The Cranky Middle Manager #97 Real Life Manager Andy Pawlowski
The Cranky Middle Manager Show #097 (MP3 9.82MB 28:36Min)
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One of the big lessons that came out of my listener survey a few months ago was that you enjoy hearing about what other managers do and how they get it done, day in and day out- what are their best practices? (Don’t you just love when I use consultant talk?)
A few episodes ago we spoke to Vince Thompson about his book “Ignited” . In it, he spoke about real Middle Managers (we’re not cringing at that title any more, remember?) who really did great, inspiring work and he mentioned Andy Pawlowski of Rawlings Sporting Goods. Well, i thought we’d just chat with Andy about some of the cool things he’s done. I want to work for him when I grow up!
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Show Notes
0:00 Welcome to the show, Campaign Headquarters for the Drive to Proclaim National Middle Manager Appreciation Day. A lot of you tell me the things you find most valuable is to hear from other real-life managers and lay off the consultants. So there you go.
Today’s show is dedicated to Maui- the demi-god not the island.
2:45 A real life quote from Confucius, although he probably said it in Chinese. It’s kind of what this show is all about.
4:25 Welcome Andy Pawlowski of Rawlings Sporting Goods. What made him stand out from the throng of us just doing it? Andy claims it’s willing to look at things differently- it’s all about attitude and we’ll hear some of the things he’s doing that are out of the box. Make notes.
6:15 One of the things Andy does well is influence up…here’s a case study that also involves EA Sports (hear our interview with Matt Manuel at EA here…) Taking a staid, proud brand and involving it in video games is really cool.
12:50 How did he prepare for that one shot he was going to get at pitching this idea? The trick is to prepare, make it personal but not take it personally.
15:23 Andy is big about connections- and he talks about a couple of things. The most fun is the office Ultimate Fighting Contest. No VPs were harmed during the exercise but it was fun. Check out his internal blog here to learn more.
21:30 And for the more nobly minded- he’s doing a lot of community service through self-empowered teams. Sometimes it’s for community (like the Race For the Cure), sometimes it’s for the environment. check out his internal blog here.
25:41 Andy’s Resources:
He checks out other companies with cool cultures like
And what blog roll would be complete without Seth Godin
Books include Marketing Outrageously
Thanks for joining us…check out the Expert Page on instancy.net
June 7th, 2007 at 8:26 am
Wayne:
The idea of product placement in video games is a great one. That is a great way to get visibility to a large demographic. I think one thing that some marketers forget is just how many families end up playing video games together - it is one area where a 40 something dad has a chance to one up his teenager - or vice versa.
I am also interested in the environmental marketing. It is a natural tie from my point of view, but some mainstream groups do not necessarily like my approach. Any words of wisdom?
Rod Adams
Founder Adams Atomic Engines, Inc.
June 11th, 2007 at 1:52 am
Wayne points out that other working managers are a source of wisdom. For those of us who consult and train and write, that’s true for sure. The first supervisory course I taught benefitted from the many supervisors who shared their expertise during my preliminary research. The course today is different because of that same sharing plus what I’ve learned from people who’ve been through the programs. The additional products and job aids developed directly out of things people said they wanted. Sometimes I think that one of the most important things we “gurus” do is take ideas from one place and share them with others.
June 11th, 2007 at 2:34 am
Rod- On the environmental marketing side, I totally agree with you. In fact, this can be even touchier if it is perceived to be a political choice. My advice is to shift the conversation away from controversy initially by asking the question, “Isn’t it a good idea to tread lightly on our earth? (no matter what your beliefs are from a political standpoint or what side of that fence you might sit on)” I did this and found that common ground that allowed us to move together.