Listen to “#846 Business Men Explained” on Spreaker.
On this episode of The Small Business Radio Show…
What make men tick? Many people would tell you it’s not that complicated and that is exactly what my guest believes.
Tom Sturges is a veteran music executive, author, mentor, educator, inventor, and public speaker. Over his more than thirty-five years in the music industry, he served as president of Chrysalis Music, EVP and Head of Creative for Universal Music Publishing Group, and VP/GM of Shaquille O’Neal’s TWIsM Records. Tom’s signings include Smashing Pumpkins, Foo Fighters, Outkast, Jack Johnson, 3 Doors Down, and Katrina & The Waves. Selling a combined 275 million albums and 46 million singles, in addition to registering over 3 billion views and streams, the writers and artists signed by Tom have composed twenty-six #1 singles and have received twenty-four Grammy Awards so far.
Tom has written five books and his latest book, “Men Explained, Finally”.
Here is what we discussed:
There two simple facts: Men are much more like other men than they would probably like to admit, and as noted before, Men are fourteen, forever.
While a lot of people (okay, women) find men to be childish, immature, and often unwilling to make the slightest effort to grow up, Tom argues that maybe that’s one of men’s superpowers.
Men aim to please. “We love pleasing. We are, by and large, givers,” Tom attests. But there’s a catch: “We have to be asked nicely. It’s a must. A request cannot sound like an order or a demand. Or worse, like some command.”
Men love forever. Men never forget the perfect thrill of a first crush or early love affairs. Trying to re-ignite an old flame? That’s pure idiocy. “When it comes to old loves, men much prefer their memories to their realities,” Tom notes. “There is a reason we call it ‘Glory Days.’”
Men compartmentalize. Why are men so good at putting messy stuff into boxes? For men, compartmentalization is a defense mechanism—a system for coping with life’s complications and disappointments. “So,” Tom advises women, “if a man has gotten lost in one of his boxes, be patient. Let him find himself again, on his timeline, not yours.”
Men are heroes. While they don’t always put themselves in danger, as when they put out fires, most men are brave, selfless, and heroic in other ways. How about taking the family camping? Or cleaning out the rain gutters? “Please try to remember this next time we forget your birthday,” Tom says.
Men are geniuses and idiots. Even brilliant men can be foolish sometimes, Tom admits. “Most of the time, we are blissfully unaware of which of these positions we might be in, while pretending to be great at everything and hoping no one is noticing that we are only good at a few things.” It all goes back to Tom’s premise that inside every man is a fourteen-year-old boy.
