time. In a vacuum it is easy to differentiate between right and wrong, but we don’t live in a vacuum. Rarely are there times when our lives are completely unfettered by personal concerns that revolve around job, career, finances, family, friends, health or wel...