As the world watched the stunning rescue of the Thai soccer team unfold in real time this week, we all got a lesson in how teamwork can overcome the impossible. When they learned the boys were trapped in the cave, the Thai government mobilized their Navy Seals and quickly realized they couldn’t do this alone. First they called the renowned trio of British cave divers, said to be the best in the world, who found the boys. Then they turned to international experts in everything from nutrition to logistics, Tesla engineers, an Israeli company that makes sophisticated radio devices that allowed for communication with the boys, a U.S. company with the technology to pump water out of the cave, the list goes on. If anyone had any doubt about the absolute importance of hiring the right people to get any job done, this should put that to rest. USA Today
Wall Street may be waking up to #MeToo, but it’s a “lazy Sunday morning after a late night out” sort of wake up for the industry that has long operated under a bro culture, where aggression, locker room banter, ego-filled bravado, and general bad behavior were part of daily life. In a move that surprised many, powerhouse dealmaker Paul Dexter of Credit Suisse was shown the door this week, a month after he allegedly bullied a male intern. Initially the bank said it had investigated the incident and Dexter wouldn’t face any consequences, until they found out it’s not the first time. The man allegedly bragged about bullying junior colleagues. It was so bad the bank prohibited him from recruiting college students, so they knew about it, and yet kept promoting him. The bank maintains it has “policies and channels in place through which complaints about conduct can be reported.” We’re thinking their HR has some work to do on that. Bloomberg
It started with a whistle blower and ended with Uber’s CHRO resigning under a cloud, but what happened in between is a little murky. The whistle blower emailed Uber’s chief legal officer Tony West, threatening to go public with the allegation that CHRO Liane Hornsey dismissed internal allegations of racial discrimination. Uber hired an outside firm to investigate, but then doubled down. Hornsey resigned with no mention of the incident, and West was quoted as saying they wouldn’t disclose the findings of the investigation. It’s a stunning development because Hornsey was brought in to clean up Uber’s toxic culture after accusations of sexual harassment rocked the rideshare giant and led to the CEO’s resignation. It’s worth noting that it’s not just Uber. In the wake of #MeToo, it’s come to light that Silicon Valley has its own form of Wall Street’s bro culture as allegations of gender and racial bias continue to swirl. Fortune
From the “sure ways to kill your brand” files, Papa John’s founder and chairman John Schnatter resigned from the board of his company late Wednesday after using a racial slur in a conference call with a marketing agency he hired to … wait for it … prevent him from offending the world again about race. Back in November, he jumped into the NFL-players-national-anthem debate by complaining that the NFL should’ve “nipped it in the bud” long ago. Never mind that the kneeling was about protesting police brutality toward African Americans. Also never mind that Papa John’s had a lucrative sponsorship deal with the NFL. When white supremacist groups embraced his remarks, he stepped down as CEO, but it was too late. Stock prices declined 25 percent and the NFL went with Pizza Hut instead. Hence the need to call in special ops to fish him out of that miasma, except he made it worse. When it came out that he had yet again put his foot in his mouth about race, stock prices fell another 5 percent and MLB decided to end its promotion with the brand. The good news: Stock prices rose 10 percent when he cleaned out his desk. The New York Times
LinkedIn. It’s not just the way to connect job seekers with hiring managers or a networking tool for the Chamber of Commerce set anymore. The newest, fast-growing presence on the site? Pro athletes who are winding down the careers they spent their entire lives building. They’re using LinkedIn to network with other athletes, business leaders, and start-up gurus to find their Chapter Two. They’re creating connections, sharing and liking stories, messaging … just like the rest of us. Unlike the average LinkedIn user, however, they’re coming from the perspective of having multi-million-dollar contracts they can use for investment in startups, tech companies, or whatever it is they want to keep them busy when the crowds stop cheering. Some are joining wealth management or venture capital firms. So the next time you’re looking for a tech-savvy team player with crazy leadership skills to join your wealth management team, don’t be surprised if Barry Bonds’ resume pops up. Bleacher Report
