“It’s our job to make sure that we hire someone who is the right fit. Because not being a good fit is a terrible thing for someone who you offer a job to.”

In this episode, Craig Anderson sits down with Jack MacKenzie, President of CollegeAPP to discuss his journey as a leader and the lessons he’s learned from building successful teams. Jack reflects on stepping into his first major leadership role as a student body president and leading a fast-growing company, sharing insights on hiring challenges, why a 50% success rate can be a win, and the importance of addressing misalignment early. He also emphasizes the power of creating a vision that inspires belief and drives alignment, offering practical advice for cultivating transparency, trust, and accountability within teams.

After You Listen:

• Connect with Jack MacKenzie on LinkedIn
• Connect with Craig on LinkedIn
• Subscribe to Craig’s "The Evolving Leader" newsletter

Key Takeaways:

• Trust your instincts in hiring; red and yellow flags often point to deeper alignment issues
• Lead with vision and conviction to inspire belief and motivate teams toward shared goals
• Balance vulnerability and confidence to build trust while staying true to your vision

Things to listen for:

(00:00) Intro

(01:52) The lightning round

(09:36) Believing so strongly others follow naturally

(13:13) Lessons from leading a student government

(15:39) Biggest takeaways on building strong teams

(22:30) Spotting red flags and trusting your gut

(28:14) Why leaders shouldn’t take themselves seriously