Back in 2004, the Google board threw Eric Schmidt a curveball by asking him to step aside as Chairman while staying on as CEO. Eric wasn’t thrilled—after all, he believed he had earned the trust of the founders and employees, and the company was thriving as it prepared to go public. Feeling a bit stung, he called his coach, Bill Campbell, who had also guided Steve Jobs and many other Silicon Valley icons.
Eric’s pride was hurt, and he said he wasn’t just going to stand down as Chairman, he was going to leave Google altogether. Eric recounts the story in his book, Trillion Dollar Coach: The Leadership Handbook of Silicon Valley’s Bill Campbell. Bill’s advice was clear: the team matters most. He persuaded Eric to stay on as CEO, knowing that teams are not successful unless every member will, when necessary, surrender their personal agenda to that of the team. He convinced Eric that he couldn’t leave because the team needed him. Bill’s advice to Eric was to stand down as Chairman and remain as CEO, suggesting he could return as Chairman later. And that’s exactly what happened—Eric was reinstated as Chairman in 2007, holding the role until 2011, and later serving as executive chairman until 2018.
Bill Campbell proved time and again the benefit of a team coach to help teams understand the combined value that all the team members create. Drawing from his days as a college football coach, he knew that success comes when everyone puts the team first. Eric Schmidt suggests in Trillion Dollar Coach, ‘Any company that wants to succeed in a time where technology has suffused every industry and most aspects of consumer life, where speed and innovation are paramount, must have team coaching as part of its culture. This is especially true at its top levels; executive teams must have a coach if they want to perform at their best.’
🙋♀️ What is your experience of a team-first attitude? 🙋
Best regards, Brian
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