In this episode of 15 Minutes With Charlie, Charlie Mechem once again sits down with American digital media guru Scott Ross to continue their conversation from Part 1. Together, they continue to explore anecdotes from “Total Anecdotal: A Fun Guide to Help You Become a Better Speaker and Writer” as they pertain to Scott’s experiences in his personal and professional life.
Distorted Arrogant Realities
As someone who has worked in the movie business for several decades, Scott has worked with many directors who had totally “distorted realities.” Arrogance gets people in trouble a lot in the movie business, he says, sometimes you have to bend to the point of breaking—if the captain of the ship wants you to move your lighthouse so he can get through, sometimes you have to move.
Expert of Nothing
Scott has spent his career as a CEO, which he calls the equivalent of being an “expert of nothing.” He was once asked if he was a financial guy. He said no. They then asked if he was a sales guy. He said no. So they asked him what he did do. To which he said, “I listen to a lot of experts and then make a decision.”
Forecast and Finance
In business, sometimes you need to try to forecast the distant future, and sometimes you need to forecast the near future. Scott says he has worked with many people who would be very comfortable forecasting the distant future, but never the near future. And as a result, a lot of money has been lost on many projects all due to inaccurate forecasting.
Humor Is Tricky
A sense of humor is critical in success in business and life, Scott says. You need it to be able to relate to people and feel comfortable in your own skin. However, not everyone has the same sense of humor, and that can get you in hot water. Scott advises, don’t tell a joke abroad! You never know how they’ll take it.
Check out PART 1 here.
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