Changing technologies, new consumer bases and geopolitical shifts mean that it’s imperative that those at the helm of multi-million dollar corporations understand how to lead effectively, and with high impact.
What does it mean to lead with high impact, however? Together with online learning provider GetSmarter and the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership, we examine the success stories of six leading CEOs. We identify the specific lessons you can learn from each of them – skills and lessons that are also covered in the Leading Sustainability: High Impact Leadership and Business Sustainability Management online courses.
Lisa Su, AMD. Leadership lesson: run towards problems
When Taiwan-born Lisa Su took the helm at computer chip manufacturer AMD in 2014, the company was in trouble. Lagging far behind their main competitor, Intel, the semiconductor maker was haemorrhaging money and shareholders were angry.
It was Su’s mantra of ‘run towards problems’, and her clear vision of where she wanted the company to be in the coming years that would bring the company back from the brink, and make it one that provides the chips powering not only our computers, but also Smart TVs and gaming consoles. Su’s rapid and revolutionary turnaround of the company’s fortunes demonstrates not only the role of leadership in creating organisational change, but also in business growth.
Marvin Ellison, Lowe’s. Leadership lesson: learn to unify people
From early childhood, Marvin Ellison, the African-American former CEO of J.C. Penney’s and current CEO of Lowe’s, took on responsibility for his large family while his parents worked multiple jobs to put food on the table. As he grew older, starting in Loss Prevention at Target and climbing the corporate ladder via such household names as Home Depot, he learned to use his unique standing within the predominantly white corporate world to bring considerably different groups together, in the service of business growth and the consolidation of gains.
Combining confidence, faith and trust in those around him, Ellison has inspired Lowe’s to new heights, almost doubling their share price in two years. Ellison’s career path, and his success are classic examples of how convictions can give leaders a deep sense of meaning, and how the concepts of fairness, honesty and inclusion positively impact business decisions.
Rosalind Brewer, Walgreens. Leadership lesson: efficiency equals sustainability
Former CEO of Sam’s Club, COO of Starbucks, and current Walgreens CEO, Rosalind Brewer has made innovation her watchword throughout her entire career. She is one of only two black female CEOs of companies in the Fortune 500. Brewer was instrumental in bringing in healthier options and organic foods to Walmart and Sam’s Club, leading the way for other American retailers. She also pioneered ordering ahead for groceries and coffee, at Sam’s Club and Starbucks respectively. Not only has this led to growth, but the resulting efficiency gains have meant changes to supply chains and the amount of food wasted, making both companies significantly more sustainable.
Brewer’s success is indicative of the gains that can be made when leaders challenge current practice, and carefully consider processes with an eye towards efficiency and sustainability. Such decision-making can massively reduce waste and inefficiencies, giving a company a valuable and well-deserved reputation for sustainability.
Dan Price, Gravity Payments. Leadership lesson: Rewrite the rules
Dan Price, CEO of payment processor Gravity Payments, stunned the world when he announced in 2015 that all employees of the company would receive a yearly salary of $70,000, disrupting the typically pyramidal structure of corporate salaries. Not only that, but he announced that he would be taking the same salary, something completely unheard of. Not only did this result in a considerable amount of positive media coverage, but a book deal for Price, allowing him another platform to outline his vision and ideas, not only for the company, but for society as a whole. He has become a lightning rod for discussions around wage disparity, and some have claimed him as a kind of ‘working man’s hero’. Increasingly, small start-ups are attempting similar moves, and changing the conversation around corporate power structures.
Price’s actions in providing an equal salary clearly show the value of storytelling in leadership, creating a personal narrative that has had significant impact in his sphere of influence.
Whitney Wolfe Herd, Bumble. Leadership lesson: Turn loss into opportunity
Despite making Tinder the world’s premier dating app, as Vice President of Marketing, Whitney Wolfe Herd was subject to online abuse and threats after she spoke out, regarding tensions with fellow executives at the height of the #MeToo movement. Following a lawsuit and a barrage of press, Herd refused to let this be the end of her leadership career and came up with Bumble, the dating app where women message first – a revolutionary idea at its inception. The app soon took off and became the world’s second most popular dating app, behind Tinder.
Herd’s resilience, and her talent for introducing innovative ideas and practices that create opportunities for business growth are the hallmarks of her career so far – who knows what trajectory her career will take from here.
Robert Bosch, Bosch. Leadership lesson: Remember you’re a part of the greater whole
Today Bosch is one of the world’s leading manufacturers, not only of household appliances, but of automotive components and engineering equipment. However, across Germany and in many areas of the developing world, the name is also synonymous with acts of charity and altruism. This is because, right from the very early days of the company, founder Robert Bosch ensured that company profits would be reinvested into hospitals, development programmes and progressive causes in his native Stuttgart and beyond.
Bosch is still known for his conscientious response to Germany’s turbulent twentieth century. Not only did he refuse armament contracts during the First World War, but he and his closest associates played a key role in resistance to Hitler, saving countless Jewish lives in the process.
Bosch’s story is a classic case study of the ways in which commercial success can be aligned with societal and environmental causes.
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IMHO this is a bunch of platitudes!