LESSONS FOR LEADERSHIP
Now is the time of the disruptor. Big Tech, of course, disrupting industries and business models, pioneered by Silicon Valley. CEOs of all stripes are introducing new products and services, some truly revolutionary. Geopolitically, larger-than-life figures have made major policy decisions that will affect us all. A female human rights attorney who marries a male actor becomes more celebrated than the actor. Consultants with many different kinds of expertise appear regularly as bloggers and talking heads on cable TV. These leaders and experts have a confidence, sometimes a swagger. Is this what you need to succeed in the business world? Is all publicity good publicity? Do you have to be a bully or a disruptor to succeed?
Clearly not. In fact, interestingly, quite recently, I’ve noticed a trend for corporate executives at a senior level to be much more affable, as if a switch to the spirit of the times has been clicked; perhaps leaders are reacting to the strongman model and pushing back in their own way. However this works out in terms of individual style, it shows to me that many people are confident and intentional about their goals. In the world of ethics and compliance we would probably use the phrase “trusted adviser,” “senior counselor,” or “problem solver” to describe them. Inspired by the creativity I see around me, here are some additional thoughts based on my reading and experience:
Keep a Tight Focus on Your Goals.
This may seem self-evident, but we can all point to countless examples of compliance plans that were neglected after the first month, or practitioners who lost track of their career goals. Somewhere, make a notation to revisit your goals on a periodic basis that works for you. The qualities that lead to success require more than attitude; goal-oriented performance is required.
For example, didgebridge’s John McNulty opined, “It’s important to have a mission that’s focused on solving major problems, and you have to be able to articulate that very quickly. And you need to be able to address very specific market segments. We have the overall consumer marketing sector but the largest sector is marketing and communications within healthcare. We have proprietary technology specializing in mobile video communication. Our content does not travel through the public Internet system, which in healthcare is very important. People in healthcare don’t want to be searched, tracked, or have their data mined. This was a sweet spot because what we do is ultra-private consumer education, and in healthcare that’s a big deal.”
After all, to aspire is simply to seek to attain a goal. But that somewhat dry definition misses the point. To aspire implies a more noble or important mission than an average goal. It suggests a desire or motivation so important as to even be noble, at least as far as the individual holding it is concerned. Apple founder Steve Jobs had the goal of delivering easy computing power to the masses. Steve Jobs’ goal of democratizing computing motivated him personally and professionally, ultimately involving thousands, even millions, in his personal vision, and creating one of the world’s most valuable brands. But those who enjoy its beautifully designed smartphones, laptops and other products embrace its product mystique and usability that have powered the company’s atmospheric stock price.
Most of us will not revolutionize an industry. All of us, however, have some aspiration. Some want to be world-class skaters. Some want the recognition and paycheck of the next promotion. An executive burned out on corporate chaos longs for the freedom of running his or her own shop. For a homeless person, it may only be to attain a $30 hotel room to spend the night in safely. We can’t let others define our goals for us or let ourselves be swayed to look at our own goals as too modest or even demeaning.
Aspirations may be large or small, personal or professional or corporate, short-term or long-term, very specific or very general. Aspirations can be quite unique to yourself—exceeding your “personal best” in a half-marathon, or publishing your first novel. They can be quite specific—managing the family budget to give a 10% tithe to church, or a $1,000 donation to a no-kill pet shelter. They can be quite general, such as “become a better husband and father” or “find a better job with like-minded people who share my values, while providing for my financial security.” Or, they may be both personal and societal. The female CEO of tech consultant Accenture opined on a national business TV program that before more women would become members of senior management, “more women must aspire to become CEOs.”
Some examples? Investment banker Vernon E. Jordan is called “Mr. Strategy” for a reason. Hollywood agent Ed Limato was called “the velvet hammer” for his ability to make clients happy while meeting their business goals. I once watched a legendary consultant charm a tough manager at a Fortune 100 company simply by handing him a business card, making a note, and saying, “That’s my private number. Call me anytime.” You can bet this notoriously hard-to-please executive did so, and got good advice.
An executive at a well-known consumer tech company had to go completely back to basics when the company abandoned the growth strategy announced at the investor road shows when it went public. He had to rebuild credibility internally and externally, but set about educating management about the contributions of compliance with new goals and timelines. Slowly, he is succeeding.
Don’t be the Lone Ranger.
Across all the senior executives interviewed for this book, the real importance of teamwork and trusted advisors is one overarching theme. It’s true regardless of company size, but is especially critical for the young company.
Didgebridge CEO John McNulty observed, “I’ve done some consulting work with early-stage startup-up companies and tried to apply those principles to my work at didgebridge. You may be inclined to think you can do everything yourself, but you can’t. Most entrepreneurs think they can be the first baseman, the third baseman and the shortstop all at once. You can’t; you need a team, so I brought in a team with individual expertise. You need experts in finance, operations, sales, marketing, etc.”
How can a fledgling operation afford so many people?
McNulty again: “You can’t put them all at the table at once because you won’t have the money, but you can grant equity in the company, allow them to purchase equity, and incentivize them for sales on a commission basis so they have the opportunity to get cash. You can’t expect people to work for free.”
In other words, yell for help.
Control Your Emotions.
We are often tasked with delivering bad news to senior management. A top executive at a major consumer company once picked up his phone and threw it at a good friend of mine who had come to him with some bad corporate news. A trade journal called my friend to ask about the story, and concerned about the reputation of both the company and the executive, he denied it. Of course, the phone-throwing senior executive would have been hugely embarrassed (and in trouble with HR) if the incident had surfaced. Was it the right call? By most lights, no. But my friend has never regretted it.
That said, ruling and using your emotions can be a powerful advantage. A close colleague once faked a temper tantrum during a marathon-length merger meeting and threatened to end the negotiations. The other party immediately ceded ground. The talks were back on.
Find a Mentor or Coach.
Early in my career, at the international consulting firm Burson-Marsteller, I had the privilege of working with co-founder Harold Burson on several major accounts. One thing I noticed immediately at client luncheons is that Harold always had his notebook out taking notes while the CEO or CFO was speaking, while my peers continued to eat lunch and listen. Guess who I chose as a role model.
Find a mentor or coach, somebody to learn and emulate, regardless of your age or professional station. Ideally, it’s somebody in your profession or one closely related, that you can meet in person and observe, preferably in a formalized relationship. But this is not essential. It might be anyone that you admire for various professional achievements or qualities of character. In addition to Harold Burson—one of the politest people I’ve ever met—I have other role models in all walks of life who inspire me by the trials they have endured and the contributions they make to improve this world.
Prepare for Anything.
After ValuJet was rebranded as AirTran following the crash of flight 592 in the Everglades, settlement negotiations with the families of those lost continued for five years while new management changed stock exchanges, held annual meetings and opened new markets. Management developed a contingency plan in case litigants held demonstrations at company events. Of course, great sensitivity would be important given the loss these family members had suffered. As it turned out, the contingency plans were never implemented, but the planning provided peace of mind and could have avoided a potential public relations disaster.
In 2019, as senators grilled Boeing’s CEO over the 737 Max jet crashes, still photos and TV footage showed people who held photos of loved ones who died in crashes sitting behind him. Such images can proved long-lasting and deeply troubling, especially if taken out of context. I once nixed a photo op requested by a prominent publication of Humana’s CEO standing outside the glitzy corporate headquarters of Humana, with the company name emblazoned prominently on the walls of the building. I suspected the story that was being prepared would be largely negative, and the last thing we wanted would be the implication the company wasted money on bricks and mortar or that company management was oblivious to public health-care but not to corporate ego. My concern proved well-founded, and that was one photo
Don’t Look Back in Anger.
American business is very introspective, and in my experience personal and professional introspection is an essential part of finding your way in life. That said, many of us look back on the way we handled fast-moving pressure situations in a negative fashion. Beating yourself up by asking why did I use that word, or, I wish I had thought of something different to say, just builds anxiety about your own professional ability. If you think you made a mistake, try to put it behind you quickly, learn a lesson from it, and move on quickly. The most successful senior executives make a point of doing this. It seems to help them immeasurably in their careers.
Sometimes, You Just Have to Bogart Your Way Through.
An important trait in a badass, by the way, is a knack for using nouns as verbs. Therefore, when all else fails and you don’t know what to do, just Bogart your way through. Trust in your proven ability to do what needs to be done. The motto of the professional society Les Clefs d’Or is to do “whatever is legal and kind.” Those are words to live and work by.
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