Sustainable improvements
Creating ‘Champions of Change’ will transform your organization.
8 Big ideas
Lessons on management, leadership and strategy from some of chicago’s top executives
1. Foster creative thinking in the office
At Edelman U.S., the nation’s largest public relations firm, President and COO Nancy Ruscheinski puts a premium on innovative thinking. “The industry that we’re in, creativity is table stakes,” Ruscheinski says. “It’s not a luxury; it’s a necessity. So there’s real self-interest in creating an environment that spurs creative thinking.” Edelman does this several ways. […]
2. Give employees room to grow
When discussing career aspirations with employees, Kevin Kelly offers a piece of advice: use the information discussed to give them the room to grow. “There are three critical components to any job,” says Kelly, CEO of Heidrick & Struggles International Inc., a $648 million senior-level executive search and leadership consulting services firm. “First and foremost […]
3. Act on the information you have
Ann Drake lives by one of the oldest clichés in the book: Trust your gut instinct. To Drake, CEO of DSC Logistics Inc., a 2,000-employee logistics and supply chain company, that means acquiring all the information you can and then acting on it. “Your instincts are valuable,” she says. “… When I have this intuition […]
4. Put your message in context
Mitchell Feiger recognizes that maintaining frequent and timely communication with your team can be tricky — sometimes your honest message has an unintended negative consequence. But good, bad or indifferent, your people need to have the ability to properly place what you’re telling them. That’s why Feiger, president and CEO of MB Financial Inc., the […]
5. Figure out who’s performing and who isn’t
Analyzing your budget for cuts is never easy, but it’s a little easier if you have identified what your company holds sacred. “The thing for me is we just have to be sure that we’re giving good client service and we’re being loyal to true performers who have been good for Huron in the long […]
6. Set growth limits
Every business leader wants to grow his or her company, but Jaideep Bajaj understands that when your growth — and company’s success — relies upon your ability to create accountability around collaboration, something unexpected can harm you: adding too many new people. Bajaj’s company, ZS Associates Inc., had a year when it grew nearly 50 […]
7. Spend your time as CEO recruiting
To keep a constant influx of talent, Eric Belcher personally spends between one-third and one-half of his time recruiting for InnerWorkings Inc., a 700-employee provider of managed print and promotional procurement solutions. That wouldn’t be so surprising if Belcher wasn’t the company’s CEO. “In almost every conversation I have with somebody who is not employed […]
8. Take simplicity to the front lines
Having a senior management team behind an idea doesn’t ensure it will become reality. Rather, it takes a commitment from champions that you create throughout the ranks. “That front line of the business, without them, we can’t execute anything,” says Lyn Kirby, president and CEO of Ulta Salon, Cosmetics & Fragrance Inc., a 320-store beauty […]