Be an innovator...

"You've got to dream a little bit if you're going to get somewhere." George Shultz

 

I woke up yesterday to the news that The Mirage is now officially the Hard Rock International Hotel and Casino. Thus ending an era that began 33 years ago.

 

·      Great things 

·      Have a great impact.

·      The Mirage changed everything:

·      Las Vegas, the gaming industry and 

·      The men and women who worked there.

 

So, forgive me if I reminisce this week about some of the amazing innovations that were part of that project. Like the palm trees: because it was going to be a Polynesian themed property, we bought more than 3000 palm trees. We created a tree farm to store them at the corner of the property that would later become Treasure Island. And as more and more of them arrived, it became obvious we needed to hire a tree expert; enter Jim Gibbons, who up to that time had been the the horticulture director at the San Diego Wild Animal Park and Zoo: soft-spoken, mild-mannered, and unbelievably qualified. First thing he did was go out and meet the trees – I kid you not, that’s what he said he wanted to do. And from then on, they were more than trees to him and us. They inspired the company’s logo, and he went on to develop and lead an in-house horticulture department and team that exemplified a new standard of creativity and excellence for our company.  Big challenges require big thinking and big out-of-the-box solutions: the lesson we learned from Jim and his trees was that you have to dream a little bit if you’re going to get somewhere today.

 

George Shultz (1920 – 2021): American economist, businessman, diplomat, and statesman, one of only two individuals to hold four different Cabinet positions under three different Presidents.

Try tackling something impossible today...

Most of the innovations I’ve been involved with started out looking like they were impossible. But that rarely stopped us from trying.

 

·      Anything new

·      Is usually an unknown.

·      It’s only through imagination,

·      Hard work, and perseverance that

·      It becomes something to finish and share.

 

My mother used to say: ‘necessity is the mother of invention’. When we started opening resorts in Las Vegas, the number of applications and related paperwork was hard to process and control. They came in at a rate of up to 500 per day for Mirage and Treasure Island. Those handwritten applications were often illegible and hard to read and file, and copying and distributing them when needed for interviews compounded those problems; filing them alphabetically was seemingly impossible, and responding appropriately was an administrative nightmare. Those were the problems that motivated us to dream of applicant tracking systems (the necessity of handling so much paper provoked us to try inventing a better way).  I’ve often written of that project here because of the magnitude of the challenge and obstacles we faced. To the people on my team, they were as noble and impossible as the Mirage volcano; in fact, it took 8 years longer than the volcano to complete. By the time we opened Bellagio, we had developed a system that allowed candidates to complete their applications on computers in our office: in that way we were able to handle 2000 per day. And at Wynn, the online system was able to accept up to 12,000 per day.  If you think creating something is important, don’t stop until it’s done. That’s how to overcome the impossible today.

 

Thomas Carlyle (1795 – 1881): Scottish essayist, historian, and philosopher who exerted a profound influence on 19th-century art, literature, and philosophy.

Big things happen to those who are prepared...

Can you imagine being the first American astronaut to orbit the earth. That’s something way bigger than most people ever get involved in. But it could happen to you.

 

·      There’s no telling

·      What opportunities

·      Life has in store for you.

·      So, prepare yourself in case you

·      Are presented with a spectacular chance.

 

In high school I was given a chance to be an international officer for Key Club, setting policies and goals for thousands of young service-minded people around the world. In a college band we sang songs to end all greed and inequality. Those each involved me in something bigger than my young self. In my career I was part of the opening of integrated resorts that transformed communities and an entire industry: the kind of thing you have to pinch yourself to make sure it’s real. And in my consulting practice, I’ve worked with Native American tribes to help them develop strategic plans to produce and promote their economic sustainability. I was proud, honored, and humbled to participate in all of these. Life is what we make it – big and small experiences and engagements that can be rewarding and impactful. Prepare yourself on the off chance you might be presented with the opportunity to become involved in something bigger than yourself today.

 

John Glenn Jr. (1921 – 2016): American Marine Corps aviator, engineer, astronaut, businessman, and politician. He was the first American to orbit the Earth.

Learn something from everything...

Some of the most successful people accomplish great things after failures both big and small. Because they learned from their mistakes.

     

·      Don’t worry if

·      You’re experiencing failures.

·      Trial and error are great teachers:

·      They prepare you to keep moving ahead.

·      Remember to learn from everything you do.

 

The first time I was involved in developing a human resource information system (HRIS), it failed spectacularly. We knew what we wanted but not enough about how to manage its development. We asked what we thought were good questions but lacked the experience to understand the real meaning of the answers we received. And when I say the failure was spectacular, it was visible and humiliating, both of which motivated me to learn from those mistakes. And throughout my career there were other smaller and less visible mistakes that helped pave the road of my personal and professional development. At the time, those mistakes were hard to take, but looking at each as an opportunity to learn made me smarter and better, as evidenced by the cool stuff I later developed. If you’re doing lots of things or making countless decisions, some are bound to be less than you hoped for. But if you learn from them and don’t make the same ones again, the net effect can be very positive. Learn something from everything you do today.

 

Beatrice Wood (1893 – 1998): American artist, actress, magazine editor, sculptor, and studio potter involved in the Avant Garde movement in the United States.

Don't be confusing...

It’s awkward when people use names or terms that they assume everyone recognizes. When that happens, I wonder whether I should ask for clarification.

 

·      When speaking,

·      Watch for people who

·      Look like they’re confused.

·      That’s telling you to explain.

·      Don’t make them have to guess.

 

I’m a pretty good public speaker and I learned early on to watch the audience or class to see if they look confused or have questions. In my experience, people don’t let you know when they don’t understand something, probably because they don’t want to admit it. Some of the best speakers I’ve watched are aware that something is potentially confusing, and they make sure to include explanations in their remarks. It’s the same when training or addressing employees: terms, practices, policies, and technical material should be carefully explained; even then you might need to circle back and ask again if anyone still has questions. Or when new employees start in your company or department: don’t assume they remember where things are nor wait for them to ask; just remember when you were new at something and how that felt. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that something that’s obvious to you is obvious to others. Do what it takes to make people knowledgeable and comfortable today.

 

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (born 1977): Nigerian writer whose works include novels, short stories and nonfiction.

You are responsible for you...

You never know when you’re going to hear an inspiring personal story. Their inspiration then becomes yours.

 

·      We are all striving 

·      To achieve our goals.

·      But somedays they seem

·      To be far off and unattainable.

·      That’s when we need an inspiration.

 

I took an Uber to the airport yesterday – the driver was a woman who was originally from Senegal. When asked if she enjoyed driving, her answer blew me away. She was driving, she said, to save enough money to open a bakery. In Islamic culture, she went on, male children must take care of their elderly parents, but since she only has a daughter, she’s focused on doing what it takes to be self-sufficient. So, she drives 12 hours a day, 5 or six days a week. She told me of her research and how she’s on track to achieve her goal within 3 years. She’s amazed when she sees Americans who don’t have goals – she says much of that is because of welfare and that makes them soft; but, she said with a big smile, she was going to take advantage of what America offers: the chance to achieve their dreams. At the end of the ride, she thanked me for helping with her dreams. It was like she’d been studying these words by Coach Lombardi. She made my day! Make a personal commitment to excellence and achieve your dreams today. 

 

Vincent Thomas “Vince” Lombardi (1913 – 1970): American football coach considered by many to be one of the greatest coaches and leaders in the history of all American sports.

Don't be afraid...

People are generally hesitant to rock the proverbial boat, often choosing instead safer and easier courses of action. 

 

·      Getting ahead

·      Sometimes takes

·      Bold and decisive action.

·      It’s always easier to do less

·      But then the rewards are less too.

 

When you see something that needs attention, speak up. Employees are often the first to notice things that need to be changed – it’s in their nature to want to improve policies or practices that affect them directly. When the Mirage opened, the Front Desk was designed poorly, and it affected employees’ productivity and ability to serve customers. As nice as the desk looked, they were right, and management rebuild it quickly. At Wynn Las Vegas, the staging area for taxicabs was also poorly designed, and this resulted in very negative feedback from the drivers who queued up there. They too were right, and significant improvements were made to that area. Those were two examples where people could have feared repercussions if they spoke up, but the exact opposite happened. That’s how good companies and leaders operate – in my experience, managers appreciate feedback that is positive and leads to improvements. Don’t ever be afraid to speak the truth today.

 

Agnes Moorehead (1900 – 1974): American actress. In a career spanning four decades, her credits included work in radio, stage, film, and television.