The Real Deal vs. The Fad: Authenticity and CSR, as Learned from a Marine

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Dave Smith is a Ph.D. student at Benedictine University’s Center for Values-Driven Leadership (CVDL) and has broad leadership experience including for-profit, non-profit, and military command.

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Some people are the real deal. Some are not. The real ones act out their values. They don’t struggle with it, they don’t have a checklist, it just comes naturally – and observation of their life shows congruence with the values that they speak. It’s who they are. And they are happy, even joyful, in acting out their values.

I was recently reminded of an acquaintance of mine, and older gentleman, who was in his 70s and 80s when I had the privilege of his acquaintance. He had retired from a long law career, with an unblemished record of integrity. But he had not always been a lawyer.

Leading the Sustainability Driven Company - part 1

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Keith Cox, Ph.D., is the Systemic Sustainability Lead for idGroup Consulting & Creative, where he focuses on positive business and social change. He is also an advisor to the Center for Values-Driven Leadership.

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Over the years I have been extremely fortunate to learn from some of the true exemplar business leaders at the forefront of the sustainability revolution (the pursuit economic prosperity, environmental stewardship, and social responsibility) – real pioneers that were blazing trails and showing what was possible long before the mainstream corporate world gave two hoots about “going green.” These individuals, such as Ray Anderson of Interface, Inc., Jeffrey Hollender of Seventh Generation, Anita Roddick of The Body Shop, and Bob Stiller of Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, tell a new story of leadership.

These new leadership ideas depart from the more traditional leadership models born in the industrial paradigm which put the focus narrowly on the individual leader, corporate goals, and shareholder value. While those factors cannot be ignored, they simply do not adequately take account of the relationship aspects of leadership, other purposes of the corporation, and the multiplicity and complexity of interests affected by corporate actions.

The Key to Future Value Creation: Listening to the "Voice of the Planet"

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Stuart L Hart is a leading authority on the implications of environment and poverty for business strategy. He is the founder of Enterprise for a Sustainable World, www.e4sw.org. This blog is shared with permission from Voice of the Planet. 
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Since the Japanese Quality Revolution of the 1970s and 80s, companies have been obsessed with hearing and incorporating the "Voice of the Customer" into their management systems and processes.  Many still struggle to incorporate this elusive voice effectively--to be truly customer driven.  Indeed, many firms are still on the journey to learn how to "build quality in" rather than fix problems and mistakes after they occur.  It is now an article of faith that excelling in customer focus holds the key to sustained value creation.

Well, I'm here to tell you now not to get too comfortable.  Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water (as they would say), a new and even bigger managerial challenge--and opportunity--has arisen: incorporating the"Voice of the Planet" (VoP) into corporate missions, strategies, and management processes.

Yes, I Can Hear You Now: Thoughts on Controlling Your Smartphone

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Amber Johnson is the CVDL's corporate relations advisor and a non-profit and small business communications specialist. 

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Last week my smartphone had an unfortunate encounter with my kitchen floor. The face was completely shattered, which rendered the touchscreen device useless. It was late on a Sunday night, and I had a busy (and now phone-less) week ahead of me. Crisis!

Like many working parents, my smartphone is my lifeline to my kids when I'm not with them. And it's my lifeline to my work when I am parenting. I rest easier knowing that my boss or my kid's teacher can reach me when I'm needed. I rely on the calendar on the phone to tell me where I'm supposed to be, the mapping app to tell me how to get there, and the email function to get me the latest meeting notes right before the meeting starts.

Like many of you, I presume, I am utterly and totally dependent on my phone. And that's the problem, of course.

Working from Strengths: Leveraging Natural Talents to Succeed

--------------------------------------------------------------------------- Shannon Brown is a Ph.D. student at Benedictine University’s Center for Values-Driven Leadership (CVDL) and has served in leadership positions with Thomson Reuters, Tata Consultancy Services and BoomTime.  In addition, she is an adjunct faculty member at Dominican University where she teaches courses in leadership studies.
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Which message from your boss would you find more inspiring?

a)     Your communication style is often jumbled and indirect: find a way to organize your thoughts more clearly.

OR

b)     When you talk about your work, you communicate enthusiasm in a way that’s inspiring to others. By giving your colleagues clear ways to support your work, you’ll better be able to turn that inspiration into action.

Option B would work better for me. If you agree, then your prefrences align with that of Donald O. Clifton, Ph.D. and The Gallup organization, who discovered, through 50 years of research with millions of individual subjects across all types of organizations and job roles, that individuals have significantly higher potential for growth when they focus on enhancing their strengths rather than “fixing” their weaknesses. Macus Buckingham and Tom Rath have expended the initial body of work through a series of popular books, assessments and other training materials to help people identify and implement their strengths throughout their lives.

Activating Your Corporate Values: Four Quick Steps for Getting Started

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Amber Johnson is the CVDL's corporate relations advisor and a non-profit and small business communications specialist. 
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Most corporate websites have them: a list of corporate values, usually five to seven of them, identified by top leadership as reflecting the organization when it’s at its best. Unfortunately, what’s often missing is the next step: clear expectations —along with practical guidance – for leaders and managers to live out these values.

Companies that have managed to do this see benefits immediately, including higher employee retention and satisfaction; improved customer and client relations; and increased shareholder value.

There is no quick solution for integrating values into your corporate practices. But executives looking for a place to start can begin with these simple ideas:

Emilia DiMenco on The Value of Others in Decision Making

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Emilia DiMenco is an executive vice president at Harris Bank. She also serves as a strategic advisor to the Women’s Business Development Center, through Harris Bank’s “Loaned Executive” program. The following is excerpted with permission from a conversation between Emilia and the CVDL.
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As I first earned my way into leadership, I began to notice something: people expected me to have all the answers. And I tried to, at first. But I’ve learned that leaders contribute to the answer. They ask the right questions. They make the final decision. But they cannot be expected to have the answer immediately.

Decision making requires others. You’re not going to make the decision on your own. You have to hear your team share the pros and cons, and you have to remember that you’re hearing through someone else’s lens. You have to surround yourself with people who push back. I might have one view, but I usually don’t have all the information.