John Ferguson: ‘Hire the Attitude, Train the Skill’

The green flag waves. Dozens of engines roaring at more than 500 horsepower shake the earth. Tens of thousands of spectators who have waited in anticipation for this moment holler and take in the burning rubber as millions more watch on at home. It’s a Sunday—and the start of NASCAR ’s top-flight Cup Series race.

For the sport’s devoted fans, the tactile excitement and high-speed drama is what they have been waiting for all week. But for John Ferguson, NASCAR’s chief human resources officer, it’s like any other American business that’s trying to grow.

“We’re all about innovating and cutting edge,” Ferguson told MSH CEO Oz Rashid on the “Hire Learning” podcast. “So whether that’s … what can we do to grow our fan base? What can we do to attract new people to the sport? What can we do to maintain our current fan base? All of those things can coexist.”

Ferguson’s mission is part of a broader strategy to cultivate a new and diverse customer base beyond NASCAR’s historical home in the Southeast. That includes non-traditional races at the Los Angeles Coliseum and a new street event in downtown Chicago, the Grant Park 220 in July.

“One of the things that we’re really excited about from this past year’s Daytona 500 was that we had one of the most diverse ownership groups racing,” John Ferguson, SHRM-CP, PHR said. Minority NASCAR team owners include all-time sports greats Michael Jordan and boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr., as well as rapper Pitbull and former NBA player Brad Daugherty.

“I want everyone to understand that this is a signal of where we’re going as a sport,” Ferguson added.

As NASCAR wants to connect with a wider set of new fans, it also strives to lead by example.

Ferguson sees the value in betting on people’s potential and personality as a way to build and develop a company’s culture.

“Hire the attitude, train the skill,” he said. “There’s certain interpersonal things that you just can’t teach. But I think if you have someone that’s coachable and willing to learn and be a sponge, you can go far.”