The Business Section of The Washington Post had a very interesting article on Sunday. The article by Neil Irwin is titled, “Management Lessons from Jack Donaghy,” who is the CEO on the show, 30 Rock. We’re not regular viewers of the show but the article piqued our interest wondering what lessons were to follow. It turns out …. there’s some good advice here and makes us ask you a question this week that’s sure to stir up some good conversation.
The article starts off by saying “for all of Jack Donaghy’s nutty hijinks and pithy one-liners, there is a surprising set of lessons hiding under the surface of the show, which premiered its seventh and final season Thursday night. The simple fact is that Jack, as portrayed by Alec Baldwin, is a superb executive.”
What makes him superb (according to the author)? First, faced with a corporate culture that does not value innovation, Donaghy realizes that “innovation can bloom in places that don’t seem ripe for it. It is a state of mind” and so he not only thinks out of the box but teaches others to do the same. Second, Jack “sees a big part of his job as preparing his underlings to go out into the world and achieve success as he has done.” “It is clear that part of Donaghy’s success comes not just from his own achievements,” but in his team’s as well. Third, to Donaghy “personal touch matters.” “He may be a cold-hearted corporate tactician at times, but he also cares deeply about his people, and does the little things that let them know it.” Lastly, “Donaghy has often displayed an ability to learn lessons from those around him.”
Can’t argue with these lessons yet wonder what lessons would an author writing about you and your leadership style glean from watching your “show”?
Please share your response below. We’ll be waiting!
