Feeling Deeply

"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear."
(John the Beloved in 1 John 4:18)

Step back, step away, re-create, re-treat, re-new, re-turn.
All the best to you, and see you again in the new year!

Keep It Simple

“I’ve benefited from my Indian background. Growing up in a very simple family with a real passion for hard work. In other words, you never stopped working. You just worked. Work was liberating and work was part of what defined who you were.”

(Ramani Ayer, CEO of the Hartford Financial Services Group, in “Seeking Leaders, U.S. Companies Think Globally.” by Louise Story. The New York Times: December 12, 2007. pg. 1)

Value -- Competence That Is Distinctive

“The real secret of success, in my opinion, is when you are in an environment where there are many people smarter than you. In those situations, it's not about competing with those people, but finding ways to add value while also learning from them…

"If you try to find a unique way of looking at a problem, that's how you can make a difference.”

(Gil Shwed, CEO of Check Point, in “Gil Shwed -- From 'grandmother's apartment' in Israel to a crash course in U.S.-style marketing, Check Point's CEO has learned his lessons well.” by Kevin McLaughlin. CRN: June 25, 2007. , Iss. 1243; pg. 22)

Impersonal, Standardized, Formal Rationality

“The biggest challenge facing business and industry worldwide is the bureaucracy. We have to stop its attempt to take over.”

(Jacques Lamarre, CEO of SNC-Lavalin, in “Jacques Lamarre.” by Thomas Watson. Canadian Business: August 13 – August 27, 2007. Vol. 80, Iss. 16/17; pg. 76)

Understated, Comfortable Confidence

"I’m not an extrovert, I don't relish the idea of pushing myself forward... The culture of the firm is one of getting on and doing things rather than talking about it. We're understated but our customers have the confidence that we'll deliver. I'm very comfortable with that."

(Ian Tyler, CEO of Balfour Beatty, in “Ian Tyler,” by Andrew Saunders. Management Today. London: January 2007. pg. 44)

Sense & Feeling

"The whole thing is about values, a sense of destination, a sense of direction for the company. That's a very powerful method of getting productivity… Then they know what you're trying to do and will be on your side, instead of feeling like you are some distant corporate suit."

(Fred Hassan, CEO of Schering-Plough, in “Being Fred Hassan.” by Joanna Breitstein. Pharmaceutical Executive: October 2007. Vol. 27, Iss. 10; pg. 73)

Be Prepared

“Get out of your comfort zone. Even if it doesn't all work out the way you want it to, you'll be better prepared for the next thing that comes along.”

(Mary Sammons, CEO of Rite Aid, in “Women to Watch (A Special Report); View From the Top: Women executives talk about their careers, the importance of mentoring and work-life balance.” Wall Street Journal: November 19, 2007. pg. R.6)

Temporal Orientation

“When I was 12, a friend of my dad's carved a beautiful Winston Churchill figurine out of wood for me. It's been with me since. Churchill had a real appreciation for the balance between heritage and innovation. There's something to be said for that… There's huge value to our heritage. But it needs to be carefully balanced with innovation -- and not just what is new today, but what will be new in the future.”

(Bob Iger, President and CEO of Walt Disney, in “How I Work.” by Devin Leonard. Fortune: December 10, 2007. Vol. 156, Iss. 12; pg. 38)

Learning by Teaching

"I was the oldest of five children and the only girl. That proved to be relevant to my eventual career because I was always teaching my younger brothers. I think I gained a lot of my leadership skills because of that."

(Patsy Van Ouwerkerk, CEO of Travis Credit Union, in “What She Does Best,” by Diane Franklin. Credit Union Management. Madison: December 2006.Vol.29, Iss. 12; pg. 14)

MBWA

“I'm happiest when I'm in the field. There's no paper, no memos, no time between idea and implementation. I accomplish more.”

(Ian Schrager, Chairman and CEO of Ian Schrager Co., in “The King of Cool.” by Eugenia Levenson. Fortune: November 26, 2007. Vol. 156, Iss. 11; pg. 44)

First, Feeling Deeply

"One of the things I've always done is learn from each of the jobs I've taken on... I dig very deeply when I get involved with a company, because the most important thing I've got is my time.”

(Simon Davidmann, CEO of Imperas, in “The Art Of EDA Innovation,” by Ann Steffora Mutschler. Electronic Business: December 2006. Vol.32, Iss. 12; pg. 44)

Truly Powerful

“The most surprising thing for me when I came to Rite Aid was not knowing what I didn't know…

“So I spent my first months in the field just talking to associates in our stores and distribution centers, and built the best kind of network with everyone who deals with customers. I also spent time with suppliers. It didn't cost me money to do that, and I learned a lot of the things that helped me later.”

(Mary Sammons, CEO of Rite Aid, in “Women to Watch (A Special Report); View From the Top: Women executives talk about their careers, the importance of mentoring and work-life balance.” Wall Street Journal: November 19, 2007. pg. R.6)

Being In Touch

“I hate PDAs. When I'm in a meeting with someone, I want to be with them. I get more insight if I'm engaged in the moment. I consciously use a phone that doesn't have a full keyboard on it.”

(Tim Brown, CEO of IDEO, in “Bringing Design to Blue Chips.” by Jessi Hempel. Fortune: November 12, 2007. Vol. 156, Iss. 10; pg. 32)

Re-treat Re-fresh Re-create

“Being effective is not so much about saving time as it is about staying focused. That requires frequent vacations, maybe every six weeks. I just came back from [one], and I find myself incredibly effective and enthusiastic about my work.”

(Ian Schrager, Chairman and CEO of Ian Schrager Co., in “The King of Cool.” by Eugenia Levenson. Fortune: November 26, 2007. Vol. 156, Iss. 11; pg. 44)

Meaning & Purpose

“I'm not going to have a legacy. Legacies are for dead people. I already told you, I have no intention of leaving! But I would like to be remembered -- it's hard for me to contemplate that -- primarily as a loving father and grandfather. I would also like to be remembered... for what I have done in building these two great companies, Viacom and CBS. As far as philanthropy goes... every dollar I have given away I've had to work for, which makes it all the sweeter to be able to do something for other people.”

(Sumner Redstone, Chairman of Viacom and CBS, in “Redstone: `Legacies Are For Dead People'; The chairman of Viacom and CBS on growth, succession, stock performance, his daughter Shari, and his plan to live forever.” by Maria Bartiromo. Business Week: August 06, 2007. , Iss. 4045; pg. 28)

Be Still, And Know

"As any CEO will attest, the job of chief executive is all-consuming. Quite simply, I'm at a point in my life where I would like to take a step back and think about what I would like to do in the next stage of my life…

"It could be that I do nothing, travel, sit on boards, run another company, invest in another company. I don't know -- nor would I ever know if I didn't decide to take a break."

(Bruce Chizen, CEO of Adobe Systems Inc., in “Business Technology: Adobe's Chizen to Leave As CEO at Critical Time.” by Vauhini Vara. Wall Street Journal: November 13, 2007. pg. B.7)

Learning to Change

“You have to commit to lifelong learning. I personally read five or six management books a year, and I read general business publications as well as healthcare ones. Be committed to the constant reinvention of yourself.”

(Gregory G. Repetti III, President and CEO of Vail Valley Medical Center, in “Becoming a Leader in the C-Suite: How to Develop the Necessary Skills.” by Jessica D Squazzo. Healthcare Executive: November / December 2007. Vol. 22, Iss. 6; pg. 17)

Real Browsing -- In Touch

“I loved the library at the Royal College of Art because it didn't have a logical system, at least none I could figure. When looking for a book on Islamic decoration, you'd find it by one on seashells. And you'd find all sorts of things with it. That's the value of an accident. The more you encourage serendipity… the more you'll get rich answers.”

(Tim Brown, CEO of IDEO, in “Bringing Design to Blue Chips.” by Jessi Hempel. Fortune: November 12, 2007. Vol. 156, Iss. 10; pg. 32)

Investing in Shared Beliefs, Values and Norms

“There is no question that our company culture is fundamental to our success. We have deliberately invested in organizational development over the past four to five years to build a culture we are proud of.”

(Amy Tykeson, President and CEO of BendBroadband, in “Proving Cable Is a Service Industry,” by Allison J Waldman. TelevisionWeek: May 7, 2007. Vol.26, Iss. 19; pg. 62)

Real Responsibility

“What we try to do is to push as much autonomy down into the groups as humanly possible, giving them goals and objectives and holding them responsible for obtaining those. And that's not financial objectives as much as it's qualitative and safeguarding the creative product.”

(John Wren, CEO of Omnicom, in “John Wren: On the Spot.” by Alison Fahey. Adweek: January 2, 2006. Vol. 47, Iss. 1; pg. 8)

Consistency & Transformation

"What we do today won't be successful tomorrow. There will be new requirements to reinvent ourselves. I think about it in the context of positioning the institution to be here another 150 years and also to create the next generation of executives who will be here to confront challenges I can't even imagine."

(Ronald A. Williams, CEO and President of Aetna, in “The Turnaround King.” by Sonia Alleyne. Black Enterprise: September 2006. Vol. 37, Iss. 2; pg. 96)

The Art of Distinctive Competence

"You have to trust your own instincts and do your own homework, especially when it's a new technology. In many ways, it's about how you create and shape a market and consumer demand, how you predict consumer behavior. It's impossible for conventional marketing research to give you a good answer."

(Fred Hassan, CEO of Schering-Plough, in “Being Fred Hassan.” by Joanna Breitstein. Pharmaceutical Executive: October 2007. Vol. 27, Iss. 10; pg. 73)

A Leader's Work is Their People

“Early in my career, my focus was on acquiring head knowledge – learning and understanding the business side… Today, my emphasis is on improving my interactions and relationships with those I lead and serve…

“The principle behind servant leadership is that effective leaders are first and foremost servants. It encourages managers and leaders to be courageous, to be authentic, to serve, to tell the truth, and to be guided by love in all their interactions while at the same time accomplishing the goals of the organization.”

(Christopher R. Mosley, CEO of Chesapeake Health, in “Interview with Christopher R. Mosley, CHE, chief executive officer, Chesapeake Health, Chesapeake, Virginia.” by Kyle L Grazier. Journal of Healthcare Management: March / April 2005. Vol. 50, Iss. 2; pg. 75)

Losing Sight & Losing Touch

“In this day of analytic tools and financial models and economic structures, we've lost sight of how important it is to lead with the heart. What I mean by that is, to have a sense of compassion for the people you're working with; a passion for the business; a sense of empathy for both your customers and your employees; and finally, the courage to go against the numbers and make a courageous decision.”

(Bill George, retired Chairman and CEO of Medtronic Inc., in “Leadership Q&A: Radical Authenticity.” by John Cummings. Business Finance: April 2005. Vol. 11, Iss. 4; pg. 16)

Spent or Invested?

“We have an incredible commitment to training and developing people. And we spend a fortune on it, but it's money well spent.”

(John Wren, CEO of Omnicom, in “John Wren: On the Spot.” by Alison Fahey. Adweek: January 2, 2006. Vol. 47, Iss. 1; pg. 8)

No Secrets

“We're guided by our core values -- a focus on continuous quality improvement, innovation, craftsmanship, customer collaboration, empowering employees, avoiding complacency, and reinvesting in the company. We don't have a secret formula for our strategy. It's just good management practice.”

(Craigie Zildjian, CEO of The Zildjian Company, in “Conversation: A Formula for the Future,” by Gardiner Morse. Harvard Business Review: July/August 2007. Vol. 85, Iss. 7/8; p. 23)

Accountability in Your Universe

“Business must strive to be a good citizen in the country in which it operates and make a contribution to wider society. However, business must never forget that it must remain accountable to the disciplines of the balance sheet, as that is the universe in which it functions, survives, and makes its contribution.”

(Maurice Tempelsman, Chairman of Lazare Kaplan International, in “Engaging the Imperfect World.” by Ivan Solotaroff. Modern Jeweler: 2007. Part 2. pg. 14)

Well, That's Easy For You to Say!

"Without execution, vision is just another word for hallucination."

(Mark Hurd, HP CEO, in “The UnCarly; How Mark Hurd, The Consummate Corporate Coach, Parlayed A Fixation On Efficiency Into A World Beating Revival At Hewlett-Packard,” by Quentin Hardy. Forbes. March 12, 2007; Volume 179 Issue 5; pg. 82)

Success to Come: A Healthy Dose of Reality & Humility

"Two-thirds was just mistakes we made in judgment. Clearly, we bear a lot of the blame, much more so than just market conditions."

(Kenneth D. Lewis, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Bank of America, in “CEO Vows to Fix Bank of America; Sharp Decline in Profit Hamstrings Lewis's Plan To Build Investment Power.” by Valerie Bauerlein. Wall Street Journal: October 19, 2007. pg. A.3)

Renewing & Re-knowing

“Every time I go to any of our key markets I try to be with our sales representatives in the field. It's very renewing. With all the stresses and strains of being a CEO of a publicly held company… I get a tremendous amount of energy from getting out with the front lines of sales representatives.”

(Andrea Jung, CEO of Avon, in “Boss Talk: Is Avon's Latest Scent Sweet Smell of Success? Bold Moves, High-Touch-Meets-High-Tech Business Model Help CEO Andrea Jung Boost Sales of Sluggish Company.” by Ellen Byron. Wall Street Journal: October 15, 2007. pg. B.1)

The Two Levers: Connection & Development

“Most people stay with companies because they like the people they work with and the people they work for. So we try to develop our managers so they know how to properly manage and motivate people.

"The second thing people want is a company that will invest in them for the future... and that training takes all forms.”

(Robert A. Reynolds, Jr., Chairman, President and CEO of Graybar, in “On solid ground.” by Victoria Fraza Kickham. Industrial Distribution: October 2007. Vol. 96, Iss. 10; pg. 30)

What's Next?

“In today's highly competitive market, you are only as good as your last report… You have to continually improve the services you are capable of providing. That means, on a consistent and ongoing basis, following a course of action that includes continuing education, mentoring, adhering to standards, welcoming peer reviews… the list goes on.”

(Gordon J. Tomiuk, President of Appraisal Institute of Canada, in “Lifelong learning prepares president for ever-changing environment.” by Gordon J. Tomiuk. The Canadian Appraiser: 2007. Vol. 51, Iss. 3; pg. 6)

Good Perfecting

“In life one can always do better and one should always strive to do so, but one should never let the perfect become the enemy of the good.”

(Maurice Tempelsman, Chairman of Lazare Kaplan International, in “Engaging the Imperfect World.” by Ivan Solotaroff. Modern Jeweler: 2007. Part 2. pg. 14)

Transparency to The Point

"If there is one thing that's noteworthy in our company, it's that the concept of economic profit and how it's applied is understood by thousands of managers, not by a few financial people at the top."

(Bob Lane, CEO of John Deere, in “Reenergizing an Old Company.” by Jia Lynn Yang. Fortune: October 15, 2007. Vol. 156, Iss. 8; pg. 50)

Wise as Serpents, Harmless as Doves

"When somebody says this is the deal of a lifetime and you can't pass it up, you almost have to run in the other direction."

(Reuben Mark, Chairman of Colgate-Palmolive, in “Colgate-Palmolive's Reuben Mark: On Leadership and 'Moving the Bell Curve'”. Knowledge@Wharton. October 03, 2007.)

The Challenge of Inertia & The Blessing of Momentum

“Organizations are essentially social bodies. They reward those who are fully engaged in the organization and the profession.”

(Diane Peterson, Chairman and CEO of D. Peterson & Associates, in “Interview with Diane Peterson, FACHE, chairman and chief executive officer, D. Peterson & Associates.” by Kyle L Grazier. Journal of Healthcare Management: September/October 2007. Vol. 52, Iss. 5; pg. 282)

Authenticity, Empathy, Humility, Humanity -- You're Grounded

“I can tell a lot about people by the way they act toward the food server. So I typically never hire anyone without going out to eat with them. It's a great way to learn about a person. If you have a complete conversation with me and you never acknowledge the food server, you are being disrespectful and will never work for me.”

(Julia Stewart, CEO of IHOP, in “The Pancake Pusher.” by Jenny Mero. Fortune: October 15, 2007. Vol. 156, Iss. 8; pg. 48)

Scary

“The problem with most people who don't succeed is that they see options.

"It's the way I was brought up. I dug ditches, I put in sewer pipe, I put in guardrail. When I was 18, my dad looked at me and said, ‘Where are you going? You can't live here. You going to go in the service? You want me to put your name in up at the shop? Try to go to college?’ So, I went to a cheap state school so I could work three jobs.

"When you don't see options, you don't give up easy. The real problem with our society is we've taken the word responsibility and turned it into entitlement, and we sit around thinking that's an option.”

(Roger Ailes, Chairman and CEO of Fox News Channel and Fox Business Network, and Chairman of Fox Television Stations Group, in "Boss Talk: Can Ailes Outfox CNBC?; Invoking Stonewall Jackson, Fox Business Chief Prepares To Battle Entrenched Rival.” by Rebecca Dana. Wall Street Journal: October 8, 2007. pg. B.1)

Not Always (see Kenny Rogers... )

“Sometimes the difference between success and failure is just staying in the game. Stick it out.”

(Robert Herjavec, CEO of The Herjavec Group, in “Dragon attack.” by Kim Shiffman. Profit: October 2007. Vol. 26, Iss. 4; pg. 60)

The Way It Really Is

“See all those books over there? Those are all outside studies on us. All those big binders are consultant studies.

“The ones over there marked personal and internal, those are Ford employees that I talked to. I kept all that. I gathered everyone's thoughts, studied those for a long time, talked to the board. When you get that much input from that many stakeholders you get really good, robust feedback about the way it is. So you take that and you develop a strategy and a plan to deal with that reality…

“I know that's what I have to do. I need to network with these groups. I saw 4,000 dealers two weeks ago. I talked to them. I met them every night they were in Detroit. I know exactly what the dealers think because I asked them. You've got to ask them.”

(Alan Mullaly, CEO of Ford, in “Boss Talk: At Ford, the 'Outsider' Is Optimistic; In a Town of Pessimists, CEO Mulally Tells Everyone 'It's Going to Be OK'.” by Jeffrey McCracken and Joseph B. White. Wall Street Journal: July 23, 2007. pg. B.1)

A Passion For Their Work

“Good leaders love people and expect the best from them. They're sensitive to employees' needs, wants, and concerns… I lead best when I forget about myself as a leader and focus on my team's needs and goals. To lead is to serve, to give, and to achieve together.”

(Catherine Tierney, President & CEO of Community First Credit Union, in “CEO Bets Dollars to Doughnuts That Good Service Prevails.” Catherine Tierney. Credit Union Magazine: September 2007. Vol. 73, Iss. 9; pg. 18)

Defining Oneself Amid Ambiguity & Paradox

"If everything were black and white, everyone could do it, but most things in business at any level are gray. The ability to parse out what is on one side and what is on another -- and present those sides well and come to a conclusion -- is [key]."

(Reuben Mark, Chairman of Colgate-Palmolive, in “Colgate-Palmolive's Reuben Mark: On Leadership and 'Moving the Bell Curve'”. Knowledge@Wharton. October 03, 2007.)

I See

“Every manager is crazed for time, and they appreciate somebody who’s proactive and says, ‘I see this opportunity, I see this problem, what would you think if I did this?’

“Oftentimes, finding that moment to talk about doing something differently frees you. You have more ability than you know to impact your work environment.”

(Dawn Hudson, CEO of Pepsi-Cola, North America, in “Dawn Hudson.” Forbes Life: Executive Woman: Fall 2007. p. 72)

Let Go to Hold On

“Early in the war, when the Union army was losing badly, Lincoln and a senator called on Gen. McClellan one night at the general's residence. McClellan strode in, ignored Lincoln, and went upstairs to bed. The senator was outraged, but Lincoln ignored the snub. ‘I would hold his horse,’ said Lincoln, ‘if he would but deliver us success.’

“… Sometimes we let our egos get in our way. It's amazing what we can accomplish if we don't care who gets the credit. That's the point of the Lincoln story: The Union needed a victory, and if McClellan could deliver one, even the President of the United States would put aside his ego.”

(Ben G. Watts, President and CEO of Carter & Burgess, in “Diversify your business to make it recession-proof.” Building Design & Construction: September 2007. Vol. 48, Iss. 11; pg. 76)

What's Not Changing

“It helps to base your strategy on things that won't change… I very rarely get asked ‘What's not going to change in the next five to ten years?’ … We're always trying to figure that out, because… all the energy you invest in them today will still be paying you dividends ten years from now. Whereas if you base your strategy first and foremost on more transitory things -- who your competitors are, what kind of technologies are available, and so on -- those things are going to change so rapidly that you're going to have to change your strategy very rapidly, too…

“For our business, most of them turn out to be customer insights. Look at what's important to the customers... They want selection, low prices, and fast delivery… that will be paying us dividends ten years from now…

“Another thing that we believe is pretty fundamental is that the world is getting increasingly transparent -- that information perfection is on the rise. If you believe that, it becomes strategically smart to align yourself with the customer. You think about marketing differently. If in the old world you devoted 30% of your attention to building a great service and 70% of your attention to shouting about it, in the new world that inverts… Of course there could also come a day when one of those things turns out to be wrong. So it's important to have some kind of mechanism to figure out if you're wrong about a deeply held precept.”

(Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon.com, in “The HBR Interview: Jeff Bezos, The Institutional YES.” Julia Kirby, Thomas A Stewart. Harvard Business Review: October 2007. Vol. 85, Iss. 10; p. 74)

Authentic & Balanced -- Centered & Grounded

“For many years it has been a challenge for me to integrate the intuitive side and the analytical side of myself, the person I am in private and the roles I play in business. Through self-inquiries and sometimes-painful discoveries, I realize that they are not separated. When we are true to ourselves, the imagined separation begins to fade away, and we start to develop more courage to let who we really are shine through everything we do, every encounter we make, and every situation we are in. It is a continuous journey of course.”

(Jing Jin, founder and Managing Director of Turnkey Capital LLC, in “A Closer Look at a Business Renaissance Executive: An Interview with Jing Jin.” Business Renaissance Quarterly: Summer 2007. Vol. 2, Iss. 2; pg. 7)

Balancing

“I feel bad about firing people, but at least I have the courage to do it.”

(Ken Lewis, CEO of Bank of America, in “Money for the Masses.” by Larry Light. Forbes: October 1, 2007. Vol. 180, Iss. 6; p. 77)

Down to Earth & Grounded -- part 2

"They promised me a kingdom, but I resisted. I have a little bit of the peasant in me. When someone promises me a kingdom, I get suspicious."

(Anne Lauvergeon, CEO of Areva, in “Power Woman.” by Joshua Levine. Forbes: September 17, 2007. Vol. 180, Iss. 5; p. 110)

Down to Earth & Grounded

“Don't underestimate the value people place on authenticity. Politicians listen to the focus groups and say the things they think people want to hear. But after 30 years of reading consumers, I know that they can smell phonies.”

(Shelly Lazarus, CEO of Ogilvy & Mather, in “Shelly Lazarus.” by Matthew Boyle. Fortune: September 17, 2007. Vol. 156, Iss. 6; pg. 56)

Humanity & Artistry

“I like human interaction, which is why I genuinely enjoy lunching with employees in the cafeteria… I like people who are simple and direct…

“The biggest challenge facing business and industry worldwide is the bureaucracy. We have to stop its attempt to take over.”

(Jacques Lamarre, CEO of SNC-Lavalin, in “Jacques Lamarre.” by Thomas Watson. Canadian Business: August 13 - August 27, 2007. Vol. 80, Iss. 16/17; pg. 76)

Somebody Somewhere

“Somebody is always going to try and game the system. That is… a general issue, whether it is in religion, the private sector or the public sector.”

(Sandy Weill, former Chairman and CEO of Citigroup, in “Wisdom From Weill,” Chief Executive: January/February 2007., Iss. 223; pg. 10)

Synthesis through Engagement

“We live in a capitalist system, and in a capitalist system, the shareowners are key stakeholders in what the company does. We have an active shareholder engagement program, generally around our results announcements, where we try to reach out to our major shareowners and engage in a very open dialogue with them about their views on how the company should run, their views on return of capital, their views on the returns of the business. It's our job to synthesize those views into a strategy that reflects the commercial needs of the business, the financial returns to the shareowners and the needs of the people who actually deliver all the things for the shareowners: the employees.

“There is a productive tension between shareowners' desires for financial returns and employees' desires for professional reward and experience. That's just the give-and-take of the capitalist system.”

(Todd Stitzer, CEO of Cadbury Schweppes, in “CEO Interview - Todd Stitzer of Cadbury Schweppes: Candy Man.” by C.J. Prince. Institutional Investor: July 2007. pg. 1)

Seeing One's Self

“I don't look at myself as a leader in the sense that you mean it… my own capability and availability are limited. We have a large team of managers at Toyota, including the eight executive vice presidents, who enjoy the freedom to practice the Toyota Way in their areas of responsibility. I trust our managers to do that, but whenever there are problems, I want them to come to me with the bad news first. Other than that, my colleagues call on me to talk, to sound me out. We have hours of debate and discussion, and just as my colleagues air their opinions, I make my own views known. That's my management style. That kind of leadership is important today.”

(Katsuaki Watanabe, President of Toyota Motor Corporation, in “Lessons From Toyota's Long Drive.” by Thomas A. Stewart, Anand P. Raman. Harvard Business Review: July/August 2007. Vol. 85, Iss. 7,8; pg. 74)

Dangerous Words

“Models inherently assume a future similar to the past and therefore they fail.”

(Wilbur Ross, Chairman and CEO of W.L. Ross & Co., in “The Most Dangerous Words on Wall Street.” by Wilbur Ross, Fortune: September 3, 2007. Vol. 156, Iss. 5; pg. 61)

Gracious Judgment

“In business there are no ‘small things.’ Everything you do is important – everything you say, every action you take and the manner in which you carry out your responsibilities. And nothing is more important than your relationship with other people. Ultimately, you will be judged by these relationships.”

(Fred Claire, former GM of the Los Angeles Dodgers, in “A Closer Look at a Business Renaissance Executive: An Interview with Fred Claire.” Business Renaissance Quarterly: Summer 2007. Vol. 2, Iss. 2; pg. 1)

True and False

“Liquidity… is not about physical cash; it is mainly a psychological state.”

(Wilbur Ross, Chairman and CEO of W.L. Ross & Co., in “The Most Dangerous Words on Wall Street.” by Wilbur Ross, Fortune: September 3, 2007. Vol. 156, Iss. 5; pg. 61)

Character as a Choice

“When I was a young man growing up in suburban Chicago, my father encouraged me to earn his trust through my actions rather than just talk about what I was going to do. Today, I tell my children ‘deeds, not words’."

(Bob Eckert, Chairman and CEO of Mattel, in “In Defense of Mattel.” by Bob Eckert. Wall Street Journal: September 11, 2007. pg. A.19)

Thank You!

"If anybody calls you from a different part of the firm, you must be helpful. This isn't an elective course; it's core curriculum."

(Stephen Schwarzman, Blackstone Group's CEO, in “Wall Street's Man Of The Moment,” by Nelson D. Schwartz. Fortune: March 5, 2007.Vol.155, Iss. 4; pg. 74)

Authenticity & Lunacy

“I'm not innovative. I support innovation. There's not a product idea that I'll ever have that's going to amount to anything. But what I'll do is make sure that the right people are in the room and that the lunatic fringe has an opportunity to contribute.”

(Bill Campbell, Chairman of the Board of Intuit, in “Coaching innovation: An interview with Intuit's Bill Campbell,” by Lenny T Mendonca, Kevin D Sneader. The McKinsey Quarterly: 2007. ; p. 66)

I Don't Make It Work

You have two kids, a husband, two dogs and a vast private business that is growing. And you have plans to open your first nonbridal apparel boutique in New York this fall. How do you make it all work?

“I don't really make it all work. I just do the best I can. I also try to stress to my husband and children that I am a stand-up person and I care about people.”

(Vera Wang in “Boss Talk: Is Discount a Good Fit for Vera Wang?; The Designer, on Pins and Needles Over Kohl's Line, Discusses Brand.” Vanessa O'Connell. Wall Street Journal: September 5, 2007. pg. B.1)

How Much Do You Own?

“There's probably two or three decisions a year which I own and I have to say 'trust me, I think this is the best thing for the organization.' And I better be right. But I don't want to do that more than two or three times. I have a lot of ideas, and my colleagues talk me out of a lot of them.”

(William Priest, CEO of Epoch Investment Partners, Inc., in “Back for more.” by Jay Cooper. Pensions & Investments: August 20, 2007. Vol. 35, Iss. 17; pg. 28)

A Work in Progress

“Training isn't optional. In addition to seminars and conferences, learn from peers. Leaders are the sum of their experiences. The more experiences I have, the better leader I can be.”

(Glenna Osborn, President/CEO of Missouri Central Credit Union, in “A 'Need for Speed'.” Credit Union Magazine: July 2007. Vol. 73, Iss. 7; pg. 16)

Isn't That The Point? (Abroad or at Home)

“We live in an imperfect world-but one that can be improved over time. That's the exciting part of the age we live in. Operating in countries that are in transition requires a sense of optimism that things will improve, a willingness to become engaged in the process, and a commitment of human and material resources to help shape and bring about the better future most people strive for.”

(Maurice Tempelsman, Chairman of the Board of Lazare Kaplan International, Inc., in “Engaging the Imperfect World.” by Ivan Solotaroff. Modern Jeweler: 2007. Part 2. pg. 14)

Past, Present and Future

“A key part of our strategy is to challenge every sacred cow that exists. I think that's my personal mantra. I want us to be able to consider, and be open to, all the opportunities without being restricted by past practice.”

(Gordon Grant, President of CIMA, in “Younger Statesman.” by Ruth Prickett. Financial Management: July/August 2007. pg. 16)

The Artist Within

“Today, we continue the tradition of bringing artists into the plant so our R&D manager and marketing people can meet directly with them. We also take employees into stores so they can see customers buying Zildjians -- and the competition. Careful listening is part of our corporate strategy.”

(Craigie Zildjian, CEO of The Zildjian Company, in “Conversation: A Formula for the Future,” by Gardiner Morse. Harvard Business Review: July/August 2007. Vol. 85, Iss. 7/8; p. 23)

Personal Development & The Human Touch

“We were spending too much time with our head in our computer. We were spending too much time sending email to each other. You have to bring people together to learn from each other."

(A.G. Lafley, CEO of Proctor & Gamble, in “Man With A Mission,” by William J. Holstein. Chief Executive: April/May 2006. , Iss. 217; pg. 30)

Win & Give

“Make sure you always win, but make sure the other party doesn’t lose; always give them a ladder to climb down.”

(Koh Poh Tiong, CEO of Asia Pacific Breweries, in “Singapore’s Tiger Beer Chief Draws Lessons from Zoology, Nixon,” Wall Street Journal: July 9, 2007. pg. B.3)

First Me, Then Our Organization

“Sometimes you have to go deep underwater to get straightened out before you can start to grow. So in the near term, we will go down in market share and down in volume to get to a place where we operate profitably.”

(Alan Mullaly, CEO of Ford, in “Boss Talk: At Ford, the 'Outsider' Is Optimistic; In a Town of Pessimists, CEO Mulally Tells Everyone 'It's Going to Be OK'.” by Jeffrey McCracken and Joseph B. White. Wall Street Journal: July 23, 2007. pg. B.1)

What Really Matters? To What End?

"A Latin teacher once told me that the 'F' she gave me would ruin my life. I didn't believe it and told her so. A little letter in a square box? It all seemed so silly."

(Larry Ellison, founder and CEO of Oracle Corporation, in “Irreplaceable,” by Victoria Murphy Barret. Forbes: August 14, 2006. Vol.178, Iss. 3; pg. 82)

Me Too

“The hardest lesson I've learned has been to not repeat the dumb mistakes I've made over the years, which are too numerous to list.”

(Gerald Schwartz, Chairman and CEO of Onex, in “Gerald Schwartz,” by Thomas Watson. Canadian Business: Summer 2007. Vol.80, Iss. 10; pg. 174)

No Magic

"Once you have ordinary intelligence, what you need is the temperament to control the urges that get other people into trouble."

(Warren Buffett, CEO of Berkshire Hathaway in "Built to Make Billions?" by Alex Markels. U.S. News & World Report: August 6, 2007. pg. 51)

Walking in the Light

"Human nature has taught me that you achieve a lot more through being optimistic than being pessimistic. Despite the fact that from time to time I get let down, I always start from the perspective that people don't necessarily have to earn my trust. People get my trust pretty early on and they have to lose it."

(Rob Fyfe, CEO of Air New Zealand, in “The Management Interview: Rob Fyfe - Blue sky thinking behind the clouds; Air New Zealand's ads say being there is everything. CEO Rob Fyfe makes it personal, fronting up with painful news as he steers the airline in a bold new direction,” by Ruth Le Pla. New Zealand Management: September 2006. pg. 48)

Time for What?

"The most important thing I've got is my time.”

(Simon Davidmann, CEO of Imperas, in “The Art Of EDA Innovation,” by Ann Steffora Mutschler. Electronic Business: December 2006. Vol.32, Iss. 12; pg. 44)

Learning's Reward

"In business, you reward people for taking risks. When it doesn't work out, you promote them because they were willing to try new things. If people come back and tell me they skied all day and never fell down, I tell them to try a different mountain."

(Michael R. Bloomberg. Mayor of New York City and founder of Bloomberg LP, in “The CEO Mayor; How New York's Mike Bloomberg is Creating a New Model for Public Service that Places Pragmatism Before Politics,” by Tom Lowry. Business Week: June 25, 2007. , Iss. 4040; pg. 58)

Add Value

“I have a philosophy – I invite criticism. But don't ever come to me with a complaint without saying, here is what we might do to make it better. I am happy to hear Part A if I hear Part B.”

(Arthur D. Levinson, CEO of Genentech, in “Boss Talk: How Genentech Wins At Blockbuster Drugs; CEO to Critics of Prices: 'Give Me a Break',” by Marilyn Chase. Wall Street Journal: June 5, 2007. pg. B.1)

Opportunity

"A crisis is a terrible thing to waste."

(Richard Clark, CEO of Merck, in "Is Merck's Medicine Working?" by Arlene Weintraub. Business Week: July 30, 2007. , Iss. 4044; pg. 67)

Yin then Yang

“There are only so many ideas we can digest at any given time... You want to be able to move with alacrity when opportunities present themselves, but behind the scenes be very deliberate.”

(Dave Barger, CEO of JetBlue, in “Boss Talk: Changing the Course of JetBlue; New CEO Dave Barger Reviews Discount Carrier's Strategy, Seeks Calmer Approach to Growth,” by Susan Carey. Wall Street Journal: June 21, 2007. pg. B.1)

Get Moving! Easy Does It...

"Windows of opportunity open and close so quickly today, you can't just mull decisions right in front of you. You have to look around the corner and figure out where you need to go, without becoming spastic or jerking your company in too many different directions."

(Michael Fraizer, CEO of Genworth Financial, in “Fire Yourself -- Then Come Back and Act Like a New Boss Would,” by Carol Hymowitz. Wall Street Journal: October 9, 2006. pg. B.1)

It's All About Perceptions

“At one level I don't care what people who don't know me think about me. But I also have to think about my legacy. The idea that my grandchildren can Google me ten years from now and see horrible information that goes to the heart of my character distresses me. I need to do what I can to change that.”

(Pattie Dunn, former Non-Executive Chairman of Hewlett-Packard, in “The Survival of Pattie Dunn,” by Patricia Sellers. Fortune: June 11, 2007. Vol.155, Iss. 11; pg. 110)

Benefitting from Direct Touch

“Before I started, I talked to about 250 people at Discovery at all levels. One of the resounding themes was that we need change and we want to win. So I know they're ready for it. We have also tried to ease the transition by having very direct internal communication and lots of town-hall meetings. People are comfortable with change if they know they're being heard and they know the strategy.”

(David Zaslav, CEO of Discovery Communications, in “Boss Talk: CEO Guides a New Age of Discovery; Zaslav Rouses Sleepy Cable Networks, Changing Structure and Programming; Sees Cache of Nonfiction Shows as Key,” by Brooks Barnes. Wall Street Journal: June 11, 2007. pg. B.1)

In Touch - 2

“If you start to focus on … the consumers' perspective, it opens up a whole world of possibilities to what new products one might offer. We have all kinds of studies that we've done. But there is no substitute for seeing with your own eyes how people actually use the products.”

(Irene B. Rosenfeld, CEO of Kraft Foods, in “Boss Talk: Cooking Up Changes At Kraft Foods; Studying Rushed Consumers, CEO Rosenfeld Orders Up Menu Of Complete Meals,” by Janet Adamy. Wall Street Journal: February 20, 2007. pg. B.1)

In Touch - 1

“My definition of a good CEO was then and is now a person who is really hands-on, understands the business, and can anticipate issues and have an intelligent conversation with the people rather than just be a bureaucrat. The more a CEO knows about the business, the better a CEO he can be. I don't think that has ever changed.”

(Sandy Weill, former chairman and CEO of Citigroup, in “Wisdom From Weill,” Chief Executive: January/February 2007, Iss. 223; pg. 10)

Balancing Competing Demands Through People

“Toyota must keep growing even as it builds a stronger foundation for the future; it has to do both for the company's long-term health. There are three keys to building a stronger foundation: We must improve product quality, keep reducing costs, and, in order to attain those two objectives, develop human resources.”

(Katsuaki Watanabe, President of Toyota, in “Lessons From Toyota's Long Drive,” by Thomas A. Stewart, Anand P. Raman. Harvard Business Review: July/August 2007. Vol. 85, Iss. 7/8; p. 74)

Without Technique

"We need to spend more time developing the next generation of authentic leaders within our companies...

"We should be developing leaders who have the character, values, wisdom and depth to lead our organizations in the future. Far too much attention has been paid to honing their leadership style and image, managerial techniques and communications skills. In many organizations, we even force our highest potential leaders to conform to the organization's norms, thus draining them of their best leadership qualities.

"Instead, we should be encouraging them to be their own person and lead in their unique style, while following their values and the 'true north' of their moral compass."

(Bill George, CEO (ret.) of Medtronic, in “Taking Charge: Vision and Heart,” by Bill George. Chief Executive. New York: December 2003., Iss. 194; pg. 30)

Network, Learn, Succeed

"Deliver results. Let your work speak for you the loudest.

"Build a network by finding successful people with high standards you admire and strive to make those attributes your own. And finally, never stop learning."

(Adriane M. Brown, President and CEO of Honeywell International's Transportation Systems, in “Results Count,” by Sheryl Nance Nash. Black Enterprise. New York: March 2007. Vol.37, Iss. 8; pg. 90)

Weighing, Wrestling, Balancing

“Leaders, who are essentialists, think everything boils down to one thing. It is all about shareholder value, or it is all about earnings. However, the world is complex, full of conflicts. By its very nature, ethics is about weighing and balancing different considerations, morally relevant considerations, and interests of different stakeholders who might be in conflict. What ethics really allows and inspires leaders to do is the process of weighing and balancing often-conflicting demands and interests.

“No CEO gets to have ethics or earnings. You need find a way to have both. A leader thinking that way is on the right track... They go through a process of weighing, wrestling, and balancing, and then, they make the right calls. This is very tough. Typically, the ones who get it right are the ones that think long term...

“In many cases doing the right thing is often inconvenient. It can be very unpopular. It can be dangerous, and in the short-term, it can certainly be unprofitable. Sometimes that is exactly when you know you are doing the right thing when it feels so inconvenient...

”Ethics is not something that you just cognitively learn. It is something that you struggle with and practice. Every day, people encounter ethical dilemmas, sometimes without even realizing it.”

(Dov L. Seidman, CEO of LRN, in “A Corporate Training View of Ethics Education: An Interview with Dov L. Seidman, CEO of LRN,” by Kenneth R Thompson. Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies: 2007. Vol. 13, Iss. 3; p. 79)

Peace, Be Still

“Leadership is in short supply today. For me, I start my workday early, at about 6:30 a.m., not only to think but to quiet my mind and my spirit. It is during those few hours that solutions that are less harsh come to me.”

(Koh Poh Tiong, CEO of Asia Pacific Breweries, in “Singapore’s Tiger Beer Chief Draws Lessons from Zoology, Nixon,” Wall Street Journal: July 9, 2007. pg. B.3)

Live Up To It

“We have… done a very thorough assessment of the soft qualities in our top management, particularly with respect to leading by example. And we have also made changes in senior management because some people could not live up to those requirements.”

(Gerard Kleisterlee, CEO of Philips Electronics NV, in “Gerard Kleisterlee CEO, Philips,” by Peter Lorange. European Business Forum: Spring 2007. , Iss. 28; pg. 60)

See Clearly; Develop Talent

“The definition of managers in my mind is someone who says, ‘I have a hand. I'm going to optimize the hand that I've been given.’

"Leaders actively change the hand to drive the business. Leaders make change where they see it is needed and actively develop the talent they have on their teams. I think the ultimate mark of leadership is to say, ‘Here's where I'm going to go,’ and to go put a plan together to get there and get it done.

"I think people want that leadership, they want to be developed, they want to know what to do. They want to have clear objectives; they want to understand what they did right, what they did wrong and what they can do.”

(Mark Hurd, CEO of Hewlett-Packard, in “Q&A with Mark Hurd,” Baylor Business Review: Fall 2006. Vol. 25, Iss. 1; pg. 26)

One Step at a Time

"The real world, whether in business or government, requires that you don't jump to the endgame [or] to success right away. You do it piece by piece. Some people get immobilized when they come to a roadblock. My answer is, 'You know, it's a shame it's there, but now where else can we go? Let's just do it’."

(Michael R. Bloomberg. Mayor of New York City and founder of Bloomberg LP, in “The CEO Mayor; How New York's Mike Bloomberg is Creating a New Model for Public Service that Places Pragmatism Before Politics,” by Tom Lowry. Business Week: June 25, 2007. , Iss. 4040; pg. 58)

Take Your Time

“I remind young executives that you cannot hurry to get the next job; you should get as much information as possible and make yourself 'promotable' by being positive. The success that I have achieved is because I have loved every job I ever had and have taken the time to learn all there was to offer.”

(Alyson Pitman Giles, Chairman of the American College of Healthcare Executives, in “Interview With ACHE's 2007-2008 Chairman,” by Marilyn E Mages. Healthcare Executive: March/April 2007. Vol.22, Iss. 2; pg. 8)

Ever Seeking

“I expect people to seek perpetual education and development – not necessarily by going back to school but by exposing themselves to new people and ideas... It demonstrates that you're interested in your own development. It also prepares you for difficult challenges in the future.”

(Larry Bossidy, former CEO of AlliedSignal, in “What Your Leader Expects Of You And What You Should Expect In Return,” by Larry Bossidy. Harvard Business Review: April 2007. Vol. 85, Iss. 4; p. 58)

Embracing Paradoxical Logic

"People are often faced with difficult choices -- for instance, 'Do I want to be the high-quality, high-cost supplier or the low-quality, low-cost supplier?' We're trained to examine the pros and cons of such alternatives and then pick one of them.

“But really successful businesspeople look at choices like these and say, 'I don't like either one.' They don't accept that it's an 'either-or’."

(Bob Young, cofounder and former CEO of Red Hat, in ”How Successful Leaders Think,” by Roger Martin. Harvard Business Review: June 2007. Vol. 85, Iss. 6; p. 60)

Managing Results?

“I get a big kick out of watching leaders and CEOs who try to manage results. You can't manage results unless you manage the things that go into making the results.”

(Jack Rooney, President & CEO of U.S. Cellular, in “There Are No Happy Losers,” by Tony Bingham and Pat Galagan. T+D: May 2007. Vol.61, Iss. 5; pg. 42)

Mother's Milk

“The benefits of good, well-trained leaders are very difficult to quantify. All you know is that it's big… You can never, ever overeducate your workforce, whether it is frontline associates or anyone else. Education is mother's milk to an organization.”

(Jack Rooney, President & CEO of U.S. Cellular, in “There Are No Happy Losers,” by Tony Bingham and Pat Galagan. T+D: May 2007. Vol.61, Iss. 5; pg. 42)

As Individuals, or Just Intel?

"I don't think we have internalized the extent of the global competitiveness issue. It's almost like we take our position in the world for granted."

(Paul Otellini, CEO of Intel, in “Business: CEOs Find Lack of Political Leadership on Trade,” by Alan Murray. Wall Street Journal: June 13, 2007. pg. A.2)

Your Unique Meaning

"The ingredients are there. You are the only one who can put them together into that unique pattern that will be your life. Let it be a life that has dignity and meaning for you. If it does, then the particular balance of success or failure as the world measures success or failure is of less account."

(Jon Huntsman, Sr., Chairman of Huntsman Chemical, in “Deans' Column: Patrick Harker of Wharton on Jon Huntsman,” by Patrick Harker. FT.com. London: May 14, 2007. pg. 1)

Personal & Personnel Development

“We assess our talent twice a year. I ask all my senior people to do 40 hours of personal development annually, including myself. I ask all the senior people to have two ready-now candidates to succeed them. Every time I meet with them we talk about, what are you doing to develop them?”

(James A. Skinner, CEO of McDonald’s, in “Boss Talk: How Jim Skinner Flipped McDonald's; Big Chain's CEO Focused On Getting Better, Not Bigger; 'We Have To Provide Choices',” by Janet Adamy. Wall Street Journal: January 5, 2007. pg. B.1)

Inspiration and Personal Development

“We have an inspirational leadership program that is highly individualized for handpicked managers. They're nominated by business leaders or functional leaders, and I pick them. A big chunk of it is about personal development.”

(A.G. Lafley, CEO of Procter & Gamble, in “Q & A: On The Hot Seat,” by Geoff Colvin. Fortune. New York: December 11, 2006. Vol.154, Iss. 12; pg. 75)

Look Around You

“In whatever adverse situations you are, always look at the bright side. Hardships and trials come and go. They don't exist just to make you fail, but to prepare you for bigger and more important tasks later. If you are positive, you'll find a solution or you'll come across someone who helps you solve the problem.”

(Jong Soo Lee, CEO of Hyundai Engineering & Construction, in “Lee Maps Hyundai Engineering's Long, Hard Road to Success,” by In-Soo Nam. Wall Street Journal: June 11, 2007. pg. B.3)

Our DNA

"It's best to concentrate on what you know... We're not going to do something outside of our DNA. There's no reason.”

(Bernard Fornas, CEO of Cartier, in “'Concentrate on What You Know:' Cartier CEO Interview,” Financial Times. London: June 8, 2007. pg. 9)

Great Curiosity

"Even in the early stages, I always had this great curiosity about what was going on in the world. Once you have that, it doesn't go away…

“We're in a world that's changing so dynamically. If you don't experiment with that world, you are going to get left behind very quickly."

(Roger Ogden, President and CEO of Gannett Broadcasting, in “Roger Ogden: Mile-High Winner,” by Paige Albiniak. Broadcasting & Cable. New York: April 9, 2007. Vol.137, Iss. 15; pg. 28)

Heart and Soul

"Invention is by its very nature a disorderly process... You can't put a Six Sigma process into that area and say, well, I'm getting behind on invention, so I'm going to schedule myself for three good ideas on Wednesday and two on Friday. That's not how creativity works…

"You cannot create in that atmosphere of confinement or sameness. Perhaps one of the mistakes that we made as a company – it's one of the dangers of Six Sigma – is that when you value sameness more than you value creativity, I think you potentially undermine the heart and soul of a company like 3M."

(George Buckley, CEO of 3M, in “At 3M, A Struggle Between Efficiency and Creativity: How CEO George Buckley is Managing the Yin and Yang of Discipline and Imagination,” by Brian Hindo. Business Week: June 11, 2007. Iss. 4038; pg. 8)

The Classics

“I think of most things in life as either a Bob Dylan or a Beatles song.”

(Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple, in “D: All Things Digital: 'Two of the Luckiest Guys on the Planet'; Steve Jobs and Bill Gates Trade Memories, Not Barbs, In Rare Joint Appearance,” by Walt Mossberg and Kara Swisher. Wall Street Journal: June 1, 2007. pg. B.1)

The Challenge of Meaning

“One of the biggest challenges we see is in the area of talent management. Look at the Baby Boomers we're losing. The transfer of knowledge from that group is very difficult to bring down to the masses.

“Traditional ways of on-boarding an employee have to change. They want more meaningful work sooner, they want to make a difference in their organization and they want a balance.

"People interpret work-life balance as focusing on things outside of work. But it's important to note that part of the balance comes from the rewarding work you do. Is it challenging? Is it meaningful? Is it something you can get inspired to do? Do you feel like you're making a difference?

"If you can balance rewarding work and a rewarding life, you've got the keys to the kingdom.”

(Mike Sabbatis, President of CCH Tax and Accounting, US, in “CCH's Sabbatis Understands Customers,” by Alexandra DeFelice. Accounting Technology. Boston: Apr 2007. Vol.23, Iss. 3; pg. 45)

Mistakes

“We encourage people to be entrepreneurial. We encourage people that it is okay to make a mistake, but when you make a mistake, correct it and move on. And if you make mistakes all of the time, you should go work for our competitor. We tell people not to take shortcuts, because that is a mistake.”

(Sandy Weill, former chairman and CEO of Citigroup, in “Wisdom From Weill,” Chief Executive. New York: Jan/Feb 2007., Iss. 223; pg. 10)

You've Won?

"The day you feel like you've won, you need to drive out of the parking lot and not come back."

(Mark Hurd, HP CEO, in “The UnCarly; How Mark Hurd, The Consummate Corporate Coach, Parlayed A Fixation On Efficiency Into A World Beating Revival At Hewlett-Packard,” by Quentin Hardy. Forbes. March 12, 2007; Volume 179 Issue 5; pg. 82)

Humanize Ingenuity

“Any organization is a human endeavor, but in the pursuit of efficiency, most big organizations work hard to dehumanize, depersonalize it. We think you can do both: run a successful and growing company that depends on the unpredictability and ingenuity of its employees… Some of our best ideas have come from the people who are furthest removed from the CEO's office --those line-level employees who interact with our customers each and every day.”

(Brad Anderson, CEO of Best Buy, in “Brad Anderson,” by Matthew Boyle. Fortune: Apr 30, 2007. Vol.155, Iss. 8; pg. 66)

The Best Part of Business

“I would characterize my management style as "dynamic involvement." I try to find a way to interact with people at every level within the organization in some form or fashion. To me, the best part of this business is being able to work with talented, committed people. I find ways to interact with a pumper or a lease analyst or a geologist. I try to find some way to be involved and to communicate at every level of the organization. It makes a world of difference.”

(Tony Best, CEO of St. Mary Land & Exploration Company, in “St. Mary's Best,” by Taryn Maxwell. Oil & Gas Investor. Denver: May 2007. Vol.27, Iss. 5; pg. 53)

Education's Value

Since you founded the UTC Scholar program, the company has spent more than $600 million paying for higher education for its employees. Has it been worth it?

“Categorically. Flatly. No argument. I think that's the best thing we ever did for employee benefits. Twenty-one thousand degrees have been earned, and 13,000 people are currently enrolled. It costs us $65 million a year. That's about 1% of UTC's operating income.

”Is it worth it? I guess I go back to my basic principle, which is education is definitely the most powerful force in life. Educated people are more thoughtful. They're more widely read. They're more alert to change. They're more confident.”

(George David, CEO of United Technologies, in “Boss Talk: Transformer in Transition; He Turned UTC Into Giant; Now, CEO George David Carefully Prepares Successor,” by J. Lynn Lunsford. Wall Street Journal: May 17, 2007. pg. B.1)

The Application of Discoveries

"I left Harvard with no real awareness of the awful inequalities in the world -- the appalling disparities of health and wealth and opportunity that condemn millions of people to lives of poverty, disease and despair… Humanity's greatest advances are not in its discoveries -- but in how those discoveries are applied to reduce inequity. Whether through democracy, strong public education, quality health care or broad economic opportunity -- reducing inequity is the highest human achievement."

(Bill Gates, Chairman of Microsoft Corporation and Co-Chairman of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, in “The Speechmaker: How Bill Gates Got Ready for Harvard; Warren Buffett Offered Tips on Delivery and Tone; A Dropout Gets a Degree,” by Robert A. Guth. Wall Street Journal: Jun 8, 2007. pg. A.1)

Tremendous Success

“The tremendous success of Whole Foods Market has provided me with far more money than I ever dreamed I'd have and far more than is necessary for either my financial security or personal happiness... I am now 53 years old and I have reached a place in my life where I no longer want to work for money, but simply for the joy of the work itself and to better answer the call to service that I feel so clearly in my own heart. Beginning on January 1, 2007, my salary will be reduced to $1, and I will no longer take any other cash compensation... The intention of the board of directors is for Whole Foods Market to donate all of the future stock options I would be eligible to receive to our two company foundations.

“One other important item to communicate to you is, in light of my decision to forego any future [pay], our board of directors has decided that Whole Foods Market will contribute $100,000 annually to a new Global Team Member Emergency Fund. This money will be distributed to team members throughout the company based on need... The first $100,000 will be deposited on January 1, 2007, and requests will be considered after that date.

“With much love,

John Mackey”

(John Mackey, CEO of Whole Foods Markets, in “Final Word,” Fast Company. Boston: Feb 2007., Iss. 112; pg. 112)

Degrees of Determination

"I'm not ruthless, but I am determined. I won't tolerate people who are dishonest, or who don't want to be part of a team. I'm a hard taskmaster because I'm never satisfied. But I'm just as hard on myself as I am on other people."

(Peter Scott, CEO of Engine Group, British advertising agency, in “The Engine Driver.” by John Tylee. Campaign. Teddington: Jan 19, 2007. pg. 22)

A Big Soul

“Laughter is food for my soul, and I have a big soul that needs extra portions. So I smile and laugh a lot, and surround myself with positive-thinking people who also see laughter as an important ingredient in their lives.”

(Maria Martinez, President & CEO of Border FCU, in “Laughter Is Food For Her Soul,” Credit Union Magazine. Madison: Jan 2007.Vol.73, Iss. 1; pg. 14)

Common Sense for Adversity

“We have enemies, but if you don’t allow them to build a base of popular frustration, common sense will prevail.”

(Gordon Stewart, President of the Insurance Information Institute, in “Stewart Saves Institute From 'Death Spiral',” by Sam Friedman. National Underwriter: P & C. Erlanger: Dec 18-Dec 25, 2006. Vol. 110, Iss. 48; p. 10)

Programatic Mentoring?

"Mentoring too much is trying to make snowflakes match… I disagree with the concept."

(Carol Bartz, CEO of Autodesk, in “Carol Bartz -- By Focusing On Windows, Acquiring Related Software And-Above All-Teaming With The Channel, This CEO Made An Indelible Mark.” by Barbara Darrow. CRN. Jericho: Dec 11 2006., Iss. 1223; pg. 24)

Be Still

“My mother encouraged me to walk up to people and ask them questions. But sometimes it's better just to stop, listen, and observe.”

(Abbe Raven, CEO of A&E Television Networks, in “Working On The Railroad,” interview by Devin Leonard. Fortune. New York: Dec 11, 2006.Vol.154, Iss. 12; pg. 45)

Keep it Simple

“I normally try to find three or four strategic concepts that sum up the direction in which the company should be moving, build up an organization that believes in these concepts, and then repeat, repeat, and repeat them throughout the organization. I am convinced that communication is a very powerful tool for running large organizations such as this one. It works fine if people know exactly where they are going, but in order to know this they need to be able to grasp some easy concepts. If it takes more than one minute to explain a strategy, something is wrong. In my view, it has to be that simple. Successful things are simple; I have never seen successful things that are very complicated. You provide simple guidelines and repeat them throughout the organization.”

(Paolo Scaroni, CEO of Eni, SpA, in “Leading Change: An Interview With The CEO Of Eni,” by Giancarlo Ghislanzoni. The McKinsey Quarterly. New York: 2006., Iss. 3; pg. 54)

Continuous Learning

"I'm obsessed with getting new insights. I recently read a book about Patton, and he was an obsessive reader. It's really the only way to learn."

(Douglas R. Conant, Chief Executive of Campbell Soup Co., in “Lighting A Fire Under Campbell.” by Adrienne Carter. Business Week. New York: Dec 4, 2006., Iss. 4012; pg. 96)

Multidimensional Chess

"Any day, I have to deal with 30 to 40 things going on, more or less at the same time. It's truly a multidimensional chess game. If I didn't have the right people here, I'd go crazy."

(SanDisk CEO Eli Harari, in “Eli's Big Adventure,” by Russ Arensman. Electronic Business. Highlands Ranch: Dec 2006.Vol.32, Iss. 12; pg. 26)