Author Archives: Rusty Rueff

About Rusty Rueff

Rusty Rueff, author of purposed worKING. Rusty Rueff is the former Chairman Emeritus of The GRAMMY Foundation in Los Angeles. He most recently completed the successful 16 month leadership role as Coordinating National Co-Chair for Technology for Obama (T4O) for the reelection of President Obama and ten-years of Board service and President of the Board of Trustees of the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco. Corporately, most recently Rueff was the Chief Executive Officer at SNOCAP, Inc. until the acquisition of the company by imeem, Inc. in April 2008. Before joining SNOCAP in 2005, he was Executive Vice President of Human Resources at Electronic Arts (EA) from 1998 until 2005. He was also with the PepsiCo companies for more than ten years, with the Pratt & Whitney division of United Technologies for two years, and in commercial radio as an on-air personality for six years. Rusty holds an M.S. in counseling and a B.A. in radio and television from Purdue University. In 2003 he was named a distinguished Purdue alumnus, and he and his wife, Patti, are the named benefactors of Purdue’s Patti and Rusty Rueff School of Visual and Performing Arts. He is a corporate director of Glassdoor.com and runcoach. He is the co-founder and Executive Committee Member of T4A.org, serves on the Founding Circle of The Centrist Project and a founding Board Member of The GRAMMY Music Education Coalition. He is also the co-author of the book Talent Force: A New Manifesto for the Human Side of Business. Rusty and his wife, Patti, reside in Hillsborough, CA and Charlestown, R.I.

day 2392: The Sign On The Wall

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“This regular reading will prevent him from becoming proud and acting as if he is above his fellow citizens.”

I had a fascinating conversation with someone who worked for the same CEO for a long time.  This person described the CEO as two different people.  The early days; scrappy, humble, appreciative of others kind of person who was just hopeful to get the company off the ground.  And then years later there was the arrogant, reckless, ego-maniac person who couldn’t be told anything but what was desired to hear.  The difference?  Success of the company.  As the company scaled and grew this CEO decided it was all about the perfect leadership from the top. Well, that CEO is no longer with the company and all of that ego and first-person attitude came home to roost. With success it is hard to remember what it was like when success was not the norm.  But it might be that we were better people then.  As you know, I am a strong advocate of defined values and principles that a company both follows and aspires.  The more well-stated and visible they are, the better.  The more repeated and followed, the better.  The more used for recognition, reward and performance management, the better.  So, the sign on the wall that reminds us who we want to be, that is good.

The sign on the wall for us as believers is just as important.  We can be helped to stay principled and humble by staying in God’s Word.  It is human nature to look to God’s teachings to boost us up, but let’s also remember that God’s Word is also there to keep us wrestled down to where we need to be.  If things are going really great, it’s even more important that we take the time to look into the Word for the lessons that keep us grounded.

Reference:  Deuteronomy 17:20 (New Living Translation)