Milwaukee Bucks president Peter Feigin joins Marquette University president Michael Lovell and BizTimes Media managing editor Arthur Thomas on Leadership Lens, a monthly podcast that features southeastern Wisconsin business leaders discussing how they approach their work. On this episode, Feigin discusses his career journey, from working with Arthur Ashe to Madison Square Garden to the circumstances that brought him to Milwaukee. He also touches on the power of sports as a common language, the Bucks recent coaching changes, how he makes decisions and the untapped potential for Milwaukee.
On the Bucks coaching change
Feigin said the decision to fire former head coach Adrian Griffin and then hire Doc Rivers was an example of the team’s ownership and leadership realizing things were not on the right course and acting to figure out a solution.
“As a group we kind of agreed directionally we weren’t going where we wanted to be going,” Feigin said. “And we happened to be in this moment in time, this fragile moment in time, where we really have the prospect of winning a championship at a professional level, which happens so rarely. And really pinpointing the right chemistry, the right leaders and stuff sometimes is a real challenge.”
Feigin noted that ultimately both he and Lovell are in the “human business” and it isn’t easy to get them chemistry just right.
“That’s really the toughest challenge of how do you stay very consistent, empathetic and direct on where we’re going to go,” Feigin said. “And by the way, it’s not going to be easy, it’s just not.”
On making decisions
Feigin said he loves the operational side of the business and probably gets involved in issues that he should leave to others, or at least should wait until the issue comes to him.
“One of my critical things I continue to solve is how to not be as micro,” he said.
As for making decisions, his approach is to understand the rationale, the expected results, the plan for communicating the decision and how success will be measured.
“For better or worse, I usually don’t spend an exorbitant amount of time on decisions, knowing that I think by the time it gets to me, it’s 90% right,” Feigin said.
On what makes Milwaukee special
Feigin highlighted the people in Milwaukee as one of the things that makes the city special. He recalled arriving in Milwaukee and having meetings with a variety of stakeholders. Many would offer to help if he needed anything. Feigin was familiar with that offer from other cities and other meetings, but “here, they actually mean it.”
As for what else makes the city special, Feigin pointed to “the opportunity.”
“This is a place that is just recognizing who we can be and how we can grow and what the opportunities are,” he said.
