Meet Jayme Martin, our latest Nike Americas Vice President.
He rocks.
Yes, you rock Mr. Martin (in case you read my blog, which I doubt, but just in case.)
And let me explain why.
Many VP’s passed on my last twelve years at Nike. Since I am a small time manager, most of them never even knew I existed. Some did however, and I met a few. All were incredibly smart, efficient, productive people. All had great academic degrees. All had excellent professional success and years of experience to back-it up.
But none of them rocked…
Why?
I guess it was the way they stood in the corner, surrounded by their directors, untouchables to most of us. Maybe it was the way they acted cold and remote, as if unreachable. It was their serious faces, their focus on the business, yet literally empty of human feelings. They were all excellent people, and contributed enormously to the company. But again, none rocked.
But you do rock sir.
Maybe it was the way you talked to the crowd. Maybe it is the way you cut through bureaucracy or your pragmatic approach to the business. You make me feel that we are back in 1996, when the strategy did not take 99% of our time and we actually had space to execute campaigns and talk to our customers. Maybe it’s the way you chat with everyone, no matter what their title or position, or the way you act and speak with excitement. Or the way you challenge common wisdom and leave everyone wondering what’s next.
How much difference does that make?
A ton.
To people like me, it makes a ton of a difference. I promised you I would work 12-14 hours a day after your speech. And I stand by my word. I haven’t stopped working ever since. I have been in Panama, and Colombia, and I haven’t taken a break. Next three weeks I will be in Panama, Colombia and Venezuela, and I am not even complaining, I love it. Think about it, you get double productivity and a burst of company loyalty just by changing the status quo.
Many manager don’t realize how easy it is to get the troops moving. No need for fancy consultants or complicated HR programs. You can get it done by speaking face to face with employees and breaking the ice. I hated the mood before, sort of like working for some aristocratic European bank… I like it now much more I know we are again a family. It used to be Nike’s greatest strength: our company culture.
Thanks a lot Mr. Martin for being so cool. And thanks a lot for making me feel part of the company once more. You have no idea how much it matters to me and my team.