Thursday, August 6, 2009

Thursday Notes - 20/20 Hindsight

6:00pm I'm often asked about the participant characteristics I considered when assembling the current Jellie team. In addition to maturity and general professionalism which I've discussed previously, I'd have to say that the other greatest attribute was the ability to provide a unique skill or perspective that would compliment that of other Jellies, and which would help increase the probability that the team would indeed be stronger than its individual parts.

To illustrate, here's a glimpse of former (or current supplemental) Jellie occupations:

Software Developer
Psychologist
Real Estate Broker
Engineer
Photographer
Info Systems Executive
Sports Broadcaster & Former NFL Quarterback
Professional Tennis Player
Accountant
Aerospace Manager
Telecom Executive
Grain Trader
Floor Trader
Prop Shop Owner & Instructor
Small Business Retailer

Most, if not all of the Jellies have been successful in other parts of their lives ... some incredibly successful on a very public stage. And it's been fun during this "inauguration" week to see the participants begin to transition skills that served them very well in their past into this competitive endeavor of trading. And I'm finding as the team gets to know each other better and open up (not a problem for this team), the varied individual strengths are indeed being transferred to both the team and to other members.

While it's still early, it's been particularly fascinating to watch the evolution of our two athletes ... who would be the first to admit they're in the process of "unlearning" bad habits. Yet I'm finding such "reprogramming" has already begun to take root (long-term Bamboo analogy quite possible) as one of them has already had some of the better selected and managed trades of the team.

It's also been satisfying to see the power of locking such a mature group in the tank and simply focusing on the tasks at hand. No hype. No CNBC. No kiddie Internet complainers. No disgruntled "on-the-edge" traders. Just pure focus and an incredibly positive energy level. No doubt there's a reason these people have been successful elsewhere.

And as I see the various light bulbs go off, I only have two questions ...

Why the heck didn't I think of doing this of this sooner, and why did I even question for a single moment if this was the right thing to do.

Yet I suppose hindsight is indeed 20-20.

If only the road ahead was always as clear as the rearview mirror.