33voices interview withSteve Van Remortel creator of Stop selling Vanilla Ice cream.
Stop Selling Vanilla Ice Cream
One of the great common denominators amongst the world’s most admired companies is their relentless focus on talent. No one will deny that at the heart of any great brand is an inspired team committed to achieving the extraordinary. As the Godfather of venture capital, Georges Doriot once put it “an A-team with a B-plan is always better than an A-plan with a B-team.”
Hiring is both an art and a science. It takes discipline. It requires a finely tuned process. And, perhaps most important of all, it’s always a work in progress. For example, at Google, they prefer to hire generalists who are adaptable and flexible, because they know that the Google of tomorrow is almost certain to look different than the Google of yesterday. Like the greatest of sports franchises, their focus is always on finding the best talent and making it very easy for them to succeed within their environment. Not sure what you want to do when you grow up? Google will give you an entry level career path to experiment with various options.
Similarly, at Apple, only individuals with a sense of wonder need apply. They seek individuals who have the courage to amaze themselves. Amaze the world, and they tell you that – ‘A job at Apple is unlike any other you’ve had. You’ll be challenged. You’ll be inspired. And you’ll be proud. Because whatever your job is here, you’ll be part of something big.’
To me, the greatest lesson I take away from those two iconic brands is simply to be very strategic about your talent management. Fortunately, Steve Van Remortel can lend some insights. After 1000+ client engagements, Steve wrote – Stop Selling Vanilla Ice Cream – to share how aligning your strategy with your talent will have a disproportional impact on your bottom line. Here’s how it works….