Learnings from Michael Marcus: Selecting the Right Team Members

“I’m not looking for the best players, Craig. I’m looking for the right ones.”

In his first miniseries session, Michael cited this quote from the movie Miracle, which detailed the story of the US Men’s Hockey Team beating the Soviet Union in the 1980 Olympics. Using this quote, he emphasized the importance of hiring the right people—one’s who show initiative, passion, team-first attitude, adaptability, and curiosity. Individual accomplishments are great—especially when looking at a resume—but they don’t matter as much as that individual’s desire to help the team and push the company forward.

In addition to these insights, Michael also emphasized one point above all else: hire someone who makes you nervous. “The best managers are the ones who hire people better than themselves.” Those are the individuals who will make you and the rest of your team better, so don’t be scared or intimidated, but instead welcome the challenge with open arms.