Interesting Communities of Leadership
This list represents Scott’s nominations for interesting communities of leadership in business.
The idea is to identify and follow a list of companies who are leaders in their industries, and who also have strong cultures of caring about people: customers, employees, suppliers, the community.
We’re testing the hypothesis that leading companies in the future, commercially and in terms of shareholder value, will also be leaders in treating people well, and that these ideas are not only non-contradictorys, but highly synergistic.
In this experiment, we’ve identified 40 companies to follow as candidate Communities of Leadership. They’re diverse by industry and geography. We’ve done a short profile on each one. We then follow news about those companies, looking to build a picture, from publicly available information, of how they operate externally and internally, focusing on strategic, innovative and cultural insights.
We’re watching and learning, and would welcome your insights, critiques and comments, via the comment box below or by email to scott@lovingwork.org.
The list is work in progress. Here it is in alphabetical order.
- Accenture, William D. Green , CEO. Massive global presence in consulting, technology, architecture, implementation and outsourcing. The biggest public company that’s a pure play in consulting and outsourcing services. A huge investor in India, with 40,000 employees there. See http://lovingwork.org/communities-of-leadership-bill-greens-accenture
- Acer, J.T. Wang, CEO. Taiwanese computer maker, now number 2 in world PC shipments and growing at 50% a year. Number one in notebooks and in all PCs for EMEA. Fast product development, outsource manufacturing, tight margins. Increasing focus on the value of their brands. “Love” the customer. See http://lovingwork.org/communities-of-leadership-j-t-wangs-acer-group
- Allianz, Michael Diekmann, Chairman of Manaagement Board. Quintessential German insurer, targeted on becoming the “most trusted financial services company throughout the world.” Primarily European, it reports active work to create microinsurance products in India. See http://lovingwork.org/communities-of-leadership-allianz-and-axa
- Amazon, Jeff Bezos, CEO. One of the great internet success stories, now the world’s second largest retailer by market value. Growing rapidly beyond its home base in books, it acquired the iconic Zappo’s last year and launched the Kindle e-reader in a bid to lead in electronic reading matter of all kinds. Seeks to be “Earth’s most customer-centric company.” See http://lovingwork.org/communities-of-leadership-bezoss-amazon
- Apple, Steve Jobs, CEO. Widely perceived as one of the world’s innovation leaders, at the forefront of technology, communication, design, customer experience. iPads, iPods, iPhones, iTunes, Macs. See http://lovingwork.org/communities-of-leadership-apple-now-most-valuable-tech-company
- ArcelorMittal, Lakshmi Mittal, CEO. The leader in world steel production by a large margin, this company was built from emerging market roots and has now achieved dominance in a core industry for the world economy. Important acquisitions in the U.S. and Europe have now been successfully integrated. A genuinely global culture, a visionary commitment to market leadership and strong operating skills should position this company superbly. See http://lovingwork.org/communities-of-leadership-lakshmi-mittals-arcelormittal
- AT&T, Randall Stevenson, CEO. The world’s largest telecoms provider by value, sales and profits. A powerhouse in both land-based and mobile services. Very U.S.- centric. Not very vocal about its culture. Will this giant need to globailize? Identify and articulate a distinctive corporate culture in order to maintain a position of leadership? See http://lovingwork.org/communities-of-leadership-randall-stevensons-att
- AXA, Henri de Castries, Chairman and CEO. Global French-based insurer, “redefining standards.” Powerful in Europe and the U.S., about 24% of revenues come from outside Europe. See http://lovingwork.org/communities-of-leadership-allianz-and-axa
- BASF, Dr Juergen Hambrecht, CEO. Global German-based chemical giant. ”We are the chemical company.” Proud of its Verbund concept of huge, integrated plants creating synergies. Operates Verbund plants in Malaysia and China. 22% of sales comes from outside Europe, North America. Announced values include professional competence, mutual respect, open dialogue, and integrity. See http://lovingwork.org/communities-of-leadership-basf
- BYD, Wang Chuanfu, founder and CEO. Number eight from nowhere last year in BusinessWeek’s most innovative list, this Chinese company is now the world leader in the manufacture of cell-phone batteries and in the top handful of rechargeable battery makers worldwide. It is also now in the car business, leading with electric models. It is an expert in reverse-engineering and low-cost,high quality imitations of competitors’ products and manufacturing processes, with special focus on leveraging the value of cheap labour. Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway owns about 10% of the company. See http://lovingwork.org/better-you-duck
- China Mobile, Wang Jianzhou, CEO. The world’s largest and most valuable telecoms company with 522 million customers, a market value of $ 199.7 billion and a 70% market share in China. Committed to “achieving leapfrog evolution from excellence to preeminence” through its value proposition “Responsibility Makes Perfection.” The biggest telecoms gorilla in the room. See http://lovingwork.org/communities-of-leadership-wang-jianzhous-china-mobile
- Cisco, John Chambers, CEO. The leading provider of network infrastructure, maintained a growing lead in its specialty areas over many economic and computing cycles, innovator through acquisition. The (human) network is the platform. See http://lovingwork.org/communities-of-leadership-intel-and-cisco
- The Coca-Cola Company, Muhtar Kent, CEO. Owner of the world’s most valuable brand according to Interbrand. Sells beverages in 200 countries worldwide. One of the world’s premier and most ubiquitous brand-management companies. Led by a CEO of Turkish descent. See http://lovingwork.org/communities-of-leadership-muhtar-kents-coke-and-indra-nooyis-pepsi
- DaVita, Bill Thiry, CEO. An inspiring story of a corporate turnaround that creates $6b of shareholder value by creating a human-focused, values-based culture. See http://lovingwork.org/my-kind-of-turnaround-artist
- FedEx, Frederick Smith, CEO. One of the global leaders in logistics, supply chain management and express delivery services. Invented the business of overnight air express delivery. Known for its Purple Promise: “To make every FedEx experience outstanding.” See http://lovingwork.org/communities-of-leadership-frederick-smiths-fedex
- Ford Motor Company, Alan Mulally, CEO. The only U.S.-based automaker to escape bankruptcy, under Mulally now getting positive recognition for being innovative, quality conscious, and attempting to reinvent itself. Can Henry Ford’s old company lead the industry once again? See http://lovingwork.org/mulallys-ford-a-different-future
- General Electric, Jeff Immelt, CEO. A company long focused on developing its leaders and managers, moving to build on its traditional focus on achievement and performance to include a greater focus on innovation and internationalisation. See http://lovingwork.org/communities-of-leadership-immelts-ge
- Goldman Sachs, Lloyd Blankfein, CEO. Arguably the world’s leading investment bank. A hotbed of achievement, excellence and teamwork, now a target of global resentment against wealthy bankers and the focus of a lawsuit by the SEC. See http://lovingwork.org/communities-of-leadership-jamie-dimons-jp-morgan
- Google, Eric Schmidt, CEO; Sergey Brin and Larry Page, Co-founders, Presidents. The leaders in global search and online advertising. One of the icons of the internet age, and a major driver of innovation and change in the management of information. Challenging for dominance in productivity tools and mobile operating systems. See http://lovingwork.org/communities-of-leadership-google
- Hewlett-Packard, Mark Hurd, CEO. Bills itself as the world’s largest IT company, with a range of products from PCs (world’s largest maker) to handhelds, printers (a huge business) and enterprise hardware and systems. Famously founded by Bill and Dave in a garage in 1939, the prototypic Silicon Valley start-up – before there was a Silicon Valley. A proud culture of customer service, innovation, and care for the team. Challenged today especially by Asian manufacturers like Acer and Lenovo. See http://lovingwork.org/communities-of-leadership-hewlett-packard
- HSBC, Michael Geoghegan, CEO. The World’s Local Bank. A global powerhouse of a bank, especially strong in Asia, with its historic roots in Hong Kong paying off massively as China grows in importance. Also huge in India and Latin America. Group declared values: openness, connectedness, dependability. See http://lovingwork.org/communities-of-leadership-michael-geoghegans-hsbc
- IBM, Sam Palmisano, CEO. A global innovator, crossing technology (hardware and software) and business process. A massive organisation, present around the world. Has reinvented itself now several times as it approaches its 100-year anniversary. See http://lovingwork.org/communities-of-leadership-palmisanos-ibm
- Intel, Paul Otellini, CEO. The leading supplier of microprocessors, champion of Moore’s Law. Established and grown leadership over repeated technical and economic cycles. An examplar for Open Innovation, capturing and leveraging good ideas from inside and outside the company. See http://lovingwork.org/communities-of-leadership-intel-and-cisco
- Johnson & Johnson, William Weldon, CEO. The most valuable public healthcare company. Long-time leader in healthcare products, including prescription pharmaceuticals but also over-the-counter products, medical devices and diagnostics. Proprietor of the famous Credo. See http://lovingwork.org/communities-of-leadership-johnson-johnson
- JP Morgan Chase, Jamie Dimon, CEO. Number one in Forbes’s list of the world’s largest companies. Global powerhouse in both investment banking and commercial banking, as well as financial transaction processing. Could use to be a bit bigger in Asia, which is only about 5% of the business. ”Only first class business, and that in a first-class way.” See http://lovingwork.org/communities-of-leadership-jamie-dimons-jp-morgan
- Microsoft, Steve Ballmer, CEO, Bill Gates, eminence grise. The leader in software for the last generation, now challenged to innovate in both operating systems and personal productivity tools, perhaps elsewhere. Also challenged to continue its globalisation, taking full account of Asia. Wellspring of Bill and Melinda’s remarkable efforts to “give back” a big chunk of their wealth to the world. See http://lovingwork.org/communities-of-leadership-ballmers-and-gatess-microsoft
- Nestlé, Paul Bulcke, CEO. Swiss-based, the world’s largest food company by sales, profits, and value. Publicly committed to being “the world’s leading nutrition, health, and wellness company”; tag line, ” Good food, good life.” See http://lovingwork.org/communities-of-leadership-paul-bulckes-nestle
- Nissan, Carlos Ghosn, CEO. Japanese half of the Franco-Japanese Renault Nissan car alliance led by the international Mr. Ghosn. Sharing platforms and technology with Renault – Nissan is responsible for gasoline engines – to create global auto offerings. Joint owner with its partner of a new plant in Chennai. See http://lovingwork.org/communities-of-leadership-carlos-ghosns-renault-nissan
- Nokia, Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo, CEO. World’s largest maker of mobile devices with 35% of the world market. Hugely international, and very successful in emerging markets. Challenged by the “coolness” of Apple’s iPhone and Google’s Android operating system. What will the gorilla of the mobile business do for an encore? See http://lovingwork.org/communities-of-leadership-nokia
- Pepsico, Indra Nooyi, CEO. Global brand management powerhouse, with products consumed by a vast customer base worldwide. Announced strategy to promote sustainability and diversity. A U.S. based company led by and Indian-born woman as CEO. See http://lovingwork.org/communities-of-leadership-muhtar-kents-coke-and-indra-nooyis-pepsi
- Procter & Gamble, Bob McDonald, CEO. Global leader in FMCG; products sold in 180 countries. A leader in corporate value, marketing, innovation. Under A.G. Lafley, moved from a closed culture to being a leader in open innovation. Announced principles to “improve the lives of conumers, now and for generations to come.” See http://lovingwork.org/communities-of-leadership-pg-and-unilever
- Reliance Industries Limited, Mukesh Ambani, CEO. India’s largest public company by market value and the world’s largest producer of polyester yarns and fibers, a global leader in petrochemicals. Mukesh Ambani’s holdings make him the world’s fourth wealthiest person. ”We bet on people.” http://lovingwork.org/communities-of-leadership-mukesh-ambanis-reliance-industries-limited
- Renault, Carlos Ghosn, CEO. French half of the Franco-Japanese Renault Nissan car alliance led by the international Mr. Ghosn. Sharing platforms and technology with Nissan – Renault is responsible for diesel engines – to create global auto offerings. Joint owner with its partner of a new plant in Chennai. See http://lovingwork.org/communities-of-leadership-carlos-ghosns-renault-nissan
- Shell, Peter Voser, CEO. The largest international oil company by sales, and a very international one indeed, with 41% of sales coming from outside Europe and the U.S. How will the energy future, with a focus on sustainability and climate change, play out for the oil majors? What sort of leadership will they provide? http://lovingwork.org/communities-of-leadership-peter-vosers-royal-dutch-shell
- Siemens, Peter Loscher, CEO. Icon of German engineering and industrial prowess. Serving customers around the world in industrial solutions, energy, and healthcare, it claims 85% percent of its business from outside Germany, 43% outside EMEA. It has 47,000 employees in India and China combined. Siemens claims 90 operating companies and 61 regional offices in China, where it has operated since 1872. Open innovation is a goal, but is not so visible in terms of operating processes as with some other multinationals. See http://lovingwork.org/communities-of-leadership-loschers-siemens
- Southwest Airlines, Gary Kelly, CEO. Pioneer of low-cost, no frills air travel, famous for its good-humored quality customer service. Consistently profitable when most other airlines seem to be constantly in financial trouble. Commited to working with a “Warrior Spirit, a Servant’s Heart, and a Fun-LUVing attitude.” See http://lovingwork.org/communities-of-leadership-gary-kellys-southwest-airlines
- Tata Group, Ratan Tata, Chairman. Global and diversified, the group is nearing 150 years old. It’s involved in many aspects of the Indian economic miracle, including IT, outsourcing, steel, and now ultra-low-priced cars. A major part of the shares are held in charitable trusts. See http://lovingwork.org/communities-of-leadership-ratan-tatas-tata-group
- Toyota, Akio Toyoda, CEO. Icon of quality and manufacturing excellence, recently beset by some product failures that caused accidents and some deaths. Recalling 6 million cars. Regardless, rated number 3 for Innovation by BusinessWeek. Still the world’s greatest car company? Some knowledgeable observers would say yes. See http://lovingwork.org/communities-of-leadership-toyota
- Unilever, Paul Polman, CEO. Global consumer goods leader. Remarkably international, claiming 20 nationalities in its corporate leadership, 47% of sales from developing and emerging markets, sales into 170 countries. Claims leadership in sustainability, with 11 years leading its sector on Dow Jones sustainability rankings. See http://lovingwork.org/communities-of-leadership-pg-and-unilever
- Walmart, Mike Duke, CEO. Far and away the world’s largest company by sales, at over $400 billion. Master of creating huge stores in small-town America and driving an aggressive and highly-effective supply chain, the company’s announced commitment is “Saving people money so they can live better.” 25% percent of revenue is now international, including China, India, Japan, Brazil, Mexico, and Argentina. See http://lovingwork.org/communities-of-leadership-mike-dukes-walmart
Scott is scott@lovingwork.org and @scottdowns3 on Twitter.
