Fate or fantasy?
Dare to be a superhero CEO.
By Michael Feuer
December 2006
As children, we all have our fantasies, from saving the world from space invaders to meeting Prince Charming.
In adolescence, the fantasies become more grounded by the world around us - being the high school quarterback who throws the Hail Mary pass in the final game, or the actor who is discovered while playing Juliet in the school play and becomes an instant idol.
As we begin careers, our dreams turn to those measured either economically or intellectually. We dream up obscure ideas that will transform our companies into the new industry gold standard. Or some fantasize that they will be revered by their employees as they lead an egalitarian organization in which retirement is mandated at age 30 with full pay and benefits, or when each employee reaches a net worth of $10 million, whichever comes first.
However, for far too many, inertia sets in as dreams flicker, then fade. What happened to those who envisioned themselves as the CEO superhero, a great leader who could leap tall buildings with a single bound, move faster than a speeding bullet and be more powerful than a locomotive? What caused the disconnect?
The wannabe leaders were as smart as the next guy, just as educated and perhaps even better-looking. It probably began with a twinge of doubt, followed by off-the-chart-insecurity. Instead of innovating, many acquiesced and blended into the masses, driven by fear of failure. All of a sudden, instead of dreaming about leading, a previously dare-to-be great innovator looks forward to the tranquility, safety and obedience of merely following.
So what makes one person a dynamic leader and the other a follower? Is it fate, or a lack of fantasy? Everyone knows how to dream, but an incredibly small number know how to transform innovative dreams into an unprecedented smash hit.
Is there magic in the metamorphosis of taking the germ of an idea to meteoric heights? No. I firmly believe that true discovery is many times just a matter of follow-through, combined with the tedious and methodical amalgamation of forming myriad pieces into a grand mosaic - a completed puzzle that ultimately unlocks that elusive secret sauce.
In Shaker Heights, Ohio, sits Laurel School, where the receptionist answers the phone with the proud assertion and challenge, “Dream, Dare, Do,” followed by the school’s name.
This motto underscores my philosophy about the integral ingredients for achievement. The school has synthesized a complicated formula into three simple words.
Although most of us frequently dream, only a precious few have been taught to dare and do. Too many have learned that daring to think or act differently could be risky and might lead to failure or ridicule.
Worse, that seemingly great idea might turn out to be the next grand dud, much like the New Coke. And we ponder the sacrifices involved in “doing.” After all, we live in a world of immediate gratification, where most believe extra effort must have a guaranteed, iron-clad pay-off, or why bother?
There are too many reasons to not take chances. This is a wonderful country where the ordinary person can still live the American dream of a house with a two-car garage, a flat-screen plasma TV and a cell phone/PDA.
No guts, no glory. No pain, no gain. The more difficult the struggle, the greater the victory. We’ve heard these phrases too many times, but they are true: To create something meaningful, meaningful effort must be invested.
We’ve been brainwashed that great leaders are just ordinary people in extraordinary situations. I believe the opposite: Extraordinary leaders take the ordinary and find a better way. Look at what’s been done by dramatizing the attributes of the basics - bread, water and coffee, which are marketed in unique stores, with glitzy packaging and formulations that generate massive sales and profits.
The streets are littered with potential great ideas because when the authors of these concepts reached the proverbial fork in the road, they chose the path of least resistance.
Instead of working through the issues and discovering alternatives, they succumbed to the comfort of inertia. But those few who did persevere can be found running their own businesses, leading major corporations or making meaningful contributions in their chosen field.
Remember, the problem with dreaming is that most of us wake up and cannot recall the outcome. However, when you combine dreaming with daring and doing, your fantasy can become your destiny.
MICHAEL FEUER is co-founder of OfficeMax, which he started in 1988 with one store and $20,000 of his own money, along with a then-partner and group of private investors. During 16 years as CEO, he grew the company to almost 1,000 stores with sales approximating $5 billion before selling it for almost $1.5 billion in 2003 to Boise Cascade Corp. In 2004, Feuer launched another start-up, Max-Ventures, a venture capital operating firm that focuses on buying control and/or making substantial investments in retail-oriented businesses and businesses that serve retail. Reach Feuer with comments at mfeuer@max-ventures.com.
