What Does A PB&J Sandwich Have To Do With Business?

In today’s ever-changing, highly competitive technology marketplace, many CEO’s find themselves laying in bed at night worried about how to keep up. Caterina Fake, the founder of Flickr and Findery, calls this “FOMO” or the fear of missing out. She brings up an interesting solution in her video “How to Balance Creativity and Productivity” to help companies stay on track. What is it? Peanut Butter and Jelly. And no she isn’t suggesting to eat one. She is suggesting you build your team as if it were like the sandwich as too much of either ingredient doesn’t make for the best result. Cake and Coffee

The employees who are the peanut butter are your extremely innovative, spontaneous; don’t like a plan type of people. That’s great, but sometimes they have such great ideas and no structure to execute them. Then you have your jelly. These are your planners, the task oriented, must get everything done ahead of time but may be too busy executing and miss a great opportunity type of people. Both of these are needed in a company, but there needs to be a balance. Without, you will be spread too thin.

So what does this all come back to? HIRING. This concept should be in the back of your head when hiring top talent for your company. Yes, in the perfect world you would find a candidate who is the perfect balance of PB&J, but in the real world it typically isn’t so balanced. So it is your job to make sure you can create that balance within your teams.

Because the technology world is evolving so quickly, companies are focused on hiring the most innovative and imaginative employees so they can keep up in the turbulent digital landscape. Of course, this is great and needed, but needs to be balanced with employees who can then execute the great ideas of these employees. Without the balance, you just have one disappointing sandwich. Fake puts it in her closing statement, “Mastering the world by being productive AND creative is the only way forward.” So take a look at your team, do you have enough jelly to compliment the peanut butter’s, and vice versa? If not, you may need to remake your sandwich.

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Simon Roads

Vice President of Sales

Born and raised in England, Simon Roads has had a distinguished career in various forms of aviation spanning over 45 years. His journey began as an A&P mechanic in the Royal Air Force and has encompassed a range of roles, ultimately leading to his position as the VP of Global Sales for Honda Aircraft. Throughout this extensive career, he has had the privilege of closely collaborating with Royalty, Dignitaries, and high net worth individuals, providing them with unparalleled expertise and a steadfast commitment to excellence in aviation services.

Having been immersed in the aviation industry for nearly half a century, his wealth of insights and knowledge has established him as a trusted figure within the field. His extensive experience has provided him with the opportunity to engage with diverse cultures, interacting with individuals from various walks of life, and ensuring that their distinctive requirements and preferences are met with the utmost precision.

One of his notable strengths lies in his adeptness at effectively managing global teams. Over the course of his career, he has demonstrated successful leadership and mentorship of professionals from different backgrounds and nationalities, fostering an environment characterized by collaboration, growth, and mutual respect.

Understanding different cultures has played a pivotal role in his professional journey. By taking part in the customs, traditions, and practices of his clients he not only fosters strong relationships but has also gained a profound appreciation for the unique needs and expectations of each of his clients.

Away from work, his priority is his family. His role as grandad to three wonderful boys, brings him immense joy. He has a penchant for outdoor activities such as cycling, kayaking, and golf. Additionally, he has developed a passion for cooking and continually seeks to learn new culinary techniques. The art of balancing life and work is an ongoing journey for him, and he considers himself fortunate to be able to savor the best of both worlds.

You can contact Simon at sroads@ipeoplesolutions.com

Meredith Stanley

Executive Recruiter

Meredith joined IPS in 2023 as an Executive Recruiter with over 5 years of recruiting experience at Amazon and Lyft. Prior to making the shift to recruiting, Meredith was an Executive Assistant for over 3 years at a Seattle-based insurance company. With a passion for finding top talent, Meredith has hired for a wide range of roles across North America in the hardware, micromobility, operations, transportation, and tech spaces.

After an unsuccessful attempt at a Chemical Engineering degree, Meredith graduated from Oregon State University with a Bachelor of Science in Liberal Studies.

Meredith has a passion for live music, playing both piano and trombone. She also enjoys traveling and spending time outdoors either skiing, hiking or scuba diving.

You can contact Meredith at Meredith@ipeoplesolutions.com

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