I just finished reading James X. Mullen’s “The Simple Art of Greatness” [NOT an Amazon affiliate link!]. My buddy, Drew Harteveld, sent it to me thinking it’d be good for some background in preparation for my trip to Winston-Salem, NC to meet with the folks at Mullen this week. Drew shared that one of his dreams at a younger age was to go to work for Jim Mullen. After reading the book, I think I know why.
Mullen built a kick-ass company (and a “kick-ass workforce”) based on a few solid principles. One was understanding that, while he was a wickedly smart dude, he couldn’t (and didn’t) know it all. So he surrounded himself with the best, paid them well, and got the hell out of their way.
Mullen says that the philosophy of many American corporations (and as I can personally attest, some that aren’t based in America) “seems to be control abetted by its henchman enforcer fear – not only a flawed way to do business, but a miserable way to live.” Crazy – it’s like he knows your boss, personally.
We’ve all worked for companies and dehumanizing and destructive managers that really bagged for various reasons. In fact, my earliest experiences working in poorly run companies for really bad managers are what fanned the entrepreneurial flames, moving me to seek independence through my own ventures instead of working a real job. 
Mullen goes on to share his philosophies on many other things including how a company’s goals should enhance the quality of the organization while improving the quality of employees’ personal lives. Yup. You read it right – but read that line again, just to be sure. I could go on and on about all the great stuff in this book, but the best thing you can do is go out and buy it. Right now. [NOT an Amazon affiliate link!]
I’ll end this post with a list of Mullen’s long term goals for his company, written in 1975. Compare them with your own company’s long term goals (or those of the company you work for).
Mullen’s Long Term Goals (1975)
- Create a balanced team that produces consistent, high-quality products.
- Create an environment that fosters personal and professional growth.
- Create an environment that’s honest, productive, friendly and fun. (under this goal, Mullen has a bullet listed twice: “Don’t be greedy. Avoid politics”)
- Grow fast enough to compete with the best agencies for brand name clients. (in 1999, Mullen sold the agency to Interpublic for ~$50M)
- Build a national reputation for great work.
- Provide the best compensation programs in the American advertising industry. (Mullen’s profit-sharing benefits were second to none, in any industry)
Do your personal, professional or corporate goals need a revamp? Now’s the time.
