What does it mean in practice to be a values-based leader? First, you
must recognize that leadership is not determined by the number of direct
reports you have. Whether you are entry level or an executive, when
faced with real situations that test your patience and possibly defy
your belief system, it’s imperative that you are your best selfso
that you can create best teams - while also being a best
partner for customers and vendors, a best investment for
stakeholders and a best citizen making a difference in the
world. Becoming The Best: Build a World-Class Organization
Through Values-Based Leadership (Wiley, March 9th,
2015), a new book by Harry M. Jansen Kraemer Jr., offers a how-to guide
for putting the principles of values-based leadership into action to
achieve “5 Bests.”
A follow up to his best-seller From
Values to Action, in which Kraemer showed how self-reflection,
balance, true self-confidence and genuine humility are the traits of
today's most effective leaders, Becoming The Best addresses
how to apply these principles to help create a values-based
organization. Kraemer, a professor at Northwestern University's Kellogg
School of Management, an executive partner with Madison Dearborn
Partners and the former CEO and chairman of Baxter International, offers
a rallying cry for employees to stay grounded in who they are and what
they stand for. He defines the human side of leadership and proves that
values and success are not mutually exclusive.
Kraemer’s “5 bests” for readers are:
-
Best Self: You actualize who you are meant to become, with
fuller self-knowledge of and a deeper understanding that in order to
influence people, you need to relate to them first.
-
Best Team: All team members understand and appreciate what
they're doing, why they're doing it, and how that fits with and
fulfills the goals and objectives of the organization.
-
Best Partner: The organization, its vendors and suppliers forge
a partnership in order to enhance the customer experience. Each party
understands what the organization is trying to do and why, as it
provides products and/or services.
-
Best Investment: Everyone in the organization focuses on
generating a return for the owners (whether stockholders, debt
holders, a foundation, or other stakeholders) through positive and
meaningful actions that support the mission, vision, and values of the
organization.
-
Best Citizen: From the C-suite to the most junior levels of the
organization, everyone is focused not only on success, but also
significance, through social responsibility and making a difference in
the world, beyond the organization and its people.
Powerful case studies from Campbell’s Soup, Target, Ernst & Young,
Fieldglass and more help illustrate a key message Kraemer has for
readers – that values-based leadership applies to those in the cubicle
or corner office, entrepreneurial start-ups or global corporations,
regardless of their industry or origin. Put quite simply, it should be
the foundation for any leader or organization.
