In 2000, Blockbuster laughed Netflix out of the room.
In the sixth episode of PiXL Pearls Series 10, Rachel Johnson (PiXL CEO) takes on the story most people think they know and complicates it. The Netflix origin story is neater in the retelling than it ever was in reality. The late fee, the flash of inspiration, the obvious idea: none of it was quite like that. What it was, was messy, uncertain and made up as they went along. Just like most things worth doing.
But behind the brands and the balance sheets are people trying to work things out in real time. And some of what they learned along the way translates directly into school leadership. Marc Randolph's caution about title inflation, hiring job titles instead of people who can do the job. The evidence that meaningful work outlasts any perk or incentive a school could offer. And the Netflix principle that sits at the heart of their culture: treat people like adults, give them direction, and trust them to find the way.
The Last Blockbuster is still open in Bend, Oregon. It sells merchandise to tourists. It is a museum to the cost of standing still.
How much do you love your job and how much do you love the title? And are you treating the adults around you like adults? Tune in today.
If you enjoyed PiXL Pearls...
Check out the PiXL website: https://www.pixl.org.uk/ for free downloads
Read Rachel's four books:
Time to Think 1: The Things that stop us and how to deal with them
Time to Think 2: The Things that stop our teams and what to do about them
Box Clever: Quadrants to change the way we live and lead
Connected: Focusing on 'me' and 'we'
Listen to the PiXL Leadership Bookclub.
Subscribe on Apple Podcasts
Subscribe on Spotify
PiXL Pearls are short reflections on life and leadership which inspire, encourage, motivate and challenge thinking. The series is hosted by Rachel Johnson (PiXL CEO), who draws on literature, life and experience in leadership to explore different elements of what it is to be a good leader and how we can become even better leaders, both in and out of schools.
PiXL Pearls Podcast is a We Are In Beta Production.
PiXL is a partnership organisation of thousands of schools, colleges and alternative education providers spanning KS1-5. Find out more about how you could gain value from a PiXL subscription: https://www.pixl.org.uk/membership
