Successful Meetings - January 2009 - (Page 35)

Employees of a Radisson hotel in India welcome Nelson in traditional dress; below, with Regis Philbin MORE ONLINE For more on Nelson’s philosophies of leadership, visit SuccessfulMeetings.com McGraw-Hill, and How We Lead Matters was born. “I don’t know if I would have had the courage to be quite so personal if I knew it was going to be so broadly disseminated,” she reveals. In it, she shares her life’s pinnacles as well as its cavernous valleys. One of the deepest occurred just days after dropping her daughter Juliet off at Smith College to begin her undergraduate studies. A call came that Juliet had been killed in an automobile accident. During months of agonizing grieving, Nelson found solace in a speech that Juliet had given to her senior high school class just months before. She shares a passage from that speech in which Juliet reminded her classmates, “Life is always fragile … Each one of us is given only one journey. If we enjoy it to the fullest … every, every minute of it, one journey is enough.” These words have inspired Nelson to live each day to its fullest. “I felt the book wouldn’t be authentic if I didn’t share the vulnerabilities, the bad times. Leaders need to let their people know, though they are CEO of a global company doesn’t mean they are free of the pain that is the human condition. The ultimate question is how do you play the cards you are dealt?” Today, as chairwoman of the company, Nelson is not involved in the day to day, but contributes to big-picture strategies. She continues to live by the credo tirelessly promoted at Carlson: “Whatever you do, do it with integrity; wherever you go, go as a leader; whomever you serve, serve with caring; whenever you dream, dream with your all; and never, ever give up.” SM bigger difference. You will create jobs, which is the best form of philanthropy, and your passion will have a positive impact on the company,’ ” she recalls. That’s exactly what she did. She took over Carlson Companies from her 84year-old father in 1998, inheriting a demoralized organization lethargic from decades of top-down rule. She set out to create the most caring, collaborative environment she could, by traveling tirelessly to meet with the company’s 160,000 employees based in 150 countries. “I went to every hotel, every travel call center, and shook everyone’s hand. I did whatever I could to create one-onone relationships and experiences, changing our culture to a very personal one where people feel connected in an almost family sense,” she explains. Under her leadership, the company’s systemwide sales have grown more than threefold, from $12 billion to $40 billion. Although this growth is impressive, she does not cite it as her proudest accomplishment. Creating an inclusive environment at Carlson ranks first. “When I took over from my dad, there were two women executives. Today, there are 71, which is 49 percent of our top group,” she beams. “The organization is truly a meritocracy. We attract talent whatever the gender, whatever the nationality. This is something I feel very good about.” Her parents and her husband have been enormous influences, although she has learned from many others as well. Her life’s most important lessons are included in her new book, How We Lead Matters. The tales not only motivate but demonstrate her ability to bring out the best in people. “Author” was never an aspiration, but Nelson was encouraged to unveil her innermost thoughts when asked by her grandson if she was alive during segregation. “I was quite undone by that question. We’re a very close family. We talk all the time and I attend all their events, but you don’t necessarily talk about your passions, the fights in your life, what you believe in, or principles for which you stand. These are not conversations you have with kids,” she says. She started jotting down her thoughts, her experiences, and her favorite poems on international airplane flights and shared the rough draft of her book with a friend who was so moved by her words that he took it to SuccessfulMeetings.com I January 2009 I SM I 35 http://www.SuccessfulMeetings.com http://www.SuccessfulMeetings.com

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Successful Meetings - January 2009

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