The Tim Ferriss Show
#683: In Case You Missed It: June 2023 Recap of "The Tim Ferriss Show"
Fri Jul 21 2023Description
This episode features a recap of the past month's episodes, discussions on hiring processes and evaluation systems, the impact of American middle-class culture, addressing social issues and meaningful employment, power training for aging individuals, DC Comics' attempt to replicate Marvel's success, notable individuals, and other insights.
Insights
Hiring Process and Evaluation System
The company uses a scorecard with six questions per category to evaluate candidates during the hiring process. The entire team evaluates new hires through a trial period called tryouts. The system helps identify mistakes in hiring or moving people into different positions.
Anonymous Team Scoring System
Implementing an anonymous team scoring system has helped the company attract better fits for their team. The system allows for specific feedback on individual struggles and celebrates areas of excellence. Letting go of underperforming individuals based on anonymous team scores has been beneficial.
Impact of American Middle-Class Culture
American middle-class culture has led to extreme social isolation and feelings of failure for those who don't meet the high standards of success. Consumer culture and the pursuit of material possessions contribute to this phenomenon.
Addressing Social Issues and Meaningful Employment
The respect and opportunities given to individuals are often influenced by factors like education and social status, rather than their actual happiness or fulfillment. Focusing on celebrating people who live happy and fulfilled lives could lead to positive changes in society. Providing meaningful employment opportunities and a sense of purpose is crucial for societal well-being.
Power Training for Aging Individuals
Power training is important for aging individuals to protect against falls and maintain mobility. Maintaining athleticism as we age is crucial for overall power and mobility.
DC Comics' Attempt to Replicate Marvel's Success
DC hired a new person to run DC after 20 years of Marvel's success. Creating a new universe that is differentiated from Marvel and has great meaning for the audience is challenging but not impossible.
Chapters
- Five Bullet Friday and Tim Ferriss
- Recap of Past Month's Episodes
- Hiring Process and Evaluation System
- Anonymous Team Scoring System
- Impact of American Middle-Class Culture
- Addressing Social Issues and Meaningful Employment
- Power Training for Aging Individuals
- DC Comics' Attempt to Replicate Marvel's Success
- Notable Individuals
- Other Insights
Five Bullet Friday and Tim Ferriss
00:00 - 07:18
- Five Bullet Friday is a popular email newsletter with short bullet points of cool things
- Tim Ferriss meets guests for his podcast through Five Bullet Friday subscribers
Recap of Past Month's Episodes
00:00 - 07:18
- This episode is a recap of the past month's episodes, featuring short clips from each conversation
- Simon Coronel shares his experience of joining Accenture and realizing he wanted to do something more creative
- Jake Muse discusses the importance of safety and personality in recruiting for Maui Nui-Venison
Hiring Process and Evaluation System
06:54 - 13:19
- A scorecard with six questions per category (humility, work ethic, emotional intelligence) is used in the hiring process.
- The scorecard includes questions about consistent positive energy and body language.
- Candidates are given the scorecard during the second interview and must agree to be evaluated by it.
- If a candidate doesn't call back after reading the scorecard, it indicates they may not meet the criteria.
- A grading system is used for evaluation: A - celebrate and reward, B - identify improvements, C - let go on the spot.
- The entire team evaluates new hires through a trial period called tryouts.
- Tryouts last for one month and include grading by the team members.
- Grading happens quarterly for all employees, including self-evaluation and feedback from peers.
- The system helps identify mistakes in hiring or moving people into different positions.
- It creates a framework for addressing tensions within teams and encourages personal growth.
Anonymous Team Scoring System
13:02 - 19:38
- Implementing an anonymous team scoring system helped the company attract better fits for their team.
- The system allows for specific feedback on the 18 categories individuals are struggling in.
- The system also celebrates the categories that individuals excel in.
- Letting go of people who were not performing well based on anonymous team scores has been beneficial.
- The system rewards and compensates individuals with high scores, especially those with a combination of humility, work ethic, and emotional intelligence.
- There are 18 questions in total, with six each on humility, work ethic, and emotional intelligence.
- Scores range from one to seven, and the total score determines the grade (e.g., B+).
- Individuals who receive two A's or A+'s within their first six months of employment receive a raise and are celebrated by the team.
- Highly skilled individuals who choose not to improve their scores tend to plateau in their growth.
- People who use the system actively track their scores and strive for improvement.
Impact of American Middle-Class Culture
19:14 - 26:53
- American middle-class culture is ruining middle America and everything
- The American modernist culture, which promotes leaving home at a young age, going to college, and starting a nuclear family in a suburban town, has led to extreme social isolation
- This cultural brand of the American dream has caused dysfunction in the country
- Young white men in America are particularly affected by this sea change, with more women going to college than men
- Failure to meet the high standards of American success leads to feelings of failure and can result in negative actions
- Consumer culture and the pursuit of material possessions play a significant role in this phenomenon
- Meaningless achievements also contribute to feelings of inadequacy and emotional harm
- These standards are based on outdated ideals from the past and do not reflect current economic realities
Addressing Social Issues and Meaningful Employment
26:25 - 33:17
- The standards for a basic respectable life in upper middle class America are based on outdated ideals and don't reflect the reality of today's society.
- The respect and opportunities given to individuals are often influenced by factors like education and social status, rather than their actual happiness or fulfillment.
- Social isolation is a common issue in many cultures, including Japan and Costa Rica, but they have different approaches to addressing it, such as multi-generational households.
- Toxic individualism is prevalent in American culture, leading to a lack of universal healthcare and other societal issues.
- Focusing on celebrating people who live happy and fulfilled lives could lead to positive changes in society.
- Providing meaningful employment opportunities and a sense of purpose in communities where people want to live is crucial for societal well-being.
- Different factors contribute to the maladies described, including consumerism, social media, and dislocation. However, the lack of meaningful employment stands out as a significant factor.
Power Training for Aging Individuals
32:53 - 39:20
- Power training is important for aging individuals to protect against falls and maintain mobility.
- Power is the ability to apply force quickly, while strength is the ability to generate force.
- Power tends to detrain faster than strength and aerobic capacity.
- Falls and hip fractures can have severe consequences for older adults, so power training becomes vital.
- Examples of power training include sprinting, playing high-velocity sports like tennis, and throwing medicine balls.
- Maintaining athleticism as we age is crucial for overall power and mobility.
DC Comics' Attempt to Replicate Marvel's Success
38:53 - 46:06
- DC hired a new person to run DC after 20 years of Marvel's success.
- DC wants to copy Marvel's success, but they haven't achieved it yet.
- Creating a new universe is difficult but not impossible.
- A new universe needs to be differentiated from Marvel and introduced in new ways.
- It should be primal, visual, and have great meaning for the audience.
- James Cameron's Avatar was a successful original idea with cultural impact.
- Legacy properties like Marvel can still be successful if discovered together.
Notable Individuals
38:53 - 46:06
- Simon Coronel is an alien of extraordinary ability recognized by the US government for his magic skills.
- Jake Meews is the CEO of Maui Nui Venison, a company that manages invasive access deer populations on Maui and turns them into nutrient-dense food.
- Maggie Spivey Faulkner is an anthropological archaeologist working to up-end harmful misconceptions of Native American peoples.
- Joshua L. Steiner is a partner at SSW and senior advisor at Bloomberg LP with extensive experience in finance and investment management.
- Kevin Kelly helped launch Wired magazine and has written for major publications. He is currently co-chair of the Long Now Foundation and author of Excellent Advice for living wisdom I wish I'd known earlier.
Other Insights
45:39 - 51:08
- The Ecoz Genesis Art Collection is the first offering in the forthcoming Ecoz universe