Nichol's son needs a new pair of hocky skates every year. The first thing he does is stick them in the oven for 23 minutes to get warm. He then laces it up very tightly, and you literally mould that skate to not be a perfect match for his foot. It flits like a glove afterwards. NICHOL: What do you take from one book, from one podcast, from one speaker, one expert, and then integrate it and really make it yours? "I think at that's the step that i see that a lot of people miss," nichol says.
Nicol Verheem: Teradek
Nicol Verheem is a globally recognized leader and innovator, senior business executive, serial entrepreneur, and prolific angel investor. He has been recognized for his impact in the film industry with a lifetime achievement award from the Society of Camera Operators and an Academy Award for Sciences and Engineering, also known as a Technical Oscar. He was also recently recognized with the Innovator of the Year Award from the leading business journal in Orange County, California.
Nicol currently serves on the Executive Management Board of The Vitec Group, as the Divisional CEO of Creative Solutions, and as the CEO of Teradek. As a technology leader, his is responsible for the strategy, roadmap, and execution of Teradek’s highly recognized high tech video products driving more than $100M annual revenue -- with dominant market share across the globe. He is also a member of the Coaching for Leaders Academy.
In this conversation, Nicol and I discuss how to take the ideas you hear in books, presentations, and podcasts — and make them your own. Nicol shares many examples of how he has done this in his organization in order grow a team that was ultimately recognized with an Academy Award. Plus, we discuss some of his mindsets that have helped drive the success of Teradek over the years.
Key Points
Leadership models aren’t always molded to your organization or situation. Adapt the idea to make it a better fit for you.
Well intended language by an expert might not match the culture of your organization. Don’t hesitate to change a word or phrase to make sense to your team.
Build relationships today with the people who will grow with you throughout your career. That’s “networking for commoners.”
When interviewing, ask people about their hobbies or interests in order to discover if you can lead them to live out their passions.
Resources Mentioned
We'd Like to Thank the Academy by Teradek
Coaching for Leaders Academy
Related Episodes
How to Know What You Don’t Know, with Art Markman (episode 437)
How to Build an Invincible Company, with Alex Osterwalder (episode 470)
Start Finding Overlooked Talent, with Johnny Taylor, Jr. (episode 544)
Discover More
Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
