Michael On
Michael On
call shooting walk
The first day of shooting I walk up to Christopher Walken, and I said, Should I call you Mr. Walken or Chris? He goes, "Call me Flash.
accept aware broader challenges less looking previous purpose social society somewhere sufficient value willing work
Millennials are more aware of society's many challenges than previous generations and less willing to accept maximizing shareholder value as a sufficient goal for their work. They are looking for a broader social purpose and want to work somewhere that has such a purpose.
business managers narrow rather seen sensitive social society trying unethical
I think that, too many times, business has been seen as acting in its narrow self-interest rather than, essentially, contributing more broadly to society. I think a lot of that is unintentional; I don't think that many managers are deliberately trying to be unethical or are not trying to be sensitive to social needs.
american-educator companies continuity good maintain
So companies have to be very schizophrenic. On one hand, they have to maintain continuity of strategy. But they also have to be good at continuously improving.
american-educator
Strategy 101 is about choices: You can't be all things to all people.
crucible early gives groups immigrant inner minorities phenomena spreading time
As minorities and other immigrant groups become more important to our economy, the inner city is a crucible that gives us an early look at phenomena that are going to be spreading more broadly in the economy over time.
across clear cut instinct lay pare period reconnect worst
In a period of economic downturn, the overwhelming instinct is to pare back, cut costs, and lay off. If you do that, do so with your strategy in mind. The worst mistake is to cut across the board. Instead, reconnect and recommit to a clear strategy that will distinguish yourself from others.
tasks
Unfortunately, I'm an engineer. I'm always thinking about, what's the task and how do I get it done? And some of my tasks are pretty broad, and pretty fuzzy, and pretty funky, but that's the way I think.
basic both business competition corporate department determines drawn fascinated field harvard industrial later perhaps question strategy
As a multisport athlete, I was always fascinated with competition and how to win. At HBS and later at the Harvard Department of Economics, I was drawn to the field of competition and strategy because it tackles perhaps the most basic question in both business management and industrial economics: What determines corporate performance?
american-educator european might power
Without the potato, the balance of European power might never have tilted north.
saw
I saw 'Wild,' and I thought, 'Wow, this is a lot of things, but one of the things is it's a therapist's dream and a climate-change denier's nightmare.'
funny
Weirdly, for someone who wanted to be funny, I didn't like a lot of attention.
built tremendous
My brothers were tremendous shack builders. My shacks were horrible. My brothers once built a two-story shack from the ground up that was awesome!
dad survey work
I used to work on a survey crew, because my dad was an engineer, but he was also a surveyor.