641: Larry Connor - The Big 6 Leadership Attributes, Building a Values-Based Culture, Becoming a Billionaire, Working on Saturdays, Flying Into Space, Diving To The Mariana Trench, & Existing To Be The Best
Larry Connor, an adventurist and entrepreneur known for founding The Connor Group, shares his insights on leadership and culture. He discusses his unique hiring approach, prioritizing personality over experience, and the importance of core values in creating a high-performing organization. Larry also recounts his breathtaking experiences of traveling to space and diving to the Mariana Trench, emphasizing preparation and resilience. He highlights the balance between ambition and personal relationships, encouraging listeners to pursue passions that lead to fulfillment.
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insights INSIGHT
Commitment to Excellence Defines Quality
Commitment to excellence defines quality in any endeavor and separates the exceptional from the average.
Passion and relentless effort are crucial, making excellence a fundamental organizational value.
insights INSIGHT
Culture Replaces Mission Statements
Strong culture forms the foundation of an organization and replaces the need for a mission statement.
True culture is shown through consistent actions and tribal-like shared beliefs over time.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Non-Negotiable Core Values Matter
Build core values based on long-term lived experiences and make them non-negotiable.
Enforce values strictly; violations by senior leaders result in immediate dismissal to protect culture.
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Larry Connor is an entrepreneur, non-profit activist investor, and adventurist. In business, he is best known for founding The Connor Group, a real estate investment firm, and growing it from $0 to $5 billion in assets. Outside of work, Larry lives an adventurous life. Within a 12 month period Larry did something that had never been done before. He completed 3 dives to the deepest part of the ocean (the Mariana Trench) AND traveled to the International Space Station as an astronaut. In addition to that, Larry is a private pilot and was part of a Le Mans racing team that has won championships.
“At The Connor Group, we don’t have, and never will have, a mission statement. We have culture. When you have the latter, the former is not necessary.”
The culture is built on 5 core values, on which we don’t compromise:
Do the right thing
People count
Live the Circle of Success
Think long-term, not short-term
Relentless pursuit of excellence
“We exist, quite simply, to be the best.”
“We don’t hire for experience. We don’t hire for knowledge. We don’t care where you went to school. We hire for personality traits. Especially in leadership roles. You have to have the big 6. You have to have all 6. They are:
1. Be able to motivate and inspire others.
2. Self-accountability and ability to hold others accountable in an honest, direct manner.
3. Organizational multi-tasking. The speed of the game is fast.
4. Cultural fit.
5. Grit. Doing the thing that others say are impossible.
6. Work orientation. If you want to come in at 8:30, take a 90-minute lunch, and leave at 4:30, The Connor Group is not for you.
“People never outperform their own self-image. So aim high!”
“Mediocre people don’t like high achievers and high achievers don’t like mediocre people.”
“By definition, if you want to be exceptional, you have to be different. If you’re like everybody else, you’re going to end up like everybody else.”
In 2008, Larry said, “We simply decided we weren’t going to participate in the global recession.”
3 P’s - People, Plan, Process
People’s performances are measured through daily, weekly, and monthly IAMs (Individual Accountability Meetings). Clear expectations and clear management.
When I asked him about becoming a billionaire, Larry immediately jumped to the impact he’s having on others. “There are far more important standards than money. How well have you treated your associates? Have you made them better people? How much have you done to help other people? Have you made a difference?” All of that is available to all of us regardless of us being a billionaire or not.
The company headquarters are next door to a hangar that houses a working model of the “Wright B Flyer” - The Wright Brothers’ first production airplane.
The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk 
