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March 6, 2007
Observations on Obama—Lessons for CEOs on Leadership?
Yesterday I attended a small gathering of business executives in New York City, where Senator Barack Obama told us why he is running for President of the United States. I will not write about his political views; there are others much better qualified to evaluate his platform. Nor will I endorse his candidacy. I’m simply interested in his personal style and the lessons it may provide for those of us in business. I think the favorable attention Obama has received from media, commentators and the general populus is--in part-- a result how he communicates in person, on stage, and on camera.
Senator Obama exudes calm and quiet confidence. He does not use overblown rhetoric. Nor does he gesticulate with his hands. He looks straight at his questioner, answering with serious purpose.
He knows who he is. He uses personal experiences to differentiate himself from the other candidates, in particular his time in Indonesia as a child, which gives him unique knowledge of the world. He talked about his visit to Selma, Alabama on Sunday and the impact of American slavery and inequality on the global scene, specifically about his grandfather who had been a “house boy” in Kenya until the country achieved independence in the mid Sixties.
He is candid on difficult issues, such as his endorsement of charter schools despite the opposition of the teachers’ union and support for higher CAFÉ standards on automobiles despite the UAW’s opposition.
He responds to questions about his relative political inexperience by providing well articulated positions on key issues (healthcare, energy, security), developed by a group of advisors with gravitas (Sam Nunn as example), though he clearly uses his own judgment and values as guiding lights on policy.
He has a central theme, which is that the country needs to believe again in a conception of common good to replace the politics of divisiveness. He dislikes wedge issues that slice and dice the electorate.
He is respectful of those who hold different views and come from very different backgrounds. He told a funny story about meeting avid hunters in the rural South, telling them that he was a city kid and never had gone hunting, but then asking them to tell him about it. He said that white evangelical pro-life voters are 55% positive about him, while 25% are negative.
The Edelman Trust Barometer shows that while business trust is rising, CEO's, as a class, aren't as highly trusted. Only 18% of opinion leaders in Europe’s three largest economies and 22% in the US trust CEOs. The lesson for CEOs might be that the right style for this decade is low-key, substantive, and respectful, with esteem earned by achievement of goals and articulation of purpose that inspires instead of intimidates. To me Obama is a good example of that approach. That is not to say that down the road he will not make mistakes but we can learn from that too.
Posted by Edelman at March 6, 2007 11:18 AM |
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Comments
It seems lately your posts have been focusing clearer and clearer on the need for restructuring. Obviously this process starts at the individual level. Personally I feel like in the past there have been attempts made (and failed) due to the fact that they don't affect the person, but the organization.
I read something that was written by Nussbaum of BusinessWeek taken from the World Economic Forum (you were at, I believe):
"...two things, at least, are clear. First, top managers of global corporations are convinced that innovation and creativity are critical to the future success of their companies. Second, to make that happen, a massive hunt for creative talent around the world is under way.
Creative people want to be part of a great, creative team and culture. Community is very important to them. Shaping and managing that organization is critical. Creative people need compelling problems they can feel passionate about. These are problems that can change markets, solve social ills, and build new product categories.
This kind of talent also needs to do other things, often outside the corporation. They need validation within their own peer group and often within a global set of like-minded people. And they often like to be personally branded -- identified with innovations. The grey corporate organization man/woman is gone."
Although the article was about IDEO's new stance on community and corporation, I feel like using this mentality brings a contemporary paradigm we should all follow as individuals, just as Obama has. The political, environmental, corporate, and all aspects of society which deal with trust (and society in general) could benefit from looking at things from a different. It's just a matter of correlating it together to see a larger picture and interrelating these problems that we are all affected by. Obama's clarity sets him apart-- especially in a world of so much noise.
Posted by: Erin Little at March 6, 2007 6:59 PM
I am fascinated by the need for restructuring…specifically moving from shareholder model to stakeholder concept with multiple constituencies (employees, consumers, regulators/elected officials, NGOs, investors) I believe that the best CEOs understand this new world, requiring listening, commitment to bigger societal issues and of course making profit. Thanks for reading my blog.
Posted by: Richard Edelman at March 7, 2007 10:28 AM
Richard,
Thought your Obama observations were excellent and right on target. Hope you are doing well and it's too bad our daughter's basketball careers are not intersecting this winter.
Posted by: Richard Fife at March 7, 2007 12:06 PM
Obama has a certain ineffable authenticity. He appears to operate from a solid foundation and core belief system. Even if you don't agree with him, you can trust him. Hillary suffers, maybe unfairly, from a perception that she's more political - more contrived. We know of Hillary, but we don't know Hillary. I think it's among her greatest stumbling blocks to the nomination. To compound matters, her pollsters/strategists are participating in too many interviews. Every time Mark Penn et al are quoted in the newspaper, it's a plus for Obama.
Posted by: Leo Bottary at March 12, 2007 1:04 PM