Creating Astonishment with Chicago Bears CEO Kevin Warren

27:17And I often catch myself smiling at all these little sounds that I'm taking in. And so for me, the joy of making my coffee in the morning isn't just getting to the cup of coffee, which is wonderful. But it's the sounds and the smells along the way. And again, it's not every time. It's not an obsession. it's just that these tiny little details i think make life so much more fun you know it's amazing how many times have you gone to a funeral and when either you're reading about the person's life journey their why or you hear people tell stories and you say i work with that person for 15 years 20 years yeah and i never i never knew that and so one of the things that i've challenged myself lately is to say i don't want to be surprised at any funeral and the only way you're not surprised is you got to take the time to learn that person yeah yeah because i've i've gone to funerals recently and i've gotten better over the last couple years because this has been heavy on my heart and say, I never knew that.

28:28I never, I never knew that they played the piano. Really? And you know why I didn't know it is because we were so focused on work. We didn't take the time to do it because if that's the case, we were walking through an airport. Now it makes sense because that person, we were walking through airport. And when they had a pianist in the airport, they stopped and listened because they played the piano. But because I hadn't taken the time, it would have been cool to say, why don't you sit down and play a song? Or maybe when I'm sitting there agonizing over what gifts to give them, maybe I could have gave them a Mozart concerto.

29:03I mean, there's things right there, but it comes about spending time, about putting away our phones and really getting a chance to learn what makes people tick. I have two questions. I want to know where you learned that. And to a lot of people, when they hear that, they say, Simon, look, that's all fine and good for your friends, but this is a workplace. This is professional. I don't have time or energy to start finding out about everybody's personal lives and what instruments they play. A, I'm curious when you learned it and B, what value does it provide you as a leader? I think when I learned it, there was a year in the last 18 months, I did like three eulogies, two of my brothers and my father-in-law.

29:51And it was during that period when I was preparing for those eulogies. And the one that really blew my mind is when my wife's family asked me to eulogize my father-in-law. There were things that in that research that I learned that I didn't know. And that's when it really, that's when it really hit me is that there's always so much depth to a person. And so I asked myself, two more dinners, would I've learned that? Or two more conversations, would I've learned that? Or one more trip alone, would I've learned that? And that's when I really started leaning into saying, I really want to focus on not getting in people's business, but just spending that quality time with it.

30:39That's one where I learned it. And why is it important as a leader? Because I think people will follow you with joy, not with drudgery, if they know that you really care about them, their significant other, their families, their kids, their nephew. I think people understand that. And I say it all the time, what you do for me is important, but what you do for my kids or my wife, you'll capture my heart forever. It's not giving them anything, but just even recognizing what it was. And that's when I really learned that because I think back. Now, these are the things that I think back all the time.

31:16What makes special leaders special? These are people that don't focus on the end game. They focus on the journey. And when you get people that really focus on the journey and focus on the people for not the end game and whether the end game comes or goes, that they focus on that. And that's when I started to really recognize that even more so in life, that that's really important to spend time on it. And so it makes you a better leader because those are people that I would follow. It was those leaders that truly, and I did it for a reason to try to placate me or anything, but truly do understand and take the time on it.

31:54So I know a guy named Jack Daly who he believes one of the most important thing we can do in a company is actually onboarding. because usually when somebody shows up at the first day of work, it's like, yeah, you're going to sit here. We'll set you up with HR. The tech will give you a computer. I think you need to make some meeting to fill out your insurance. That's usually what onboarding looks like. Yes, right. And when he does it, everything is ready to go on their desk. There's a pad with their name on it. There's a printed thing that says welcome. They make them feel like there was this preparation done for them on day one and makes them feel amazing.

32:32Like they do all these things for them on day one, right? But at the same time, their spouse back home, they find out their spouse's name and they send a bottle of wine or something to the house that same morning that says, we are so glad to have your spouse come work for us. Consider yourself part of our family as well. You know, blah, blah, blah, blah. So when he or she gets home from work, from the first day of work, they say, honey, you'll never believe about how amazing my first day of work was. And the spouse pulls out this bottle of wine and says, look what they sent home. And that's day one.

33:08That's day one. And that's one of the things we've tried to do here at the Chicago Bears. One thing I am, there are only a few things I'm neurotic about. But I'm neurotic. When the new employee starts, one, their name needs to be either on their door or on their cube. Their business cards need to be ready. Yep. And you need to touch someone at home. One of the things I started doing, even for our senior leadership during this process, my 18 months here of hiring people, I've been bringing in the majority of the families. There's some people, if they're open to do it, I'll bring their significant others and their children in town for the interview, just to get a sense.

33:46Because what I found, I always used to focus on early in my career, that it was the employee that you were hiring who was making the decision, but it was really the family that was making the decision. And if the significant other partner was comfortable and had a good feeling and the kids had a good feeling, then it made the transition easier. Or if they were uncomfortable, just the opposite. So I saw that in even hiring. There are some people, some couldn't do it, but that was really important to them. And even so much so that when you sit down and you have an interview with the potential employee and their partner or their significant other, That's what you want because those are the ones who are going to ask the most questions.

34:26They really have the questions that when the person we interviewed gets back home and they go, well, how'd it go? Oh, good. Well, what did you ask? I forgot to ask you. I'd rather have everyone there ask your questions. And you're hiring a whole person, right? You're hiring a whole person. Because we know this. Like if you have a bad day at work, you bring that stress home. Yes. If you're having a bad day at home, you bring that stress to work. And so you're hiring a whole person. This work-life balance thing is kind of fake, right? Right. There is no such thing as it. And so the fact that you bring the family in because the family will be affected by the stresses of the job and the job will be affected by the stresses of the family.

35:04So I love the fact that you consider the whole person even in the interview, not just in the job. That's so cool. I've never heard of that. I have my daily prayer routine. And even for our senior executives, I mean, they're significant others. They're children. and by name. And why is that important? Because the greatest thing that an employer, a leader of an organization, when I ask specific questions, it's one thing to say, how's your family doing? That's great. But when I can ask specific questions about your son or your daughter or your significant other or your partner, ask specific questions, that's how you build that relationship when you start talking to people about what's your why because then in fact and I've seen it over time and this is not why I do it and we do it is that when we really then need to shift down to that seventh or eighth gear and it may require for mom or dad to be gone or get home after midnight for 10 straight days yeah to get something built or to close a deal I found that the family at home is encouraging you to go do it because they know that we care.

36:19And on the flip side of it, when we can downshift and they can get extra time at home, go do it. Now, I'm not talking about the big stuff as far as, you know, don't miss this funeral or that funeral, whatever. But take your kids to school. You know what your kids like to eat. Go buy some deli sandwiches and just show up at your third graders class or order some pizza and go in there. Because those are the things that really, at the end of the day, back what we said when you're thinking about what matters as a young kid, those are things that you remember. I remember field trips that we took when I was in fourth grade, that my mom made a special sandwich or showed up on the bus.

37:02I mean, those are the things that you really remember. So what I'm trying to do is to help our employees here to be able to make memories. That's why I want to invite the kids here in the building. The reason why we love kids so much is because they are willing to show their astonishment. And as we mature as adults, for some reason or another, maybe it's for protection or whatever, we don't show that when we're astonished. You see a kid and they see something, a rainbow or star, and they'll go, and that's what we love so much. Yes. And so what I'm trying to do is create that environment to be able to get people to be astonished.

37:41I mean, we've lost that. So I had the opportunity to visit the Lucasfilm archive a few years ago, which I'm a Star Wars nerd. Right. Like Indiana Jones is my childhood. And like the Ark of the Covenant was there. Like I saw it. Saw it. And Jabba the Hutt was there and I saw it. Saw it, right. You know, saw him. And like all of these props from all these movies. And I was like a little kid. I lit up. To your point, that rainbow, that the astonishment. Like every time we turned a corner and I saw something, I got so visibly excited. And as a result, the archivists took me to see more and more and more.

38:20Yeah, that's right. And we were talking about the excitement. And they said that they had a bunch of bankers come through. And they knew that some of them were Star Wars fans. And they all kept their astonishment close to the vest. you know probably literally they're wearing vests um and they showed no astonishment and so they got the basic simple quick tour and then that was over and so i think this is what we forget which is our joy of life our joie de vivre the when you see the rainbow stopping to look at your own art that taking just enjoying the sounds of making coffee in the morning the smile you can get learning that someone plays the piano what we forget is that astonishment not only not only excites us, but it's actually contagious to the people around us.

39:04That's right. I did it this morning. I saw that it was, it was dark. The moon was still up and I just stood there in our living room, just looking at the moon. The other morning last week, I'm coming into office early. It's pitch black. And I literally, I pulled over and said, I got to take a picture of this. I sent it to a group of people to say that this was a full, I mean, To see a full moon. And so one thing I promised myself is I'm going to allow myself, because it's in all of us, to really be astonished. And I think when you can be astonished, then life is special. A sunset, a view. Like I pulled my car over to like stare at a sunset.

39:47Didn't even take a picture. I just pulled my car over just because I was going to crash otherwise because I was looking out the side window. And I think this is what I love about you. I've never been able to put my finger on it. You're this remarkable human being. You've accomplished so much. And I think people admire you for your accomplishments and you're a remarkable problem solver. I know some of the problems you face in work and your creativity at solving problems is, we haven't even touched on any of them. But I think this is what it is, which is whenever I'm around you, your energy for life is absolutely contagious.

40:22And I find myself wanting to get more out of life just as soon as I get to spend some time with you. And this is what it is. It's this word. I love it. It's astonishment. That there are things in the world that are astonishing. And we are surrounded by people and experiences that are astonishing. And there's astonishment to be found everywhere. I stopped the other day and just stared at a cardinal. Have you ever really looked at a bird the cardinal? I mean, do you know what I mean? Yes, I have, actually. No, I mean, really, and the other day, you know, because when I was going through that rough patch with my accident, I remember, you know, I was wondering, what is life?

41:07Is it worth living? What does it mean? How long is this journey back? And I remember I saw a cardinal, so I've always loved cardinals, the bird, and the other day, I saw one, and I just, I took about, and it was almost like, the bird knew I was looking at it because it stayed steady there and I was looking at the colors and you know the little as I call it the little mohawk that they have and to think about that I mean the colors of a cardinal it just it does it like it's like looking at a rainbow and I'm just every time I see one I'm just astonished at the colors and how that comes out in that same color every single time.

41:49And it astonished me. I mean, it really is. And so I just think that's one, if you ask me two attributes that if people had that this world would be even more special than it is, that would be astonishment and just curiosity. But astonishment is an incredible attribute and incredible gift. So there's a thing that I did for a while, where we can calculate the average of when we're supposed to die, right? We know what that average age is. And we can just count backwards and we know how many years we have. And if you want, you can calculate the weeks or the days, right? Like we know these things.

42:28And so what I did was I calculated how many more weeks I have statistically on the planet. And I filled a fishbowl with marbles. I counted out the marbles that each marble represented a week. And so this fishbowl contained how many statistical weeks I have left on the planet. And then next to it, I put an empty fishbowl. And at the end of every week, at the end of every Sunday night, I would lift up one marble and say, was this a week worth living? And I got to decide what the standards were. And my standard was I had to have inspired somebody, right? Was this a week worth living? And if the answer is yes, it went into the empty fishbowl.

43:08And if the answer was no, I threw the marble in the garbage. Wow. Because I wasted the marble. I wasted the week. You know, and you could do it for the day. You could do it for the – and your standards are your own standards. You can be, you know, whatever worth it is. And I'm very proud to say that old Simon would have calculated my productivity per marble. And reformed Simon was am I giving to the world? Am I expending energy for the good of others? Whether it's a friend, whether it's a stranger, whether it's a colleague. you know and did i make someone else find value in life because because i was there you know yes or i did something my work doesn't count my work just is out there doing whatever my work does it has to be me you know and it's uh it made me more self-aware to be curious i stopped doing it because like everything in my life with adhd nothing lasts forever i do something for a few weeks or a few months and then it goes away.

44:05But I did it for a long time before it stopped. I still have the bowls and the marbles. That's the funny thing. You could do it with football helmets. You could fill football helmets. That's a good idea. Did the bears do something of value to the world? To the world. That's right. There you go. One more question. What is something you've done in your career? One specific thing, a project, it doesn't matter. It doesn't even have to have been commercially successful, but something that you were a part of that if you look back and say, if everything that I do for the rest of my life was like this one project was like this one thing, I'd be the happiest person alive.

44:43Wow. That's a powerful question. I would, uh, there've been a couple of times at the Rose bowl, my last Rose bowl at the big 10. So it would have been January 2nd, 2023. Okay. Because I started here in April. Joe Klatt, who's a broadcaster, you know, on Fox, he had a son. This young man was the most mature young person I've ever met. I mean, he'd be literally like he wants to be a pastor. He's a young guy. I mean, it was stunning to me how shocked it was. and I remember that he moved my spirit so much in our suite at the Rose Bowl. Joe brought his son by to say hello. I keep this praying cross in my pocket.

45:33I've done it, I bet you, for the last 20 years. I keep this cross in my pocket and been around the world with me. I've been through a couple of them, but I remember I reached in my pocket because it's just the spirit movement. and I actually had nothing to do with football. I gave it to his son. And I remember back to astonishment, his words to me were really powerful. And I think it's been just multiple of those incidents. I could be out and have a pin and know that I meet a fan. It has nothing to do with football, but to share that, or a shirt or a jersey, all these different things. But just even recently here at the Bears, There was a young lady who was from Wisconsin who wrote me a letter about everybody in her family loved the Packers, but she was the only one that loved the Bears.

46:27I don't know if you'll ever get this or write me back, but not only did I write her back, but I invited her and her whole family up to a game, you know, last year. And again, just being able to connect with fans like that to be able to spread this thing that we call the National Football League and the Chicago Bears into areas to touch children and kids and families, you know, in a manner that ordinarily I wouldn't get a chance to do if I worked a kind of normal day job. And to be able to see her on the sideline with her Bears gear on that we sent, you know, proud to be a member of the Chicago Bears, especially coming from Wisconsin.

47:06And then Howard always say these games, it brings families together. And that's why even building a new stadium, it's just not a building. I said that will be a place where a person will say, boy, that was the last time I spent a weekend with mom or dad or grandpa or grandma or my son or daughter or nephew was at a Chicago Bears game. Or do you remember that's when we when we brought our person to a Bears game, they had such a great time. They ended up accepting a job in Chicago. And now they've lived here for this many years. And so it'll be much more than a building. What was it about giving the kid the cross that that memory stands out so much to you that you want to talk about it now?

47:43Yeah, I think what was about it was the fact that it was almost like the game was the event that brought us there. And it was going on in the background. But there were so many more things that we had an opportunity to change people's lives there. And I think, you know, you ask about it, what makes sports so special? What's the gravitational pull to sports? Yeah, it may be the colors. Yeah, it may be, you know, the talent that we see. but there's almost different layers. It would be similar to going and watching opera, listening to music in your ear and having a conversation at the same time. It's just multi-layered.

48:29And that's why I'm sensitive about the food and the beverages and the ambience and the environment and the gear and the colors and the music. You know, I've said the great Bud Grant, who was a iconic coach at the Vikings for many years who God God rest his soul he says something to me Kevin he said do you realize sports is what's kept the national anthem alive he said tell me another time that you hear the national anthem and I thought about it says sporting events and so when I go to sporting events always look at that there's about 12 or 15 different layers of what's going on you know in it all with the game as the as the kind of the centerpiece and And so I think that's what happens.

49:11And it brings, I just believe that it has a chance for, back to what we said before, it allows people to spend time that you could spend. And, you know, Simon, and I was thinking now that you've said this, I grew up in Tempe, Arizona. My father was a professor at Arizona State. And this is something, hopefully I won't get choked up on it, on my dad's literally when he was ill toward the end of his life. I flew to see him in Phoenix. And I told him, I said, Dad, I got about 10 questions that I've been holding my whole life. that I just got to ask you, I should do a book on that one day. And so I had this list of questions.

49:45One of them, I said, I got to ask you a question. Why did you park so far away when we went to Arizona State football games? You know, because he would park a mile away. I mean, literally a mile away. And as a young kid, you know, and then even after my accident, that was like a long walk. We walk him out of the game, go to the game, then we have to walk. I said, why did you do that? I mean, you were a professor. We could have got somewhere on campus. And he said, because it was to spend time with you. And so I was thinking about it was, you know, he was trying to be efficient with his money and get a cheap parking space.

50:19He said, that was a guaranteed way that I could hold your hand for my walk to the stadium in a mile walk home. And so I just started thinking for all of us, you know, with the personal people in your lives and everyone's personal people in their life. What are some things we can do to be able to get that mile walk with someone that they would be thinking about for the rest of their lives? So, you know, those are things. So it wasn't even about going to the football game. That was his way of just spending time. And at the end of the day, you know what people want more than anything? And now as a parent, as my kids get older, you know, you're, when you have kids, you think that your kids will want your protection and your money.

51:02So you work like an animal just to create that. And when you get older, you recognize what they really want is your time. That's all they really want. Because if you invest enough time in your kids or your significant others, all the other accoutrements in life, the houses, the cars, the trips, the money and all that stuff, it comes along really easy, but no one tells us that, you know, I just, you know, because there's no guidebook of when you become a parent, there's no guidebook when you get married, you know, you just kind of just get it and you go. I mean, you do a little counseling here and there, but no one sits down.

51:38So that's what I try to do to those young people are doing that journey. And now I'm just trying to really give people time. So when you shared that with me about the cell phone, it really resonated with me. And one way you can say, tell someone you care about them, especially in this world, especially in my position, when I sit in a meeting and I don't have my phone, I've had people come meet with me like, hey, where's your phone? I'm like, it's in my briefcase. It's off. You're important. I can tell you, based on everything we've talked about today and just from knowing you, you are your father.

52:11You have become your father. And you are working tirelessly to create these experiences for people, to create these long walks, whether it's coming to a football game or showing them art on your wall or giving them your cross, that you are finding these opportunities and finding these moments to be fully present with people and allow them to be fully present with you and fully present with each other and fully present with their loved ones. And I think that you have become your father, which is you are creating long walks for everybody to spend time with people they love. It is your gift to the world.

52:43It's nothing short of inspiring. I can tell you that. Even with me, you're like, bring your nephew, you said to me. You didn't say, hey, come to the stadium someday. Nobody says that to me. People say, hey, Simon, you should come for a game someday. Your invitation was, hey, Simon, you should bring your family to a game someday. You are constantly encouraging others to include the people who they love in the magic of their lives. And it is your gift to the world. You were exceptional at it. And the world and our lives are better off having you in it. I can tell you that. And I'll close with this, Simon.

53:22Part of the reason why I became a lawyer, I had a dear friend in college, and her brother was a clerk in the Supreme Court. And they let me look in some of the judges' offices. I'm a 17-year-old freshman at the University of Pennsylvania. There's no lawyers in our neighborhood. There's no lawyers in my family. And I was a pre-med major at the time, but it changed the trajectory of my life. When you start looking in Supreme Court Justice's office and see where Thurgood Marshall worked and never met him. And so that's why I'm so conscientious here. And I tell May, who's been with me for 34 years.

54:05If a young person comes by this office on a tour and they want to see where I work, let them in, let them sit in the chair. Because when they read my journey, I didn't come from wealth. I didn't come from money. I didn't come from private education or boarding schools or whatever. And if I've been blessed to be able to do it, they can do it. But part of it is seeing it. And that's why when we talk about your nephew, your nephew may go on a field before a game at a Bears game and feel the roar of a crowd, who knows what that sends him to do. He may be an owner in the NFL. He could be commissioner one day.

54:38He may coach. He may play. He may be a referee. He may create technology that we use one day. But I believe if you can put people in an environment where they can become astonished, the magic that is made not only in that instance, but 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 40, 50 years down the road is cataclysmic. And I think that's what I strive to do every day. Yeah. Finding times to astonish people. Well, you're a genius at it. Kevin, I love you so much. Thank you so much for taking the time. Simon, I love and appreciate you beyond words. I look forward to our next moment together. I pray you have safe travels.

55:17I just can't wait. And I just love you. I mean, I just so grateful that you've astonished me and that you just keep astonishing people around the world. And I truly want to tell you I love you. I mean it. So I love you. Be safe. Thank you, my friend.

55:34If you enjoyed this podcast and would like to hear more, please subscribe wherever you like to listen to podcasts. And if you'd like even more optimism, check out my website, simonsynic.com, for classes, videos, and more. Until then, take care of yourself, take care of each other. A Bit of Optimism is a production of The Optimism Company. It's produced and edited by Lindsay Garbenius, David Jha, and Devin Johnson. Our executive producers are Henrietta Conrad and Greg Rudershan.