The Champion Leader

Chapter 8Connecting the “CORD” (Communicate, Identify Opportunities, Build Relationships, and Make Smart Decisions)

“Customizing your approach creates connection with people that enables them to give the best of what they have. This is about maximizing performance, trust and rapport.”

—Jeffrey Hirsch

STARZ President and CEO Jeffrey Hirsch knows a lot about turning connection into an art form—it's part of what's led him to the forefront of innovation and success in the entertainment industry. Hirsch started his career ascending the executive ranks at Time Warner Cable and then landed at STARZ in 2015. He earned the opportunity to lead the television network, proving himself in several executive roles before ultimately becoming president and CEO in 2019, at a time of significant disruption in the industry.

Along his journey, he learned that self‐awareness and adaptability would help guide how he communicates, identifies opportunities, builds relationships, and makes smart decisions. It takes a bold understanding of ourselves and a willingness to understand others. As he told me, “It's easier for you to adjust yourself to each individual rather than them trying to adjust themselves to you.”¹ This emotionally intelligent approach is rooted in the leadership lessons he's learned along the way, which are summarized in the following quote:

If you hire good people who care about the mission of your business, and you commit to building connections with them and keeping them engaged ...