#300: Mike Scully – Janitor to Simpson’s Showrunner

We chat about the Simpsons and being a show runner, leadership style and empowerment, moving to LA, his many ‘odd’ jobs, cancelled shows and rejection, false promises, Everybody loves Raymond, creating shows, art vs the business, doing comedy after Robin Williams, point of view, working on Parks and Recreation, moving forward plus much more!

I love how Mike talks about how he was initially scared to speak up in the Simpsons writing room but eventually mustered the strength to express his ideas. He gave us a great example where he had a great joke in mind but wasn’t able to express it and then someone else pitched the same joke and it was received well with a laugh. I love this story because it reminds all of us that success often lies just beyond the edge of our fears. Often, we stay silent holding back our ideas out of fear of rejection, humiliation, or simply falling short. It’s a great lesson for all of us because when we try and protect ourselves from failure and or fear, we also block ourselves from possible success.