By Virtual Keynote Speaker, Jamie Mason Cohen
1. Having a great eye for talent is one of the most important traits of a leader who lasts. Lorne Michaels’s continual focus on surrounding himself with innovative comedic minds with different perspectives has resulted in a show that’s survived and for the most part, thrived for over 40 years.
2. “The more you’re on TV, the more you’re on TV.” I once heard Lorne say this to a colleague who had a show on a cable channel and was pushing to get it on NBC. Lorne’s response was a bit oracle-like.
The way I interpreted it, in this context, was the more you show up in your field and are seen, the more abundant opportunities you will attract.
3. “The show doesn’t go on because it’s ready; it goes on because it’s 11:30.”
The take-away here from a line Lorne said regularly is that everything is a work in progress, but get up there, show up, be a professional and don’t make excuses.
Your speech, your upcoming pitch, your launch of a new product, will never be perfect but that’s okay. If we waited around until every detail was perfect, we’d be stuck in analysis paralysis.
