Competence, Commitment, Character

Three qualities that Sumner Redstone looks for in his co-workers.

I came across those three words that I had written down during a documentary of his. They were the only notes I took.

His words were very comforting at a time when I thought all things had to be perfect. So when a successful businessman says that things aren’t always are, I take comfort in that knowledge.

Also, he spoke of a time when an executive of his was close to tears because she believed that she had failed him on a business call while making the movie Congo. He said: "You put together a good team, with a good script, and a good cast. That’s all you can do. From here on, it’s out of your hands."

I think of this often as I watch the Yankees play baseball. These are the very best players baseball has to offer: they’ve played their whole lives, they practice themselves to death, and play games almost every day, year in and year out. They eat, sleep and dream baseball, yet every player’s averages fluctuate around the .300 mark in every corner of the sport. Let’s do the simple math together: They are successful only one third of the time in a career they are obsessed with – and they’re paid handsomely for it!

So let’s all take a moment to remember: Focus on the top three and the rest is out of our hands.