Not many CEOs can say that they've learned more about corporate management from underprivileged children than from Harvard MBAs, but that's one of the keys to Jim McCann's remarkable success. President of 1-800-Flowers.com, he transformed a struggling $500,000 company into a $300 million industry leader. And he did it with a management style based on his understanding of human behavior learned as a social worker rather than the focus on business behavior taught in most business schools. McCann is that rare corporate leader who recognizes that management consists of more than keeping track of profit and revenue. It requires an understanding of people, what McCann calls a "contact economy." It also requires an eclectic approach to business, rather than rigid adherence to any one school of thought. And that applies to any industry, whether it be flowers, insurance or making cars.
The world's largest florist, 1-800-Flowers.com, operates through three "access channels" (the 1-800 telephone number, a growing chain of retail outlets and the pioneering internet site), and McCann has proven himself a visionary with all three. His interactive division, in particular, is a model for profitability and business expansion through the Internet.
McCann's unconventional philosophies have earned him great demand as a corporate speaker. He is an active lecturer on business and social issues, addressing audiences for such prestigious corporations as AT&T, IBM and Inc. 500, as well as numerous national and community organizations. Building on a deep respect for corporate culture, partnership and management-by-involvement, he translates his experiences into a case study for success in today's accelerated business climate, where change is the watchword and rules are made to be broken.
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