John Elliott’s Post

The integrity of change Mike Todman, Former Vice Chairman, Whirlpool Corporation, taught me an important lesson with a memorable theatrical activity. Once, he asked leaders in a convention to stand up and move to the right 1 step, then to the left 2 steps, then again to the right one step. They all ended up in the same place they had started from. He commented: “Lots of movement, great alignment. No change”. When we embark on a change, a transformation, a reinvention … the names are many, what is essential is that there is an improvement for all legitimate stakeholders involved. This was a key message our colleagues shared with the people managers attending our own Sidel Leading Excellence program last week during the first round of sessions, which took place for one of our key countries. Alessandra Borghini, HR for Europe and Central Asia at Sidel, made the point very clearly: “Call it change or transformation or as you like it. The important thing is to consider that it will impact people in different ways. There will be some, likely the majority, who will benefit from it. But there might be as well others for whom this is not a positive change. We need to acknowledge it, respect it and find ways to minimize the impact”. This is what I call the integrity of #change for which leaders are #accountable for.

💡𝗔𝗱𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗕𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗚𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 One of the biggest benefits of working with global leaders like DHL is the exposure to best practices in management. However, applying these globally is not always straightforward. Each region has unique market conditions and regulatory environments, which require adapting global standards to local needs. In my experience, flexibility and understanding local markets are key to scaling best practices. How do you balance global standards with local adaptability in your organization? #GlobalBusiness #BestPractices

COKE IS IT! I was thinking this morning about good versus great organizations. Hands down the top organization was The Coca-Cola Company. Shell comes in at number two and the The Ford Motor Company, in the good times, comes in third. Why? It all relates to resourcing the journey, empowering your employees to have a chance to succeed, and listening. I was encouraged to have a position, speak up, and say what I believed. For me that was pivotal. I was in successive sales roles with bottlers and then customers and was then given the opportunity to spearhead the launch of Category Management with national accounts. Why was that important? My approach to selling was always strategic, which was noted and then leveraged to the company’s advantage by placing me in a role where that was the point. Shell comes in second in that we also hired top global talent and resourced the journey properly which improved our odds to be successful, though there was more of a B to B mindset overall. Ford in the boom years resourced the journey and provided an upwardly mobile path to positions of greater responsibility based on merit and hard work. There was nothing more a “young buck” could wish for – work hard, get rewarded. Rinse and repeat. In the good times, they also encouraged us to stand up and speak up as the future leaders. Since that culture changed in recessions, and they pulled back investments and opportunities, they get third place, but a place nonetheless in the pantheon of Olympian organizations well run and still powerful today. This is the ultimate testament to all their leadership's acumen and mindset. You can also click “+Follow” in my profile to stay in touch.

This book explains the management system of All-Employee Management practiced by Mr. Yanai of UNIQLO. As expected from the leader who turned UNIQLO into a global brand, the content is truly remarkable. It’s a mindset rarely seen among Japanese business leaders, and I believe all Japanese executives could benefit greatly by learning from him.

Here are my toughs about the Korn Ferry Institute's article, "How Diverse Teams Increase Innovation and Growth." While the article rightly champions diversity's role in innovation, it overlooks practical challenges. Diversity alone doesn't guarantee innovation; it requires inclusive practices and leadership to integrate varied perspectives effectively. Furthermore, the article lacks tangible strategies for fostering inclusivity. Concrete steps, like active listening and inclusive decision-making processes, are essential for harnessing diversity's benefits. Lastly, industry-specific insights are missing. Tailored approaches are needed to address unique challenges within sectors like paints, where technical expertise and cultural factors play significant roles. In summary, while diversity is vital, practical implementation is key. By prioritizing inclusivity and developing industry-specific strategies, organizations can truly unlock the potential of diverse teams for innovation and growth. #Diversity #Innovation #Inclusion #Leadership #Critique #PracticalInsights #PaintIndustry #Mexico Check out the full article here: https://lnkd.in/evGZHBh6

🌟 Company Values—Steve Reinemund's Best Moment 🌟 I stumbled upon this incredible story in "The Habit Of Winning" by Prakash Iyer and couldn't resist sharing it with you all! 📘 Steve Reinemund, former CEO of Pepsi, reminisces about a pivotal moment when his counterpart at Coca-Cola unexpectedly reached out to thank him. 📞 Reinemund was puzzled until he delved deeper and uncovered a remarkable tale. A rogue employee at Coca-Cola attempted to sabotage their own company by stealing a product ingredient list and sending it to Pepsi. However, a vigilant administrative aide at Pepsi intercepted the letter, recognized its malicious intent, and promptly forwarded it to Coke's legal team without discussing it with anyone else at Pepsi. 🕵️♀️ "It was a great day for PepsiCo," Reinemund recalls. This incident affirmed his belief that ethical leadership sets the tone for an organization, guiding individuals to make principled decisions even in challenging situations. This story underscores the essence of organizational values. It's not just about articulating them; it's about living them, especially when faced with adversity. 💼 Values aren't merely words on a slide deck; they're manifested in the daily actions of every member of an organization. This employee's integrity, despite the longstanding rivalry between Pepsi and Coke, exemplifies the essence of true values. 🤝 Leaders can preach about values, but it's the actions of employees that truly define an organization's character. This story beautifully illustrates how adherence to values isn't a choice—it's a way of life. 💪 #CompanyValues #Leadership #Integrity #Ethics #Inspiration

Drawing on her background in #food engineering and extensive experience in diverse operational roles across the #supplychain, Judy Zheng, QSE Director, Swire Coca-Cola China, deeply understands the critical importance of #safety. Judy shared her insights on the roles and values of corporate #safetyculture and management, as well as the development of #leadership, influence, and other soft skills through her involvement in safety practices. https://lnkd.in/dbzMp_92 #LeadersMakingADifference

Calculated Risk taking is an integral part of Innovation.

Roberto Mercade is the ambassador you want in leadership. Mercadé has spent over thirty years working across The Coca-Cola Company, and in that time he’s had thirteen different jobs in Mexico, Colombia, Australia, South Africa, Venezuela, El Salvador, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and the US. 🌏 The current president of the McDonald's Division is only a year into his current role leading a global organization responsible for Coca-Cola’s key relationship with McDonald’s in more than one hundred markets, but given his previous achievements, that’s more than enough time for Mercadé to get comfortable. 💪 By that, he means consciously uncomfortable. Mercadé was just having this conversation with his North American unit of his global team the week prior to his Hispanic Executive interview. It’s not about feeling restless or unsatisfied, and it’s much more about feeling curious. The president is keyed in on helping those at Coca-Cola find their way to “the learning zone,” where his people are comfortable taking risks because they know the organization has their back. But they’re also entirely accountable for the work that they do. 🚀 “If we can get all of our people there consistently, and we have great talent with great capability and diversity, then just make sure you let them work and the magic will happen,” he explains. “We need to create the conditions for that which means our teams feel highly accountable, psychologically safe, and they can pivot quickly when they need to.” Read more about him: https://hubs.la/Q02FCFC10 #HispanicExecMag