Change is a Constant

On today's episode of Master of None, Clifford talks to Ted Kergan about the evolution of life and business, as well as themes of team-work and collaboration. The perfect storm sometimes occurs in our lives - it's what we do in the midst of great trials that proves our true leadership.

You can learn more about Clifford Hudson and Master of None here: https://cliffordhudson.com/podcast

Show Produced by Terra Firma Audio: https://www.terrafirmaaudio.com

Show Notes

On today's episode of Master of None, Clifford talks to Ted Kergan about the evolution of life and business, as well as themes of team-work and collaboration. The perfect storm sometimes occurs in our lives - it's what we do in the midst of great trials that proves our true leadership. 

Ted Kergan, one of Sonic’s most successful franchisees in the U. S., began his career with SONIC in 1977 as general manager of an Alexandria, LA location. Today, Ted is CEO of Kergan Bros. Sonic, which owns 60 Sonic locations across Central and South Louisiana, and employs more than 4,000 people each year. Ted Kergan attended college for one day and then dropped out to go to work for two reasons: he had to work to make ends meet and he was more interested in making money. “I was so broke that I couldn’t pay attention,” Ted Kergan jokingly recounts.

You can learn more about Clifford Hudson and Master of None here: https://cliffordhudson.com/podcast 

Show Produced by Terra Firma Audio: https://www.terrafirmaaudio.com

Music credited to Cody Francis.

What is Master of None with Clifford Hudson?

In the Master of None podcast the former CEO of Sonic, Clifford Hudson, challenges established thinking, offering counterintuitive career advice essential for every professional at all levels, whether you're just starting out or in the middle of your career.

In his bestselling Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell introduced readers to the 10,000-hour rule—the foundation of success in any endeavor. But as Clifford Hudson reveals, there are serious pitfalls to this rule. What happens to those who spend years trying to achieve something that doesn’t quite pan out? Do you really have to grind down the same path for many years, sacrificing priorities to become successful?

Hudson asks whether or not mastery is even necessary to succeed. Most people don't need to be experts in their field. Yes, the successful know more than the average person about a particular topic, and they often possess a better-than-average ability with a particular skillset; but not everyone who is successful is an expert, he makes clear.

More importantly, in today’s technology-driven environment, change is the only constant, including the nature of work and the skills required to do it. Over-investing in expertise is often riskier than learning to be adaptive and open to new knowledge, ideas, and skills. Experience can also lead to overconfidence. And yet we continue to deeply value the expertise ideal.