Are The Most Talented People In Your Organization Worth Their High Salary?

There is a class war taking place in America on those earning in the top 1%.  This has become a politicized issue but no one is asking the fundamental question, “Are they worth it?”

This is a question Anita Elberse explores in her incredible book Blockbusters?  And the answer is a resounding YES!  In fact, they may not be paid enough.

Whether you are a pastor, coach, business owner or lead a non-profit, after you read Anita’s findings, you will never hire or compensate the same way again.

The following are 25 leadership quotes from Blockbusters – a must-read book for any leader.  BTW – why did I read this book?  Because LeBron James was reading this book.

1. “In the movie business, the product is the same price to the consumer regardless of the cost of manufacturing it…But in the end, it is all about getting people to come to the theater…Audience respond to movie stars.” – Alan Horn on why you hire big name actors
2. Betting heavily on likely blockbusters and spending considerably less on the “also rans” is the surest way to lasting success in show business.
3. Content producers can’t afford to walk away from big bets – doing so would actually increase their chance of failure.
4. Blockbuster strategies often go hand in hand with huge investment in top creative talent.
5. Betting on star talent creates important marketing advantages, drawing audiences and sponsors alike.
6. The average movie-goer in the US only sees five or six movies a year…That is why having something compelling is so important – something of high production value, be it because of the story, or the stars involved, or the special visual effects. – Horn
7. The goal, in other words, is to stand out from the competition – to win the battle for attention.
8. People have a taste for winners.
9. Consumers value resemblances to past favorites.
10. Smaller investments can serve as test cases.
11. If a film wants to cast an A-list talent in an event film, it can be beneficial to have the option of offering that actor the lead in a smaller “passion project”…Smart A-list actors remember these sorts of gestures or become allies.
12. Because we are social beings, people tend to want to listen to the same music that others listen to, read the same books, and see the same movies.  Simply put, we repeatedly show a preference for popular products.
13. What people like depends on what they think other people like.
14. The great artists and the bad artists are easy – it is the good artists that can kill you.  With the great artists you must keep putting fuel in their tank.  With bad artists, you realize your mistake and quickly cut your losses.  It is the good artists that bankrupt you because they are good enough to make you think they are about to turn the corner and therefore you keep spending.
15. The efforts of only a small number of people at the very top – the superstars – largely drive the value of what is produced.
16. When goods are produced in teams, one creative person can have a profound impact on the success of those goods.
17. Why a select few at the top earn such high rewards (is) they have become what marketers call “product attributes”.  Many of today’s biggest stars are brands in their own right and can often be a deciding factor in a consumer’s decision-making process.
18. Creative talent not only makes the product – in many ways, they are the product.
19. Most consumers simply do not have the energy or time to focus on any but the top performers.
20. They hire “a name” for fear of making a mistake.
21. The best players pay for themselves.
22. Most performers come and go and only a tiny minority manager to remain on top for an extended period.
23. There is a thin line between achieving superstar success and remaining a complete unknown.
24. “Selling something is just a transaction.  We want partnerships.” – LeBron James friend Maverick Carter
25. As they progress through their career life cycles, popular performers tend to shift their emphasis from creating to capturing value.

I am only scratching the surface of the leadership principles from Blockbusters.  Click here and pick up a your copy today.  Few books will ever increase your personal net worth like this one.

Click HERE or on the image to the left and as a free gift for subscribing to this site, you can receive my new Ebook 1869 Leadership Quotes: Timeless Truths From 2015 Global Leadership Summit, That Church, REACT and Catalyst Conferences.  If applied, these insights will make you an exponentially better leader.  Enjoy!!!