What I Learned From The President
On December 2nd, I saw Scott O’Neil speak at Madison Square Garden. Mr. O’Neil is the President of MSG, and his presentation was about breaking into and being successful in the sports industry. His message, however, applied to all walks of life.
Here’s a quick bio on him via NBA.com:
In his role as President, MSG Sports, Mr. O’Neil oversees all aspects of business operations for the New York Knicks, New York Rangers, New York Liberty, as well as college and high school basketball, boxing, track & field and all other sports events.
Mr. O’Neil comes to Madison Square Garden from the National Basketball Association, where, as senior vice president, he oversaw the league’s team marketing and business operations, Prior to joining the NBA, Mr. O’Neil oversaw the launch of HoopsTV, and honed his sales and marketing expertise with the Philadelphia Eagles and New Jersey Nets.
Mr. O’Neil, 38, was named to Street and Smith’s Sports Business Journal Forty Under 40 Hall of Fame, and was named one of the nation’s top marketing executives under 40 by Advertising Age (2006). He holds a degree in Marketing from Villanova University and M.B.A. from the Harvard Business School.
To me, Mr. O’Neil’s story was a bit of an inspiration. He talked about being an average student in college, enjoying life, and pursuing happiness, all with an extreme sense of satisfaction. He was honest and open throughout his entire presentation, answering questions willingly anytime someone raised a hand. It was the sign of a man who knows he’s on the right path (the one he wants to be on), and his willingness to be transparent and share his journey with all of us was a testament to that.
According to Mr. O’Neil, success comes from an intricate series of decisions and actions. It is making the right decisions and taking correct action that allows you to surpass your competition and reach your goals. Here are the basic “Keys To Success” he preached to us that day:
- Always be ready. Study. Prepare.- Be ahead of the curve. Be on the forefront. Know what’s coming next.
- Be intellectually curious. Be genuine. Be real.
- Seek out feedback, both positive and negative.
- Find a mentor who will be honest and tell you the truth.
- Fail trying. Live life publicly & out loud.
- Very good is not good enough. Leave nothing to chance.
- Get to know your boss on a personal level & learn how you can effectively and efficiently manage the relationship.
- Be resilient. Carpe Diem. Go for it.
Simple words? Yes, but they’re powerful when you stick to them. His success is proof of that. O’Neil ended his talk with one final comment that brought it all together for me. He said, “Be great everyday. Everyday counts. Today counts. Ask yourself, what am I doing today to get me where I want to be tomorrow?”
When he said that, all of his previous statements came together for me. It’s all about what you do today. If you want to be the best, you’ve got to try your hardest every single day. Though today may seem no different than yesterday, there’s always a way to make it better, and there can always be something to look forward to tomorrow. All you’ve got to do is commit yourself to being the best and start taking some action.
