I was reading ASTD’s (American Society for Training and Development) T & D Magazine last week when I discovered a new leader that I liked immediately. Indra Nooyi is the CEO of PepsiCo and under her leadership (she has been CEO since 2006), she has helped rally her organization behind their vision: “Performance with Purpose.” In the magazine interview Ms. Nooyi explained what that vision means and trust me, it’s as awe-inspiring as it sounds. The piece of the interview that stopped me in my Leadership Challenge tracks, however, came towards the end. When asked about how she supports and values Pepsico employees, she spoke of building a culture that inspires, motivates, and brings out the best in people. She then went onto explain, “First, it’s important to create an inclusive culture: a place where people can ‘bring their whole selves to work.’ A place where diverse values, beliefs, and practices are treated with respect. It’s also vital that people are shown respect by speaking to them with truth and candor. Give people honest feedback. Let them know where they stand.”
Values and feedback…two ideas that are really at the heart of The Leadership Challenge model. It struck me that bringing your whole self to work is really the result of getting clear about your own values as well as your organization’s values.
And on the feedback side… I love how she has flipped the notion, causing me to look at it from the other side. The Leadership Challenge teaches that extraordinary leaders are good at asking for feedback. Ms. Nooyi’s words make me think that in our role as followers and/or colleagues, we are all obligated to give honest feedback to our leaders…whether they ask for it or not.
Let me know what you think.
Posted by Lisa Shannon
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