Mike Dorrell grew up in Griffith, Australia — a farming town in New South Wales where kids played rugby league in the winter and cricket in the summer, and where “hustle” was a family value. Fast forward to today and that same small-town kid is on Wall Street, where he built one of the most respected careers in the industry.
But the story of how he got to be Chairman, CEO and Co-Founder of Stonepeak isn’t about pedigree. It’s about the people who kept him honest.
To this day, when Mike has to prepare for a high-stakes meeting– like the year he interviewed President George W. Bush in front of his firm’s investors– he prepares by running the whole thing with his younger brother Benjamin. Not a coach. Not a media consultant. His brother. For Mike, the best preparation isn’t just about knowing the material. It’s about rehearsing it until it feels like a conversation, not a performance.
“Because when you are the leader of the team, your whisper is heard as a shout everywhere around the organization,” Mike shared, quoting an early mentor..
In this conversation, Mike shares:
RESOURCES
"Don is one of the best storytellers I’ve ever met. I’ve known him for a long time and every time we talk I walk away wiser and more inspired. He is the best in the business at teaching you a skill – storytelling – that will last you a lifetime.”
“The ability for athletes to get hired is carried on through you because you are putting out the message that lessons learned from sports are important in life. It is embedded in this podcast, what you’re doing is significant.”
We speak the same language. I am inspired by the stories you tell, the people you have met, and the things you’ve done. Those of us that are competitors like to follow others that have been down that journey, so it is always fun talking to you!”
“Many of the leaders I have worked with were excellent athletes, and I think there is a direct correlation. You’re one of the few people that really has pursued this study, Don. Keep up the great work. What you are doing really makes a difference.”
“Don, you have mastered the skill of interviewing and asking great questions. That is a great skill all leaders need in order to understand their team members’ thought processes.”
Sign up to receive Don Yaeger’s weekly leadership contributions, and be the first to listen to new Corporate Competitor Podcast episodes.