‘It was a brutal experience to work for Harvey Weinstein' | Tina Brown | Big Think

TL;DR

A cautionary tale of working with Harvey Weinstein, emphasizing the importance of due diligence and setting boundaries.

Transcript

well in 1998 I left the New Yorker to go and work with Harvey Weinstein as a partner to launch a new magazine called Talk magazine of course looking back could I have chosen a worse partner than Harvey Weinstein but what one forgets it's easy to forget is that the Harvey Weinstein I went to work work with was the Harvey Weinstein who had just done ... Read More

Key Insights

• ✋ Due diligence is crucial before entering into partnerships, especially with high-profile individuals.
• 😫 Setting boundaries and recognizing warning signs in business relationships can prevent potential abuse or mistreatment.
• ❓ In difficult situations, it is important to prioritize personal values and commitments over professional demands.
• 🤳 Experience with challenging individuals like Weinstein can provide valuable lessons in self-worth and business ethics.

Questions & Answers

Q: What initially attracted the speaker to work with Harvey Weinstein?

The speaker was drawn to Weinstein's success in commercializing quality content and believed he could help bring a similar approach to a new magazine project.

Q: How did the speaker describe Weinstein's behavior in the workplace?

Weinstein displayed extreme bullying behavior, using profanity, shouting, and humiliating staff, which was shocking and unsettling for the speaker.

Q: What lessons did the speaker learn from her experience with Weinstein?

The speaker emphasized the importance of thorough due diligence, setting strong boundaries, and recognizing warning signs in potential partners based on her experience with Weinstein.

Q: How did the speaker handle Weinstein's disrespectful treatment during meetings?

The speaker refused to tolerate disrespect for her time and family commitments by setting boundaries, such as not taking meetings after 3:30 pm to prioritize her children.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Initially attracted by Weinstein's success at commercializing quality content, the reality was starkly different as he displayed bullying behavior.

• Despite not being a victim of sexual harassment, the experience was brutal and unsettling due to Weinstein's bullying and volatility.

• Lessons learned include the necessity of thorough due diligence, setting strong boundaries, and recognizing warning signs in potential partners.