A real shame about Michael Jackson.  You probably have been way oversaturated by all the media coverage of his unfortunate demise.  Can I take a turn - on a more positive note?  No scandal.  No judgment.  Just a reminiscence of Michael Jackson's talent.  And how it applies to recruiting.

No matter what you thought of the man personally, Michael Jackson embodied dance.  When he took the stage, it was impossible to take your eyes off him.  He became the visual form of sound.  He was born with the talent to dance.  One of the most vivid reminders of this is his 1983 music video - Thriller.

Thriller - the video was ground breaking at the time.  Instead of the typical music video, it was actually a short subject film - a mini-horror film spoof.  (It was almost fourteen minutes long.) It was produced on a budget of $500,000 and sold 9 million copies. It first appeared on MTV on December 2, 1983. Since then it has won a Grammy and four MTV Music Awards.  Of course, everyone's attention was riveted on the star, the very, talented Michael Jackson.  But when I viewed it again this week - I realized that the entire production was supported on every level by exceptional talent. Funny how a 26 year perspective  reveals so many things.

• World-renowned Quincy Jones produced the Thriller album which has sold 104 million copies worldwide - the most popular album ever sold. The title cut was the centerpiece for the video. (Jones hasreceived 79 nominations andwon 27 Grammys.)
• John Landis directed the action and co-wrote the script and produced the video with Michael. (Landis also directed National Lampoon's Animal House, The Blues Brothers and An American Werewolf in London.)
• Elmer Bernstein composed the "scary music" to set the mood. (Bernstein had scored The Great Escape, The Ten Commandments, The Magnificent Seven, which was also used as the theme for the Marlboro cigarette commercial, and wrote the title song to Ghost Busters. He was an Academy Award, Grammy and Golden Globe Winner.)
• Rick Baker was in charge of make-up. (Rick Baker's first film was The Exorcist. He also worked on An American Werewolf in London and Men in Black. He's also an Academy Award winner.)
• Vincent Price was a famous actor from the horror film genre. He was asked to do a "sinister rap" and a wicked, haunting laugh at the end. (From 1938 to 1993 he was in numerous films and TV shows including the original House on Haunted Hill, The Fly and Edward Scissorhands.)
• Michael Peters choreographed the dance sequences with Michael. (Peters had previously worked with Donna Summer, Pat Benatar and Lionel Richie. He also collaborated with Michael on the Beat It video.) See video of Peters, Jackson and Landis in rehearsal. The Making of Thriller
• Ola Ray co-starred in the video. (Ola Ray was a Playboy centerfold in 1980.)

This was definitely a dream team ensemble.  Who was responsible for bringing them together?  All this incredible talent.  John Landis?  Michael Jackson? (Networking was evident.  Landis, Bernstein and Baker all worked on An American Werewolf in London.)  The best really want to work with the best.   Whoever it was, orchestrated the most successful, memorable music video that was ever made. 

In our best form, that's what we do.  Find the very best talent and bring them together. 

Where and how can you build a dream team?