And when asked about the popularity of Nintendo's Wii vs. PS3 , Stringer said, "Wii is a wonderful device, but has a different target audience. If we fail, it is because we positioned PS3 as the Mercedes of the video game field. PS3 is after a different audience and it can be whatever it wants — a home server, game device, even a computer."
Brad Anderson, whose low-key demeanor is well-known, was described in a video report during the program as the "most unlikely of CEOs," and his background illustrated that description.
He related the story about how he became a manager at Sound of Music, the precursor of Best Buy. By his own admission Anderson wasn't the greatest floor salesman. He was so discouraged at one point that he tried to quit but his boss stopped him. Founder Dick Schulze came to the store and asked to speak to Anderson in the parking lot and the current vice chairman of Best Buy told the audience, "I thought he was going to fire me! I thought he took me outside so I wouldn't cry in front of everyone."
Instead Schulze asked him who should be the new manager of the store. In an answer that Anderson remarked was "completely out of character," he said, "Me." Schulze agreed.
With a background on the front line as a sales associate, you could see that the consumer centricity program that allows store personnel to be involved in the decision-making process was not a big leap in faith for someone like Anderson vs. other CEOs.
When asking about Anderson's frequent visits to Best Buy stores, Greenfield cracked that much of this CEO's time is devoted to being "either a coach, mentor or bully" to many store employees every month. "You have to understand that everyone has a gift. If you are a leader, you have to find out what the gifts of members of your team are." And he added, "What motivates people is different with everyone. To some it may seem like bullying, but to others it might seem like mentoring or coaching. You try to see what works for each person."
