Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Deloitte CEO Bary Salzberg on Leadership concepts & institute
Deloitte CEO Barry Salzberg, on Leadership is the Norm, not the exception ; the old command & control era is passe..
http://mytoday.com/u/1975 and
http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article.cfm?articleid=2771
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Instead, Salzberg said, leadership needs to be "flat" today. It needs to be transparent. And to thrive in an ever-changing world, companies must actively commit to cultivating younger leaders throughout the organization, encouraging older leaders to pass on what they know. "Leadership now needs to be the norm, not the exception," he noted. "No longer is leadership about a few exceptional leaders at the top of the organization. Rather, the future is about exceptional teams and the leaders within those teams who can out-maneuver, out-manage and out-innovate their competition."-----------------------------------
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His first leadership lesson came on his third day. "Bosszilla," as he calls his first boss, asked him for a photocopy of a tax ruling. Eager to please and show off his legal savvy, Salzberg included his own two-page interpretation. "Mr. Salzberg," Bosszilla hissed, "I asked you for a copy of the ruling, not your interpretation. One copy, stapled."
"Well, I will tell you that right then I knew the kind of leader I never want to be," Salzberg said, "the kind who gives orders, not encouragement, who expects people to speak only when spoken to. I knew then, and I've proved it over and over during my career, that you never know where the best ideas will come from. If you build a supportive environment where everyone is expected to contribute, you'll get synergies and creative ideas you never imagined were possible."
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Up the 'Lattice'
That, Salzberg noted, is why leadership needs to be flat. In a global world, leaders are required at all levels of the organization, not just at the top. In fact, he said, Deloitte has "kicked away the ladder. In my organization, we talk now about the lattice, not the ladder," where people can move not just up and down but also sideways. If employees need to ease up on the intensity of work to take care of a child or an aging parent, the lattice structure allows them to do that without destroying their career. "The corporate lattice metaphor signals a shift in mindset. It's better reflective of today's employees, who want variety and flexibility and reject a one-size-fits-all approach."
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As head of Deloitte's U.S. operations, Salzberg visits as many as 25 to 35 offices every year, sitting down with partners to hear their concerns. When he becomes global CEO, he plans to travel more, he said. "There's nothing that can replace face-to-face interaction. Getting the rubber on the shoes worn out is how to do it."
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The experience helped him develop what he calls his "no ostriches, no elephants" principle. "No burying your head in the sand if there's a problem, and no ignoring the elephant in the room. Much better to name and tame an issue, no matter how difficult it is," than to ignore it or pretend it isn't there, he said. "Making sure the truth is told and discussed with all is the foundation of leadership. Without that, you can't build trust."
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"While mentoring was naturally a part of the process, it was not a hard-and-fast requirement. Rather, it was something you did if you kind of felt like it. It was optional, and nobody really monitored it. As I look back on it, the old model left too much to chance as far as developing leaders.
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The board eventually approved the $300 million initiative, and Deloitte University is now slated to open in Westlake, Tex., later this year. The 100-plus acre campus is dedicated to the idea that leaders learn best from other leaders. "Call it 'apprenticeship' if you will. It's an age-old model for turning the young into talented, experienced professionals and leaders."
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The university will give Deloitte professionals a chance share their experience and wisdom with the next generation -- a trait Salzberg believes comes naturally to good leaders. "The best leaders are ... generous with their experience, time and understanding that leadership is a life-long journey that is best made with trusted companions," he said. "If you have became a leader, the likelihood is that someone mentored you. Someone helped you, someone championed your career.
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http://mytoday.com/u/1975 and
http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article.cfm?articleid=2771
-------------------------------------------------------------
Instead, Salzberg said, leadership needs to be "flat" today. It needs to be transparent. And to thrive in an ever-changing world, companies must actively commit to cultivating younger leaders throughout the organization, encouraging older leaders to pass on what they know. "Leadership now needs to be the norm, not the exception," he noted. "No longer is leadership about a few exceptional leaders at the top of the organization. Rather, the future is about exceptional teams and the leaders within those teams who can out-maneuver, out-manage and out-innovate their competition."-----------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
His first leadership lesson came on his third day. "Bosszilla," as he calls his first boss, asked him for a photocopy of a tax ruling. Eager to please and show off his legal savvy, Salzberg included his own two-page interpretation. "Mr. Salzberg," Bosszilla hissed, "I asked you for a copy of the ruling, not your interpretation. One copy, stapled."
"Well, I will tell you that right then I knew the kind of leader I never want to be," Salzberg said, "the kind who gives orders, not encouragement, who expects people to speak only when spoken to. I knew then, and I've proved it over and over during my career, that you never know where the best ideas will come from. If you build a supportive environment where everyone is expected to contribute, you'll get synergies and creative ideas you never imagined were possible."
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Up the 'Lattice'
That, Salzberg noted, is why leadership needs to be flat. In a global world, leaders are required at all levels of the organization, not just at the top. In fact, he said, Deloitte has "kicked away the ladder. In my organization, we talk now about the lattice, not the ladder," where people can move not just up and down but also sideways. If employees need to ease up on the intensity of work to take care of a child or an aging parent, the lattice structure allows them to do that without destroying their career. "The corporate lattice metaphor signals a shift in mindset. It's better reflective of today's employees, who want variety and flexibility and reject a one-size-fits-all approach."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As head of Deloitte's U.S. operations, Salzberg visits as many as 25 to 35 offices every year, sitting down with partners to hear their concerns. When he becomes global CEO, he plans to travel more, he said. "There's nothing that can replace face-to-face interaction. Getting the rubber on the shoes worn out is how to do it."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The experience helped him develop what he calls his "no ostriches, no elephants" principle. "No burying your head in the sand if there's a problem, and no ignoring the elephant in the room. Much better to name and tame an issue, no matter how difficult it is," than to ignore it or pretend it isn't there, he said. "Making sure the truth is told and discussed with all is the foundation of leadership. Without that, you can't build trust."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"While mentoring was naturally a part of the process, it was not a hard-and-fast requirement. Rather, it was something you did if you kind of felt like it. It was optional, and nobody really monitored it. As I look back on it, the old model left too much to chance as far as developing leaders.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The board eventually approved the $300 million initiative, and Deloitte University is now slated to open in Westlake, Tex., later this year. The 100-plus acre campus is dedicated to the idea that leaders learn best from other leaders. "Call it 'apprenticeship' if you will. It's an age-old model for turning the young into talented, experienced professionals and leaders."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The university will give Deloitte professionals a chance share their experience and wisdom with the next generation -- a trait Salzberg believes comes naturally to good leaders. "The best leaders are ... generous with their experience, time and understanding that leadership is a life-long journey that is best made with trusted companions," he said. "If you have became a leader, the likelihood is that someone mentored you. Someone helped you, someone championed your career.
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