Who Is Michael Ovitz?

by Michael Ovitz

We had group meetings every day, and sometimes twice a day, to ensure that we were all on song. I also did rounds twice a day, like a doctor, carrying a sheaf of papers so it looked like I was going into a meeting—when actually I was gauging the general mood and taking note of anyone who seemed out of sorts. I viewed our people as my children, and for the first ten years I’d call every employee who didn’t show up at work to make sure they were okay and to see if they needed anything, from chicken soup to a good divorce lawyer. I did it out of concern, but I also wanted them to know I was keeping a watchful eye. Our idea was to make everyone feel that our building was a comfort zone—and to balance that with a little anxiety should they step outside the building. We wanted the “Don’t cross those guys!” message to be as obvious as a flashing sign at the border.

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