Racism is not an issue only for perpetrators and victims (and their respective supporters). Racism continues to happen because bystanders remain bystanders. The victims cannot stop it, the perpetrators won’t. But bystanders, who are in majority, can reduce racism. But I am innocent! I did not create the problem nor do I contribute to it. […]
Few things are as useful a complement to college or university studies than a summer internship at a company. To start with, every young person should at some point work in customer service. Great jobs are waiters in restaurants, at a cash register or in a hotel. Once you have learned how to deal with […]
In order to become a great CEO, you must learn to make other people successful. That is the key to leadership. You make people successful by listening to and supporting them, providing autonomy, challenging them, giving them guidance and direction and occasionally by issuing direct orders. A good leader has a wide toolkit. They treat all employees the same, yet lead each one in a unique and individualized way.
Hiring execs is something which should be done in a thoughtful and articulate way. You need a process and a framework, especially if you’re hiring senior professionals into a function you know very little about yourself.
Once an organization is diverse, inclusive and has equity, business results and workplace satisfaction will improve. It is more rewarding to work with people who have the goal in common but come at the task or question from uncommon angles. Great teams strive towards the same goal adhering to the same values, but they differ greatly in viewpoint, world view, constitution, background and gender.
Great leaders learn to combine their unwavering confidence with equally solid humility and selflessness. They know they are good but they don’t make an issue of it. They know they are not perfect but they don’t freak out about it. They know they know a lot, yet they are eager to learn from others. When things go wrong, they accept responsibility and are ready to show vulnerability. When things go well, they make sure the team is credited.
When the going gets tough, or perhaps just uncertain, everyone looks to the CEO. Is the leader leading, still moving forward? Does the boss radiate calmness and confidence? Does the CEO look like having a plan? If so, we will follow and we will stay on course, stay together.
It is admirable to want to make the world a better place and it is what everyone should do. But if that’s all you do as an entrepreneur, you won’t even do that.
Do you genuinely want people around you to succeed in their job? Are you ready to help them advance in their careers? Are you willing to give them the advice they need? Are you prepared to spend time trying to understand them and their motivations?
When more women are added to a group, the benefits keep coming. It is simple math. The broader the base we can recruit from, the more appropriate the people choices can be. The wider our thinking is, the less risk there is for business-impeding blindness.
Millennials are uniquely skilled, impressively balanced and socially aware. To lead them, help them become leaders. Avoid the term Millennials and don’t apply too much “management”. Offer guidance. Soon they will lead you. After some time, our digital society will function properly.
The CEO drives strategy but this does not change the fact that the CEO is there mainly to deliver results.
Contrast is a recipe for success. How you go about contrasts will define you as a leader. No matter how insightful the advice you receive, as a leader only you can know how to manage the contrasts of the situation.
Top-performing boards of directors are built on a foundation of integrity and trust. I had the honor of serving on the Nokia board as the 150 year old company was preparing for the remarkable revival of the past years. This is what I learned.
The future of your company is wrapped around the question why. Why does the company exist, what problem do you solve?
A tight organization is tight but not uptight. It is relaxed and accommodating. Everyone knows that they are doing important work. There is trust, play and fun.
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