NAILBA Perspectives - May/June 2014 - (Page 18)

reading ahead Learning to Lead What have you recently read that inspired you to look differently at the way you're doing business? NAILBA welcomes your recommendations for books or blogs that you find helpful in shaping the way you do business. Contact Rachel Marineau, CMP, NAILBA's Manager of Meetings & Education, at 703.383.3069 or rmarineau@nailba. org and share your reading list. 18 perspectives MAY/JUNE 2014 Rise of the DEO: Leadership by Design Maria Giudice and Christopher Ireland As technology changes at an exponential speed, the way we lead our companies needs to change to keep pace with the world around it/that influences it. The agencies of the 21st century need an innovative leader and thinker, a DEO (Design Executive Officer). In Rise of the DEO: Leadership by Design we discover that recent revolutionary business leaders such as Steve Jobs, Jeff Bezos, and Larry Page recognized the need to anticipate their consumers' desires and create solutions to fit the demands; DEOs approach all problems as design challenges. Authors Maria Giudice and Christopher Ireland identify six defining characteristics of a DEO: Change Agent, Risk Taker, Systems Thinker, Intuitive, Socially Intelligent, and GSD (gets stuff done). For those who possess only one or two of these features, Giudice and Ireland suggest several "workouts" to build upon each characteristic. They also provide a few in-depth profiles of actual business leaders who demonstrate how they live out those characteristics. Rise of the DEO is an easy and crucial read for leaders at any level. Giudice and Ireland have provided the framework for leaders to become better thinkers and strategic risk takers, to trust their intuition, to make change, to marry expertise and passion, and more. Through graphics, how to's, exercises, and biographical features they assist anyone who is eager to rise to the challenge in front of them. More than just becoming a great leader, the role of DEO is paramount for those to looking to lead a 21st Century company. How I Did It: Lessons From the Front Lines of Business Harvard Business Review and Daniel McGinn A compilation of essays straight from Harvard Business Review, this book will help CEOs and principals of any company. How I Did It provides firsthand experiences from the top men and women of major corporations such as DuPont, Google, Gilt Groupe, Under Armour, GE, and many others. Discover how these global business leaders overcame a difficult succession, created lean growth, and other complex issues while continuing to successfully run their businesses. Kevin Ryan, Gilt Groupe CEO, tackles the importance of the CEO's involvement in the management of lower level employees and the recruitment process. Ryan feels that as CEO his primary duty is to oversee the management of talent (employees). Many leaders will tell you that employees are their company's most important asset. But many don't act that way. One way of deciphering this is looking at where the CEO spends the bulk of their time. According to Ryan, they should be spending most of their energy on recruiting and managing people to cultivate their talent. He believes so much in guarding those he's bringing in and those who are already there that he stresses the importance of the HR Director. The head of HR deserves a place at the table with all the other top officials. Ryan also discusses the magnitude of recognizing when it's time to let weaker members of the team go. It's tough to do but can be done with grace by allowing the employee the opportunity to acknowledge that they are not performing as well as they should and are probably holding back the rest of those on their team. Then encourage them to succeed in an area that utilizes their strengths. Hopefully there is another area in the company where they might have the opportunity to thrive. Managers should be held to high standards as well. Providing clear goals, making sure they are meeting those goals, and maintaining or growing the team are important. They are also leaders and should be motivating and inspiring their subordinates to perform their best. If you suspect a situation is deteriorating in one of your departments, don't wait to investigate it; it will end up costing you valuable employees. Employees rarely stay in a job where they do not work well with or respect management. Hold your managers responsible for those who are reporting to them and if you notice a downward trend in retention within their department, take the appropriate action. While the resume and interview are important when recruiting, references will give you the most valid and critical information on the potential hire. Checking references is a good practice but most people are prone to giving negative feedback on an interviewee. Ryan recommends finding colleagues you have in common with the new hire. LinkedIn can be a wonderful resource when looking for shared contacts. How I Did It features many different essays from other top business leaders and is a fanstastic addition to your professional library.

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NAILBA Perspectives - May/June 2014

NAILBA Perspectives - May/June 2014
Contents
Chairman’s Corner
CEO Insights
How to Train New Marketing Reps
Reading Ahead
Life Happens
The 3M Formula for BGA Marketing Success
NAILBA Charitable Foundation
Member Profiles
Agency Successor Networking Group
Agency Resources
member Profiles
MDRT Annual Meeting
Legislative Update
Calendar of Events
Index of Advertisers

NAILBA Perspectives - May/June 2014