Mellody Hobson

It's a fact. In my group of people who work directly with me, I understand what they can do and how they can do it. John Rogers always used to tell me that the world championship Chicago Bulls that won seven championships, He said, Dennis Rodman rebounds. Steve Kerr shoots threes. Michael is the greatest player of all time. You know, he would go through each player.

It's a fact. In my group of people who work directly with me, I understand what they can do and how they can do it. John Rogers always used to tell me that the world championship Chicago Bulls that won seven championships, He said, Dennis Rodman rebounds. Steve Kerr shoots threes. Michael is the greatest player of all time. You know, he would go through each player.

And he said, but each one is really important. Michael can't play without them. They can't win. So Dennis may be out at night. but everyone makes sure Dennis is on the court so that he can rebound for them. And he's like, so he doesn't have the same rules as everyone else. And so Melody, you figure it out that you get the best out of each person, but everyone's not going to run the place.

And he said, but each one is really important. Michael can't play without them. They can't win. So Dennis may be out at night. but everyone makes sure Dennis is on the court so that he can rebound for them. And he's like, so he doesn't have the same rules as everyone else. And so Melody, you figure it out that you get the best out of each person, but everyone's not going to run the place.

You must, and I mean this with serious intensity, I think you have to care a lot and have a sense of urgency. You have to have a sense of urgency. You have to want to be great. You know, I love that book by Jim Collins, Good to Great. And the first line of the book, good is the enemy of great. Good is the enemy of great. Plenty of people are happy with good.

You must, and I mean this with serious intensity, I think you have to care a lot and have a sense of urgency. You have to have a sense of urgency. You have to want to be great. You know, I love that book by Jim Collins, Good to Great. And the first line of the book, good is the enemy of great. Good is the enemy of great. Plenty of people are happy with good.

They say the worst student is the B plus student. Because the B plus student is like, it's fine. They're like, the C student aspires for something better. And the A student is just the A student. But the B plus student is, they live in that no man's land of it's fine. And so it's almost like the worst situation that you can be in.

They say the worst student is the B plus student. Because the B plus student is like, it's fine. They're like, the C student aspires for something better. And the A student is just the A student. But the B plus student is, they live in that no man's land of it's fine. And so it's almost like the worst situation that you can be in.

So if good is the enemy of great, I want the person who wants to be great. But understanding that differential between good and great is...

So if good is the enemy of great, I want the person who wants to be great. But understanding that differential between good and great is...

really hard do you think you can train people into that or do you think it has to come from somewhere within themselves it has to be there yeah yeah some people just you know they come out of the wound with it some people don't but that doesn't make them um they can still be very valuable they're just going to be a certain kind of player and that's what john said he's like they're going to be other people they're just not going to run the place so you think people have to just work really hard want to be great and they need to have a sense of urgency

really hard do you think you can train people into that or do you think it has to come from somewhere within themselves it has to be there yeah yeah some people just you know they come out of the wound with it some people don't but that doesn't make them um they can still be very valuable they're just going to be a certain kind of player and that's what john said he's like they're going to be other people they're just not going to run the place so you think people have to just work really hard want to be great and they need to have a sense of urgency

I think they have to want to be great. Let's start with that. And, you know, some people have to work harder than others. So I remember going to school with geniuses at Princeton. They didn't have to work as hard as I did. They, you know, sort of like skimmed the page and got it.

I think they have to want to be great. Let's start with that. And, you know, some people have to work harder than others. So I remember going to school with geniuses at Princeton. They didn't have to work as hard as I did. They, you know, sort of like skimmed the page and got it.

So I think it's just a function of you understanding yourself.

So I think it's just a function of you understanding yourself.

You did? Yes, a lot. I mean, I talked about Diane Sawyer. Yes. Diane Sawyer was so great to me. She saw me on the cover of Working Woman magazine in an article called 30 Under 30. I got the cover with another woman and I will remember it like it was yesterday because I remember how much I didn't like the suit they made me wear, which was just so bad.

You did? Yes, a lot. I mean, I talked about Diane Sawyer. Yes. Diane Sawyer was so great to me. She saw me on the cover of Working Woman magazine in an article called 30 Under 30. I got the cover with another woman and I will remember it like it was yesterday because I remember how much I didn't like the suit they made me wear, which was just so bad.

She had her sister call me. I remember I was going to an event in Chicago. My cell phone rings and this woman says, my name is Linda Frankel and I'm Diane Sawyer's sister. And she saw you in this magazine and she wants to meet with you. And I'm like, who is this really? That's what I was saying because I didn't believe it.

She had her sister call me. I remember I was going to an event in Chicago. My cell phone rings and this woman says, my name is Linda Frankel and I'm Diane Sawyer's sister. And she saw you in this magazine and she wants to meet with you. And I'm like, who is this really? That's what I was saying because I didn't believe it.