W. Mike Presz
- M&A/Senior Advisor
- SVP/GM International
- Chief Technology Officer
Harvard University
B.A., Computer Science · (1983 – 1987)
Activities and Societies: Harvard Varsity Baseball, 1983-1987. Single Season Pitching Record Holder, 7-0, 1984, Harvard Varsity Club.
A journey from sports, to an elite college, to one of the most influential internet brands, yields lessons that only an insider can provide…
New Book by W. Mike Presz
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter 2
- Results Won’t Count If They Aren’t Earned The Right Way
- Reputation: A Lifetime To Build But Can Be Lost Overnight
- Handle Your Business With Class
- Be Transparent
- Practicality Matters
- The Ripple Effect
- The Power Of “No”
- Be Skeptical Of “On Paper” Or “In Theory” Solutions
- Make Sure That Everyone Can See The Scoreboard
Chapter 3
- Shock And Awe
- Crop ‘Til It Drops
- There Is Nothing Like Game Day
- Marketing And Motivation Matter
- Don’t Underestimate The Power Of Team Identity
- Eat Your Own Dogfood
- One Owner Per Task
- The Numbers Don’t Lie
- Use Visible Scoreboards
- Facilitate Cross Team Communication
- Performance Based Pay Works
- Everyone Counts – Make Sure They Know It
Chapter 4
- The Early Days
- Give Everyone A Chance
- Remember The “Mirror Test”
- Team Results Matter Most
- Avoid The Hail Mary
- Set And Align Expectations
- Show Progress And Build Trust/Confidence Early
- Let The Horses Run
- Keep It Simple.
- Don’t Reinvent The Wheel
- Practice The Way You Play
Chapter 5
- Nobody Can Win Alone
- Don’t Look Away
- Intent And Delivery Are Everything
- Lead From The Front
- The Players Know Who Is Pulling Their Weight
- The Players Are Watching The Coach
- Put People On The Tracks
- The Harsh Reality Of The Public Square
- “Doers” Vs “Thinkers”
- “Credit Takers” vs “Credit Givers”
- I’m The American Dummy
Chapter 6
BE GREAT AT WHAT YOU CAN CONTROL…
- Position Yourself for Success
- Be First
- Quadruple Check Every Communication
- Develop Great Presentation Skills
- Respect Authority
- Work Harder Than Everyone Else
- If You Can’t Make It, Die Trying
- Do What You Say
- Sometimes You Have To Pound The Table…Hard
- Say What You Believe Not What People Want To Hear
- Dress The Part
- Bad News First
- There Is No Middle Ground To Winning
- Don’t Jump To Conclusions
- Don’t Make Rash Decisions
Chapter 7
THE CUSTOMER IS THE BOSS…
- When the Customer Speaks, Listen
- Make Listening To The Customer Required
- Proactively Solicit Customer Input
- Be A Customer
- Keep Your Customers Happy
- Be Sensitive To A Customer’s Situation
- Own Up To Mistakes And Make It Right
- Over-Communicate
- Provide Help
- Measure Customer Satisfaction
Chapter 8
FOCUS ON THE CORE…
- Don’t Neglect Your Core Business If It Is Working
- Do Not Underestimate A Good Core Business Model
- Make Sure That The Price Is Right
- Pour Gasoline On The Fire
- Develop A Testing Mindset
- Maniacally Stop Losers
- Develop Some Simple Core Evaluation Methods
Chapter 9
DEFENSE MUST BE PLAYED…
- Match Is Down On Christmas And My VP Is “In Jail”
- “He Won’t Talk To Me”
- It Will Stabilize…At Zero
- RATS
- The SEC Is Here
- High Winds Knock Out Power To Match In Dallas
- Lightning Strikes
- MCI Worldcom Goes Out Of Business
Chapter 10
MARKETING MATTERS…
- Market Yourself
- Market Your Team
- Develop A Strategic Framework
- Make Sure Your Message Is Easy To Understand
- Explain The Value Of What You Are Selling
- Get Input From The People That You Want To Sell To
Chapter 11
ANALYZE THIS…
- Develop A Measurement Mentality
- Require Measurement As Part of Delivery
- Invest In Measurement
- Focus on the Needle Not The Haystack
- Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is
- Embrace External Measurement
- Make Sure Analysis Is Viewed As Equal To Other Skills
- Make Sure Everyone Can See The Scoreboard (part 2)
Chapter 12
LESSONS FROM ABROAD…
- Assume Each Country Is Different Because They Are
- Go Native
- Understand That Simple Things Aren’t Simple
- Distance Doesn’t Make the Business Grow Fonder
- Hire Kingmakers And Queenmakers
- Don’t Re-Invent The Wheel (part 2)
- Don’t Ignore The Legal Side
- Understand Foreign Currency And Exchange Rates
- Understand Foreign Payment Methods
Chapter 13
DEAL MAKING…
- You Can’t Be Something That You Are Not
- Deal Making Is A Skill
- Fearless Is As Fearless Does
- Principles Include Discipline
- Emotion Is The Enemy
- Being Tough
- Some Unpredictability Is Essential
- Experience Matters
- The Check Is In The Drawer
- Roll Out The Pressure
- Litigate THIS
- Keep The Ultimate Decisionmaker In Reserve
- There Are A Few Universal Things To Review
Chapter 14
POST ACQUISITION…
- No, It Won’t Run By Itself
- Find The Right Staff For Acquisition Work
- Presence Is Nine-Tenths Of The Law
- Say What You Do, Do What You Say (part 2)
Chapter 15
PARTNERSHIPS…
- Get A Good Deal But Don’t Be Short-Sighted
- Understand What’s Important To Your Partners
- I Can Promise Anything
- Digging In
- Build Partnership Differentiation And Sell It
- Getting Out Of A Bad Relationship
- Presence Is Nine-Tenths Of The Law (part 2)