Bumpers, Bets, and Context: Paul Hanges’ Approach to Decision-Making

In this episode of The Cred Podcast, host Mack McKelvey chats about decision-making with Paul Hanges, CEO of JibJab, where the mission is to spread joy.

Paul believes in empowering his team to make decisions by acting as the “bumper” in the bowling lane—guiding them while providing the context necessary for them to see the bigger picture. He explains, “I’m going to guide you to knock down the pins and make sure you’re not veering off course, but I’m not here to do the work for you.”

Rejecting hustle culture, Paul embraces hyper-prioritization, keeping his schedule as open as possible to support his team and maintain a healthy work-life balance.

When it comes to navigating outcomes, Paul draws on his experience playing poker, saying you need to divorce yourself from the idea that the outcomes determine whether a decision was right.  Instead, it’s all about embracing data (to a degree), core values, context, and risk tolerance.

From managing an emotional piggyback to leading the fondly dubbed “cockroach of the internet,” Paul shares his professorial take on leadership and decision-making, both big and small.