Monthly Archives: November 2015

TotalPicture Radio: The Importance of Emotional Intelligence, Diverse Leadership Teams, and Empowering People

Don’t expect the same Q&A with Bill George on other podcast interviews. We don’t go by the talking points provided by the publisher. True North, originally based on first-person interviews with 125 leaders, became a must-read business classic when it was first introduced in 2007.
EQ-dytn Today, authenticity has become a key issue in the C-Suite, boardroom, in HR and recruiting initiatives, corporate communications, marketing campaigns, and of course, politics.

In his substantive follow up to True North – Discover Your True North: Becoming An Authentic Leader, Bill George, former Medtronic chairman and CEO, and senior Fellow at the Harvard Business School, Introduces 47 additional interviews with leaders who represent the diversity of a new generation.

Welcome to a Leadership Channel podcast on TotalPicture, this is Peter Clayton. Today, I’m pleased to welcome Bill George to the program.

Today’s feature interview with Bill George is brought to you by RecruitiFi, a unique new category of recruiting that connects top recruiters with companies looking to hire exceptional talent. Use this link and receive a special discount offer on your first JobCast.

I also want to give a shout-out to our friend and frequent contributor to TotalPicture David Dalka, who was instrumental in organizing today’s interview, research and development of our talking points. David was scheduled to participate in our discussion with Bill, but couldn’t, due to technical issues with his Skype connection.

Questions Peter Clayton asks Bill George in this podcast:

I’ve had a number of retired and former CEOs tell me what they miss the most is the corporate jet. What do you miss the most?

Although Medtronic has a diverse board of directors (good for them)! What did you learn from the transition as CEO to former CEO? Going from 110% to 0%

You are on a number of important boards, including Mayo Clinic and Goldman Sachs. Joining a board of directors is not what it was 20 years ago. What have you learned from your participation in a number of high-profile boards?

What advice do you have for those seeking, or considering board membership?

Speaking about 20 years ago… it’s a different world today. Corporate PR departments no longer control the message: Facebook, Twitter, Glassdoor and others do. What recommendations do you have for leaders regarding social media – and how they consistently deliver their “True North” in such a volatile 24/7 environment?

M&A deal are back in fashion. However, corporate cultures often clash. – (Say BofA and ML) What advice to you have for those in management and leadership positions caught in a merger? How can True North help determine outcomes?

Bill George is Senior Fellow at the Harvard Business School and former chairman and CEO of Medtronic, the world’s leading medical technology company. Under his leadership, Medtronic’s market capitalization grew from $1.1 billion to $60 billion, averaging 35 percent a year. He is the author of the best-selling Authentic Leadership and a board member of Goldman Sachs, Exxon, and the Mayo Clinic. George has been recognized as “Executive of the Year” by the Academy of Management, “Director of the Year” by the National Association of Corporate Directors, and received the prestigious Bower Award for Business Leadership – given annually to the nation’s top business leader.

TotalPicture Radio Interview

 

This article was originally posted to TotalPicture Radio on 09/22/15.

ManagerMojo: What is Your True North?

It is critical for leaders to be clear about their True North.  The leaders of yester-year can’t be ManagerMojo-what-is-true-norththe leaders of today with the evolutionary and revolutionary move from the ‘Me’ generation to the ‘We’ generation.  While today’s young leaders desire collaboration, transparency and
engagement they thrive on working in a world of diversity and technology.  They are inspired and excited to commit to causes and efforts greater than themselves.  While these young people are setting a new pace, there is opportunity for young and old alike to learn from one
another to make the world a better place and to lead by their example.  This inspiring podcast will get you on track to setting your own pace.  You will learn more about how to set your own true north and live the life of your dreams.

 

Connect will Bill Here!

Bill welcomes hearing from you!  Click HERE.

This article was originally published to managermojo.com

Forbes: 3 Lessons From One Of America’s Great Culture Builders

I’ve spent the past four years studying the greatest sports organizations in America—from the forbes-3lesssonsSan Antonio Spurs to the Kansas City Royals—in a search for the shared characteristics of
great teams. One of my business mentors on this subject is Bill George, longtime CEO of Medtronic—the world’s largest medical technology company—who currently leads an executive education program at Harvard Business School.

After building an extraordinary culture at Medtronic, George published his findings on the habits of Great business leadership in the 2007 book “True North,” which detailed how value-centered companies always outperform profit-centered organizations. Without question, it is one of the greatest reads on this subject.

Last month, George released an updated version of his book Discover Your True North, that includes dozens of new interviews with some of the business world’s true authentic leaders about the importance of purpose in corporate team-building. I had a chance to speak with George about how this underutilized value is driving companies to be more successful today.

His lessons:

1. A Sense Of Purpose Can Attract—and Retain—Valuable Talent…Especially As Our Workforce Gets Younger!

According to the Pew Research Center, more than one-in-three American workers today are Millennials—adults age 18 to 34 in 2015—and unquestionably the largest demographic in the American workforce. These young employees value more than a hefty paycheck and, as George said to me, desire, “a sense of meaning and purpose” in their work.

“People want to work for more than just a job or money, and that is even more true at the lower pay scales than it is with the upper,” George said. “ Leaders have to realize that it’s not just about money, but it’s also about inspiring the people that are doing the work.  This is true for the service industry and many other industries as well. It is all about how you treat customers and the relationships that are formed.”

The young people working for my company reflect this trend; Millennials are team-oriented, love solving problems, and are attracted to strong company values.  If a team desires to be Great, then it is critically important to provide a strong sense of purpose that attracts, and keeps, employees.

2. Great Teams Communicate Culture And Values.

“It’s very important that leaders consistently share the values of the organization to their ranks,” George said. “This is especially true when communicating with front-line employees down the pyramid of an organization, who are more in touch with customers than the CEO or executive team.”

This lesson is so important, yet often disregarded; truthfully, many companies do not know how – or when – to articulate their purpose to employees because it is hasn’t been well defined by leadership. Important lesson, George said: Commit boldly in writing who you’re in service of and why it matters, then share, share, share.

“Many organizations have a mission statement that has values attached to it, but have very little meaning to the people,” George said. “If a company is not living their values and mission then there is no point in having one. And CEO’s have a responsibility to be go out and talk with their people. Leaders need to be abiding by such values if they want others to adopt them.”

3. Engagement and Transparency Matter

If a leader attracts the right talent to their organization and empowers them with purpose, then the next step, according to George, is keeping them engaged.

“CEO’s need to spend their time changing the culture and ensuring employee engagement,” he said. “Unfortunately, many companies look for short-term profits instead of developing long-term strategies for company growth…which ultimately brings down engagement scores.”

George says that employee engagement should not be a footnote for companies, and that leaders should invest in enhancing culture and becoming more transparent.  “Special organizational cultures have high engagement scores and profitability because they attach a purpose to their work, and are more open,” George said. “The leaders I profiled in my book are much more transparent than corporate leadership of the past. We’ve moved from an era of self-interest to an era where leaders recognize their role is to serve others and a greater cause.”

George and his leadership tips are applicable to any team desiring to be great. As leaders, we should all consider the value of purpose-driven work and employee engagement. Additionally, frequent communication of our organization’s values will not only motivate employees, but create the foundation of a very profitable future.

“Leaders and employees should both know that you can have a very fulfilling life and a successful career by being true to what you believe,” George said. “You don’t have to perpetuate or go along with the status quo. Be bold, daring and different.”

This article was originally published on Forbes.com on 11/16/15.

Churchmag: ‘Discover Your True North’ by Bill George [Saturday Morning Review]

When True North came out in 2007, it became an instant classic on authentic leadership in business literature. Discover your True North is the updated version of that book that was just released. It’s still one of the best books on ethical and effective leadership available.

The term ‘true north’ refers to your inner compass of course, to the magnetic pole of your authentic leadership, which will help you become a successful leader. It’s a principle that’s easy to grasp but a lot harder to put into practice. True north is also something many leaders are missing, even in the church or in Christian organizations—as evidenced by sad tales of fraud, overspending, moral failures, and more.

Author Bill George wants to convince readers that sticking to your true north, to the values and the sweet spot that define you, is the only way to real, long-term success. And he makes a convincing case. History has shown us time and again that operating in a way that contradicts our real values, or that doesn’t fit our personality and is outside our sweet spot, leads to suboptimal leadership at best—and big failure at worst. (Enron, anyone?)

Discover Your True North

book cover True North

This book shows you how to find and define your true north, and how to let it guide you in your leadership. Discover Your True North is chock full with stories from real-life leaders, both successful ones and big mistakes (though the latter are definitely in the minority). And these are crucial in making the theoretical concept of authentic leadership so practical. Time and again, Bill George shows how leaders have let their true north dictate their decisions, and with success.

Yes, this is not a explicit Christian book, nor is it aimed specifically at Christian leaders. The cases are all from the business world (with the notable exception of Nelson Mandela) and include household names like Arianna Huffington, Warren Buffett, and Howard Schultz.

That being said, Christian leaders can learn tons from this book on developing an authentic leadership style that matches Christian values. The chapter on leading an integrated life especially has many applications for (youth) pastors and Christian leaders.

Of course, those still trying to find their sweet spot and true moment will benefit most from this book, though for them it may necessary to reread it a few times over times to let it all sink in.

This article was originally posted on 11/14/15 on Churchmag.