The 80/20 rule

I recently spoke with our good friend and mentor, Chris L. Shimojima , about a joint project we're working on. During our conversation, Chris shared a thought that struck a chord with me and 'triggered me': throughout my career, only a few individuals and organizations have significantly impacted me.

I've noticed this pattern before, in my previous work experience such as when I worked at bars and pubs and in my early agencies when I first moved to London. I am drawn to certain individuals in a team or business, such as my long-term collaborators Russell Clayton , James Nelson , Sylvie Champenois , Dominic Leung , Cory Wharton-Malcolm , John Tree , and Lucas NANINI , and a few more on speed dial. I rely on them when I need someone to 'build that plane' as they have proven themselves invaluable and added new dimensions to our process.

We have been lucky over the years to have a small and potent team around use; people and clients often think we are five times bigger than we are!

This phenomenon is similar to Price's square root law, which states that the square root of the total number of academic participants does 50% of the work. I believe this law applies to my long-term collaborators as well. It's clear that some people know what to do and how to do it, and those are the people I reach out to.

The Pareto principle also applies here, where only a few people are responsible for the majority of the value creation. Understanding these principles can make our lives easier and help us create substantial value in our professions. Becoming good at something takes time and effort, but the results are worth it.

Companies should seek out and hire A-players with a proven track record of making asymmetric contributions to other businesses. By doing so, they can amplify the skills and experiences of their key personnel, resulting in even better results.

AI tools can also help these key people focus their efforts and reduce their stress levels, being both surgical and amplifying them.Ive founder that most founders or business leaders are usually the key players in any business, leveraging their networks and experiences to drive the company forward. It's crucial to identify and recognize these A-players within your team or to recruit them, as they are the ones who can truly take your business to the next level.