Axios Finish Line: Lead like Brooks Brothers CEO Ken Ohashi

1 big thing: Lead like Ken

📷 Missing summer already 

Finish Line is featuring a series of interviews by Hope King with top leaders from business and beyond. Let us know what you think: finishline@axios.com.

Smart Brevity™ count: 638 words ... 2½ mins. Copy editor: Amy Stern.

💍 Finish Line is taking a break until October while Erica Pandey gets married. She promises a rundown of multicultural weddings when she's back!

👔 Axios Finish Line: Brooks Brothers turnaround

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Axios Finish Line: Lead like Accenture CEO Julie Sweet

1 big thing: Lead like Julie

🗽 Parting shot

Finish Line is on fall break for two more weeks, but we wanted to bring you this extra edition with a fascinating CEO interview by Hope King. Let us know what you think: finishline@axios.com.

Smart Brevity™ count: 674 words ... 2½ mins. Copy editor: Amy Stern.

1 big thing: Reconfiguring your clock

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💡 The truth about electrolytes

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Welcome back! We hope the end of your summer was joyful and restful! Send your questions, feedback and stunning nature pics to finishline@axios.com.

Smart Brevity™ count: 437 words ... 1½ mins. Copy edited by Amy Stern.

1 big thing: A different wisdom

🐊 Camping in the Keys 

This summer, Erica and I are re-upping some of Jim's columns on life and leadership that left an extra-big mark 0n us. Let him know what you think: jim@axios.com.

☀️ Soak up the rest of those summer sunsets. Finish Line is going fishing for two weeks, then will be back in your inbox Sept. 5.

Smart Brevity™ count: 796 words ... 3 mins. Copy editor: Amy Stern.

🎣 Axios Finish Line: True Maine wisdom

1 big thing: Out of the ashes

🐝 The small things

Welcome back! Smart Brevity™ count: 432 words ... 1½ mins. Copy edited by Amy Stern.

National

Axios AM

One of the hardest things to do in leadership, and life, is to filter out BS — and filter in meaningful data and feedback — to make tough calls in chaotic moments.

💬 Chris Collins, a Finish Line reader who is co-CEO of the Kelso & Company private equity firm in Manhattan, asks: "Do you think you are truly self-aware and get real feedback despite your position of power?" 

Why it matters: Chris' question seems focused on feedback from individuals. But that isn't sufficient in the business context. You need a system for stress-testing your views, ideas and self-appraisal.

Gathering the right facts or feedback boils down to genuine curiosity + clear-eyed analysis of experiences and people. 

You're basically hunting everywhere for news, information, experiences and voices that suggest where things are and where they're headed. Then you constantly tweak or recalibrate your views as you learn more. 

Several tricks help mitigate delusion and isolation:

Smart truth-tellers: I'd rather hear from a wise person who knows little about me or my industry than a conventional expert. So create a web of people — usually friends or former co-workers — who seem, over time, to make the right decisions for the right reasons, even when it's hard. Consult them on the tough stuff. 

 Intimate truth-tellers: You need one or two people who know your warts and worst instincts. They tend to be so close to you that they can call out your stupidity or self-obsession. They can save you from yourself.

Confident, candid co-workers: I'm in the middle of our annual review process. I know I'll get some brutally honest feedback from my direct reports. Good. We hire smart, honest high-achievers and encourage candor. It's my job to weigh the critique nondefensively, and determine adjustments in style or substance.

Reporting: Nothing helps clarify my thinking — and gut-check my views — more than reading and talking to people across my staff and industry. Have a voracious appetite for new facts. Think of your views and analysis as living things, evolving and changing as reality shifts. Pick up the phone when someone says something that grabs you. People are willing to share more than you think. 

🎧 Intelligence hacks: Some turn to books or raw data for critical or contrarian takes. I often turn to podcasts. You'll find experts — and your competitors — often share inside and essential information when they let their guard down on long-form podcasts. I listen to several obscure media podcasts when a CEO or head of revenue is the guest.

Reliable sources: You need to study your sources for accuracy over time. Be it people ... or publications or podcasts or projections. Brian Morrissey writes a Substack called The Rebooting, which goes deep into the mechanics of running media businesses. His read on the hard truth of media trends has proven very accurate, so it became a must-read for me. Roy Schwartz — our Axios co-founder, who now runs our communication software company, Axios HQ — has the best business instincts of anyone I know. So I consult him on any business move and personal investment.

Fact-pattern recognition: This is the Holy Grail. If you have enough reliable inputs, you can start to see yourself, big decisions and the future more clearly — and make exponentially better decisions.

The big picture: You can do all of this and still get things wrong. You need to be quick to forgive yourself — but slow to simply assume it was an aberration. Study it. Learn from it. Then apply it.

This article appeared in Axios Finish Line, our nightly newsletter on life, leadership and wellness. Sign up here.

Axios Finish Line: Filtering BS, banality and bootlicking

You need a system for stress-testing your views, ideas and self-appraisal.

Illustration of the Mona Lisa with a Pinocchio nose.

Leadership

One of the hardest things to do in leadership, and life, is to filter out BS — and filter in meaningful data and feedback — to make tough calls in chaotic moments.💬 Chris Collins, a Finish Line reader who is co-CEO of the Kelso &amp; Company private equity firm in Manhattan, asks: &quot;Do you think you are truly self-aware and get real feedback despite your position of power?&quot;

After a record economic expansion, the coronavirus pandemic sent the U.S. economy into a recession as unemployment soared to staggering heights. The country now faces urgent questions about how much stimulus is needed for reeling consumers and businesses, and what a recovery might look like.

Economy & Business

The biggest lie we tell ourselves is: We crave truth.

Why it matters: We do desire it — in theory.  In practice, we avoid it, deny it, fear it and hide from it, Jim VandeHei writes.

Let's stick to truth at work. The healthiest leaders, managers, workers and companies operate comfortably and confidently in hard truths. The unhealthy duck it.

• The truth is: The truth is hard... and uncomfortable.

Here are a few ways to confront it head-on at work.

1. Tell it. Being honest with someone is actually more respectful than holding back. If you don't really care, or aren't really invested in a relationship, you float fuzzy platitudes.

Be blunt yet respectful. I've said from the very beginning of Axios: A culture of candor doesn't mean you have a license to be a jerk.

Make your feedback actionable… respectful… fact-based rather than impressionistic or personal. That gives the person the space to process your insights or criticisms, rather than throwing up deflector shields.

2. Desire it. You need to want to hear difficult truths and accept them confidently.

For an organization, that means creating an environment where candor is rewarded, or at least received respectfully.

Defensiveness and retribution are mortal enemies of truth-telling. Humility is truth's savior.

3. Deploy it. So many leaders, managers and individual contributors hide in the fog of denial or ambiguity. They ignore problematic people or trends. They deny or fudge bad numbers or big mistakes. They delude themselves about competitors.

That's all wasted energy. The only way to confront tough stuff is head-on and eyes wide open.

4. Deal with it. Once you're operating in the reality of truth, you need to deal with the specific tough stuff on the same terms. What's obvious to you probably isn't obvious to others.

If you're their manager, someone should never be surprised about your view of them — or how they're performing vs. your expectation.

But they won't know if you don't tell them. It does nothing for the employee — or for your team or organization — if you simply air your gripes to other managers and don't deal with it.

Companies should minimize surprises, too. You hire adults, so treat them that way. Provide more visibility, more frequently.

5. Live it. Fire the problematic people. Shut down poor-performing products. Fix broken structures.

If you explain it forthrightly, people are far more accepting of difficult decisions than if they learn about it indirectly.

If you've set a culture to expect and respect the truth beforehand, bad medicine goes down even easier.

Axios Finish Line: Hard truth about truth

The biggest lie we tell ourselves is: We crave truth.<ul><li>Why it matters: We do desire it — in theory. In practice, we avoid it, deny it, fear it and hide from it, Jim VandeHei writes.</li></ul>

The Axios executives who report directly to me are offering some very direct feedback of me in our midyear reviews.

A common theme: "Jim should get the hell out of the weeds and focus on what he does best."

Why it matters: They're right. I am susceptible to one of the biggest problems in the modern workplace: wasting time on things better handled by someone else — or not done at all.

Truth is, I should — and do — know better since I have total visibility into what matters most in growing Axios successfully. I'm also typically ruthless with my time and attention. So it shows the powerful pull of time-sucking distractions.

But most people are foggier about what's most important to the company or cause. This leads them to do things out of habit or confusion. They end up working harder to do less. 

So when they hear "work smarter" or "do more with less," they want to punch you in the nose. They feel they're working to exhaustion already. So digging deeper sounds like a mean and unrealistic taunt. 

I constantly push myself and the Axios staff to do a work inventory to see how they, in fact, can do more with less. How can they put that same energy into the things that move the needle more powerfully?

It's striking how often I find people doing things we once cared about but no longer do: "Wait, this was a Jim obsession four years ago!" Or spending lots of time on unimportant tasks: "I thought this was mission-critical!"

This, in turn, keeps them from doing the things that make them shine — and feel better about their performance and their company. 

Qian Gao, our chief people officer, has three questions she puts to staff to help focus them on working smarter:

What are the things in your job that you least like to do?

What would you do if you had one more hour in the week?

What do you do that you don't think you need to do?

You might take it one step deeper and think about your typical week — at work and home — and how you allocate your time to work and live optimally.

Are you allocating time outside of work for exercising or other activities that help you think clearer and more confidently at work? 

At work, are you allocating most of your energy to things you are authentically very good or great at? This is what drives the most fulfillment for most people. 

The big picture: You should do this wildly clarifying exercise yourself. I bet you'll be shocked by how easily you can reorient to spending more time on things you are uniquely good at and jazzed by. 

And, yes: I will get out of the weeds (mostly).

Axios Finish Line: Do more by doing less

Company executives need to get out of the weeds and focus on what they do best.

Illustration of a hand taking a slice out of a clock face

The Axios executives who report directly to me are offering some very direct feedback of me in our midyear reviews.<ul><li>A common theme: &quot;Jim should get the hell out of the weeds and focus on what he does best.&quot;</li></ul>Why it matters: They&#x27;re right. I am susceptible to one of the biggest problems in the modern workplace: wasting time on things better handled by someone else — or not done at all.

OK, trying a new thing here: Answering a very specific question from an avid Finish Line reader. (Listen, I'm going to run out of ideas eventually, so I need all the help I can get, folks.)

Lisa Calicchio, chief human capital management officer at WCG, writes from New Jersey:

"Expand on your comment 'I'm ruthless with my time.' Working remotely quite a bit, my husband can't help but overhear some conversations. His consistent feedback to me: 'You are too generous with your time.' I agree — and I pay dearly for it with respect to work-life balance."

 Lisa was responding to my comment that I wouldn't mentor someone if I felt the mentee wasn't benefiting meaningfully. 

Why it matters: I'm both blessed to mostly control my time and a little nutty in how I carry this out.  

A few things I've noticed by studying others who seem to get a lot done and live well:

1. Sleep. The data is unambiguous: Most of us require seven or more hours of quality sleep to think clearly and perform optimally. This might mean ducking out early from work dinners, quitting movies before they're done, or telling the kids it's bedtime earlier than they like.

I'm routinely made fun of at home for ghosting around 9:30 p.m. (or earlier). 

2. Working out. Here's another good place to be selfish. I know I'm grumpier and foggier if I don't exercise at least one hour each day. So I put this ahead of casual lunches or non-urgent meetings or small talk (more on this in a second). 

Sorry, I refuse to believe most people couldn't carve out 30 to 60 minutes per day if they prioritized it. 

3. Meetings. Most meetings could or should be half their scheduled time.

Every few months, I review mine to make sure I thin the number and duration. Can this one be an email or quick call? Can this be eliminated altogether? Most one-offs can be done in 10 minutes if you plunge right in.

Just because TV shows are 30 or 60 minutes doesn't mean meetings should be. This means cutting down on small talk at the top. Save it for parties and downtime. 

4. "Me" time. I suck at work-life balance. Most of my waking hours are spent working or thinking about work. But I'm ruthless about carving out time for things that light me up: family, fly fishing, shanking golf balls, wandering Maine — often in spurts. 

5. Good people. Few things pump more energy and joy than time with smart, optimistic, good people. The opposite is true too: Few things sap energy and joy than dullards, pessimists or jerks. 

Regularly review the time you spend with life-enhancing vs. life-sucking people.

6. Just say no. Lisa's problem is the most common one: She's too generous!

Not sure advocating selfishness is popular — but a little selfishness goes a long way. 

This is where ruthlessness can help: Can I truly make a difference with this person or problem? Is this something that seems to recur regularly but never resolve? Is this filling my life with too much negative energy or emotion? It's OK to say "no." 

The way to rightfully justify it: You'll be worse at helping others if you're constantly drained or deflated.

💭 Jim will consider your question if it's very specific, and if you include your name, job title and city. Just hit "reply" to this email, or drop him a line: jim@axios.com.

Axios Finish Line: The case for selfishly managing time

Illustration of an alarm clock with the face as a pie chart. 

OK, trying a new thing here: Answering a very specific question from an avid Finish Line reader. (Listen, I&#x27;m going to run out of ideas eventually, so I need all the help I can get, folks.)Lisa Calicchio, chief human capital management officer at <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="WCG" data-vars-click-url="https://www.wcgclinical.com/about/" data-vars-content-id="f9f7e31c-4593-4679-af6c-2341680ba956" data-vars-headline="Axios Finish Line: The case for selfishly managing time" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.wcgclinical.com/about/" target="_blank">WCG</a>, writes from New Jersey:<ul><li>&quot;Expand on your comment &#x27;I&#x27;m ruthless with my time.&#x27; Working remotely quite a bit, my husband can&#x27;t help but overhear some conversations. His consistent feedback to me: &#x27;You are too generous with your time.&#x27; I agree — and I pay dearly for it with respect to work-life balance.&quot;</li></ul> Lisa was responding to <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="my comment" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2023/06/09/how-to-be-a-master-mentee" data-vars-content-id="f9f7e31c-4593-4679-af6c-2341680ba956" data-vars-headline="Axios Finish Line: The case for selfishly managing time" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2023/06/09/how-to-be-a-master-mentee" target="_self">my comment</a> that I wouldn&#x27;t mentor someone if I felt the mentee wasn&#x27;t benefiting meaningfully. <ul><li>Why it matters: I&#x27;m both blessed to mostly control my time and a little nutty in how I carry this out. </li></ul>A few things I&#x27;ve noticed by studying others who seem to get a lot done and live well:1. Sleep. The data is unambiguous: Most of us require seven or more hours of quality sleep to think clearly and perform optimally. This might mean ducking out early from work dinners, quitting movies before they&#x27;re done, or telling the kids it&#x27;s bedtime earlier than they like.<ul><li>I&#x27;m routinely made fun of at home for ghosting around 9:30 p.m. (or earlier). </li></ul>2. Working out. Here&#x27;s another good place to be selfish. I know I&#x27;m grumpier and foggier if I don&#x27;t exercise at least one hour each day. So I put this ahead of casual lunches or non-urgent meetings or small talk (more on this in a second). <ul><li>Sorry, I refuse to believe most people couldn&#x27;t carve out 30 to 60 minutes per day if they prioritized it. </li></ul>3. Meetings. Most meetings could or should be half their scheduled time.<ul><li>Every few months, I review mine to make sure I thin the number and duration. Can this one be an email or quick call? Can this be eliminated altogether? Most one-offs can be done in 10 minutes if you plunge right in.</li><li>Just because TV shows are 30 or 60 minutes doesn&#x27;t mean meetings should be. This means cutting down on small talk at the top. Save it for parties and downtime. </li></ul>4. &quot;Me&quot; time. I suck at work-life balance. Most of my waking hours are spent working or thinking about work. But I&#x27;m ruthless about carving out time for things that light me up: family, fly fishing, shanking golf balls, wandering Maine — often in spurts. 5. Good people. Few things pump more energy and joy than time with smart, optimistic, good people. The opposite is true too: Few things sap energy and joy than dullards, pessimists or jerks. <ul><li>Regularly review the time you spend with life-enhancing vs. life-sucking people.</li></ul>6. Just say no. Lisa&#x27;s problem is the most common one: She&#x27;s too generous!<ul><li>Not sure advocating selfishness is popular — but a little selfishness goes a long way. </li></ul><ul><ul><li>This is where ruthlessness can help: Can I truly make a difference with this person or problem? Is this something that seems to recur regularly but never resolve? Is this filling my life with too much negative energy or emotion? It&#x27;s OK to say &quot;no.&quot; </li></ul><li>The way to rightfully justify it: You&#x27;ll be worse at helping others if you&#x27;re constantly drained or deflated.</li></ul>💭 Jim will consider your question if it&#x27;s very specific, and if you include your name, job title and city. Just hit &quot;reply&quot; to this email, or drop him a line: <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="jim@axios.com" data-vars-click-url="mailto:jim@axios.com" data-vars-content-id="f9f7e31c-4593-4679-af6c-2341680ba956" data-vars-headline="Axios Finish Line: The case for selfishly managing time" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="mailto:jim@axios.com" target="_blank">jim@axios.com</a>.This article appeared in Axios Finish Line, our nightly newsletter on life, leadership and wellness. <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Sign up here" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/signup/am-pm" data-vars-content-id="f9f7e31c-4593-4679-af6c-2341680ba956" data-vars-headline="Axios Finish Line: The case for selfishly managing time" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/signup/am-pm" target="_self">Sign up here</a>.

Talented job applicants sometimes flunk their interviews because they haven't stopped to study how to audition.

We've run into interviewees who haven't read up on the company, the people interviewing them or our Axios culture.

Or they don't have much to say, even when prompted. Or they sound more fixated on their "brand" than the job itself. 

Why it matters: If you're going to take the time to pitch yourself for a new gig, you better really want it — and come ready to dazzle.

The interviewer also should be selling you — top talent is always scarce. But here are a few common mistakes people fall into, along with a window into what interviewers are listening for: 

Don't be dull: You want to show from the get-go that you'd be an inspiring and sharp colleague. So have an interesting observation about trends relating to the position you're interviewing for. It's like any human conversation: If you leave the interviewer with one smart thing to remember you by, you've set yourself apart from 99% of the competition.

Don't be incurious: Ask something specific about how the interviewer's organization is navigating disruption in their sector. (Every sector is being disrupted!) Don't pry: Just show you're fluent in what the interviewer worries about. If they ask you if you have questions, take 'em up on it: "I'm looking forward to getting to what's on your mind. But there are a couple of things I'm curious about."

Know whom you're talking to: There's no excuse for not knowing the interviewer's background and claim to fame. Find out their alma mater, hometown and out-of-work passions — there's almost always a point of connection. Don't waste time on chit-chat. But a quick mention at the top gets their attention on you instead of their last meeting.

Never bad-mouth your current employer: That's always a red flag, and often fatal to your chances. The interviewer doesn't want their organization to be your next target.

Don't babble: Respond in a conversational, substantive way — then stop. If they want more, they'll tell ya.

Think bigger: One of the great qualities of up-and-coming generations is that they care more about values than their parents did. So if the interviewer doesn't bring up culture and mission, you should. If they don't have a good answer, that's helpful information. If you don't ask, that could be a strike against you.

Dig deeper: Don't leave the conversation fuzzy about the job or what crushing it would look like. Asking them what they want from the role gets past the formalities, and nudges the person to articulate what they really want or need. It also shows you think beyond the surface.

The bottom line: If you've gotten to the interview phase, you probably have the skills and experience needed for the job. Now, the prospective employer is trying to figure out what you'd be like as a colleague and whether you can make them — and their company — better.

Axios Finish Line: Don't botch your interview

If you're going to take the time to pitch yourself for a new gig, come ready to dazzle.

Illustration of a trash can filled with crumpled papers forming a thought bubble.

Talented job applicants sometimes flunk their interviews because they haven&#x27;t stopped to study how to audition.<ul><li>We&#x27;ve run into interviewees who haven&#x27;t read up on the company, the people interviewing them or our Axios culture.</li><li>Or they don&#x27;t have much to say, even when prompted. Or they sound more fixated on their &quot;brand&quot; than the job itself. </li></ul>Why it matters: If you&#x27;re going to take the time to pitch yourself for a new gig, you better really want it — and come ready to dazzle.

Jim VandeHei

Stories

Axios Finish Line: Do more by doing less

Axios Finish Line: Don't botch your interview

Axios Finish Line: Filtering BS, banality and bootlicking

Axios Finish Line: Hard truth about truth

Axios Finish Line: The case for selfishly managing time

Newsletter editions

💡 Axios Finish Line: Lead like Julie

👔 Axios Finish Line: Brooks Brothers turnaround

🌊 Axios Finish Line: Maui's awakening

⏰ Axios Finish Line: Hacking your internal clock

🎣 Axios Finish Line: True Maine wisdom