Plan carefully...

People think they can rely on talent. But it takes more than that to be successful.

 

·      Lots people have talent.

·      Not all have the rest of what 

·      It takes to really be successful.

·      Attitude and confidence are the rest.

 

I’ve learned the hard (and scary) way that being successful means combining talent (knowledge and skills) with well-calculated risk taking. As much as we studied and planned for the opening of the Mirage, the volume of hiring and training was nearly unnerving – having a strong team and a great plan helped us get through those frightful moments. Negotiating landmark partnership agreements with a Union and in an industry that had no history of labor-management cooperation seemed foolhardy – but both sides committed to trying and it worked. Developing systems to support data-driven decision making before computers were able to do that was scary – but partnering with developers who applied their expertise to our vision made it happen. And deciding to be a paperless HR office when everybody said it was impossible seemed foolhardy – having a great team with the guts to try made it happen. I am rarely the smartest guy in any room nor fearless – but a well thought out plan combined with a skilled and willing team can overcome the scariest of challenges. So, when faced with daunting challenges, start with a vision, do your homework, develop a plan, surround yourself with great people, take calculated risks, and give it your all. Combine your talent with that kind of nerve today.

 

Georgia O'Keeffe (1887–1986): American modernist artist. She was known for her paintings and has been called the "Mother of American modernism".