As I was sitting there I couldn’t help but think how I’d love to have this bloke working for me. He just blew me away with how down to earth and smart he was, and really encapsulated the values of an ideal employee for any business.
You can understand why Hollywood directors love having him work for them.
After the success of ‘Avatar’ and ‘Clash of the Titans’, Sam Worthington definitely won’t need to search hard for a job any time soon. But I reckon both bosses and employees could learn a lot from his attitude to his work.
1. Always critique your own performance
Sam Worthington has always been openly critical of his own performance in “Clash Of the Titans’, so I quizzed him about this.He said he was embarrassed by his performance in that movie, that he didn’t think he did the character justice, that he didn’t connect with viewers, and that he did a poor job. He explained the reason he’s doing the ‘Clash of the Titans’ sequel is that he wants to do it better and fix what he did wrong in the first movie.
When I said to him that most actors blame a poor performance on a director or screenwriter, he told me “sometimes you just gotta man up, and take responsibility”.A great employee will always assess their own performance on a project and, if they haven’t met their own expectations, will not try to blame anyone else. They take responsibility, and make up for it.
2. Incredibly loyal
Avatar was a turning point in Worthington’s career, and he knows it better than anyone. He explains that he will always be indebted to Avatar director James Cameron who had enough faith in him to give him such a role that ignited his career. As a result, he told me he’ll always be loyal to James, always thankful for the opportunity he gave him, and will work with him any time, including on the Avatar sequel.
It’s so important for an employee to feel positively about their employer, because employees are often a company’s number one sales person and billboard. The onus is on both the employer to ensure a good work environment is created, and the employee to recognise the investment that the business has made in them.
3. Don't get carried away with success
Sam Worthington is a bloke who doesn’t have a phone; he lives out of suitcases and has no Hollywood mansion (although he has just bought himself a place in Hawaii). He says he’s the same person that he was before finding Hollywood stardom, and he is vehemently protective of his friends, family and lifestyle. He keeps out of the limelight, never has any gossip or scandal about him (or in the gossip magazines), and he relies very much on long term friends and family.
Employees should always take a leaf out of the Worthington book. No matter how successful someone is, you can never let yourself get too cocky or forget the relationships that helped you achieve success. A business is a team, and we all know how many “I”’s are in team! (But in case you don’t, the answer’s none)
4. Add value to your corporate culture
While he’s very committed to work and critical of his performances, Worthington maintains that sense of fun and cheekiness that would make him endearing to his colleagues. Despite his success he’s still just a rough and tumble bloke who would respect a colleague whether they were a superstar actor or stagehand on a movie. He’s someone others would look up to.
Hard work and dedication is one thing, but to really make a mark on the world you’ve got to be able to build personal relationships and know how to interact with people. Not only does it benefit your company, it will help you get ahead in your professional life.
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