Knowledge@Emory -- Leadership and Change

Flying High: Microsoft's Stephen Elop Balances Future Vision with Present-day Realities

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 21:01:04 EST

After spending most of his career at companies that competed with Microsoft, Stephen Elop became president of Microsoft's Business Division a little over a year ago. Following his keynote address at the recent Wharton Business Technology Conference, Knowledge@Wharton spoke with Elop about how the company intends to balance its traditional strengths with its goal of moving forward to the next generation of connected software applications. Elop also discussed ways in which the current economic crisis is reshaping Microsoft's business strategy, among other topics.

Coca-Cola's Muhtar Kent on the Economy, Innovation, and Careers

Fri, 17 Apr 2009 00:26:10 EST

Under the leadership of President and CEO Muhtar Kent, The Coca-Cola Company has overcome arrogance, lack of growth and some bad PR to maintain its position as the world's largest beverage company. Speaking to a packed audience of students, faculty, and luminaries recently at Emory University's Goizueta Business School, Kent admits the current economic picture is challenging, but he doesn't foresee the thirst for non-alcoholic beverages lessening. In fact, with consumers in more than 200 countries enjoying Coca-Cola’s beverages at a rate of 1.5 billion servings a day, Kent says, bad economy or not, that number is going to grow.

Why Difficult Times Require Courageous Solutions

Thu, 12 Mar 2009 15:49:14 EST

In the midst of any crisis comes the question of how we got here in the first place. It's a question the U.S. is still grappling with, as February saw another 651,000 people nationwide lose their jobs while home prices dropped to their lowest levels since 2004. Could the subprime lending crisis—often seen as the catalyst for America's economic woes—have been prevented? According to Monica Worline, assistant professor of organization and management at Emory University's Goizueta Business School, it is likely that people in the financial organizations at the heart of the crisis were courageous enough to ask questions about their organizations’ lending practices, but their protests were either ignored or never reached top management. As America moves to rebuild, Worline cautions managers that stressing conformity over courage could undermine any progress they hope to make in creating workplaces where these types of crises will not repeat themselves.

Carol Bartz's Challenge at Yahoo: Choose a Path, Build a Team and Do It Fast

Thu, 12 Feb 2009 21:08:52 EST

New Yahoo CEO Carol Bartz has a long to-do list -- chart the company's strategy, weigh a potential search partnership with Microsoft, boost morale and round out her management team -- and not much time to deliver amid a weak economy that is hurting online advertising, say experts at Wharton.

Can U.S. President Obama Execute His Ambitious Agenda?

Thu, 12 Feb 2009 21:08:52 EST

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 made it through Congress, but U.S. President Barack Obama now faces another major hurdle: fulfilling the broader promises he made during his campaign. With approval ratings still up, Obama has broad appeal, but can he manage expectations and execute his agenda? Faculty from Emory University's Goizueta Business School and other experts explore the challenges.

Why Even Great Design Needs an Effective Marketing and Brand Strategy

Thu, 15 Jan 2009 17:18:35 EST

When creativity meets an effective marketing and brand strategy, competitive advantage is enhanced. Recently, Emory Marketing Institute developed a program for members of the Atlanta chapter of AIGA, the professional association for design, to strengthen their skills in marketing and branding. Tapping expertise from Emory's Goizueta Business School, senior level creative directors, design managers, and marketing and promotions officers attended the two-day program, which featured lectures on “connecting business and design.”

The Ideal Leader: Asking the Difficult Questions in Good Times and Bad

Thu, 15 Jan 2009 17:18:35 EST

According to Mark Dillard, the biggest challenge in trying to create change is success. “If we’re all making money and driving Mercedes, why would we do anything differently?” he asks. “From a leadership standpoint, it requires some courage to ask really difficult targeted questions" that can peel back the gleam of the present and see implications for the future. Dillard, who has managed, developed and delivered leadership development programs for Accenture and The Coca-Cola Company, plans to bring this insight to his new role as director of the Leadership Development Program at Emory University's Goizueta Business School. In an interview with Knowledge@Emory, Dillard discusses the need for effective leadership in business education and in turning around Wall Street and the U.S. economy.

BNY Mellon�s Leo Grohowski on the �Credit Tsunami�

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 13:36:10 EST

Investors watched more than $25 trillion in equity value disappear as the global equity markets plunged through the end of October, and since then, Leo Grohowski, Chief Investment Officer, BNY Mellon Wealth Management, has worked overtime to calm his institution’s high net worth investors and “keep them from bailing out” of the stock market. During a recent visit to Emory University’s Goizueta Business School as part of its Leadership Speaker Series, Grohowski shared his thoughts on the economic turmoil, the challenges of the “credit tsunami,” and the opportunities good research can unveil.

Craig Mundie's 'Primordial Soup': Steering Microsoft through the Next Big Technological Disruption

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 15:33:12 EST

When Microsoft founder and chairman Bill Gates stepped down from daily involvement with the company this past summer, the company's chief research and strategy officer, Craig Mundie, was one of two Microsoft executives tapped to fulfill Gates's role as technological visionary. In an interview with Knowledge@ Wharton, Mundie talks about his vision of the future of computing, the challenges and opportunities of disruptive technologies and how he intends to keep Microsoft relevant in the post-Gates era.

ING�s Violeta Ciurel on the EU, Leadership, and the Push for More Women in Global Business

Thu, 11 Sep 2008 16:05:35 EST

For Violeta Ciurel, general manager of European and international affairs for ING, a global financial services company, the representation of women in business and politics is not progressing fast enough in the European Union. Ciurel recently shared her insights on the EU, leadership, and the need for more inclusion for women, during a recent visit to Emory University’s Goizueta Business School. Ciurel discussed a myriad of issues from strong growth and economic stability of the EU, the possibility of a subprime crisis in Europe, and how “flexicurity principles,” which combine job flexibility and security, are becoming more prevalent in companies in the EU.

Former SEC Chair William Donaldson on Entrepreneurial Leadership and Integrity

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 13:00:01 EST

William Donaldson has packed a great deal into his 77 years. He co-founded the renowned investment banking firm Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette (DLJ), worked under then Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, served as Chairman and CEO of Aetna, Chairman and CEO of the New York Stock Exchange, Chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, and now heads the private investment firm Donaldson, Enterprises. Donaldson shared his perspective on integrity, entrepreneurial leadership, and shaking up the status quo as a keynote speaker at the 2008 Undergraduate Business School Leadership Conference held at Emory University’s Goizueta Business School.

Summer Sizzles With Fantastic Faculty Reads

Thu, 10 Jul 2008 14:49:28 EST

It’s summertime and the living is easy—or at least it’s supposed to be. For faculty at Emory University and its Goizueta Business School, however, the pursuit of knowledge knows no season and takes no vacation. Even when they relax by reading a book, for example, they’re still expanding their mental horizons, and learning something new. As some off-the-cuff conversations demonstrate, a good reader can pick up valuable tidbits from just about any kind of book, including fiction, history and politics.

Wipro�s Azim Premji on Leadership, Global Expansion, and the U.S. IT Shortage

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 16:24:54 EST

Azim Premji inherited his father’s $2 million hydrogenated cooking fat company in 1966, repositioned it and created Wipro Ltd., a Bangalore, India-based IT services organization with 2007 revenues of $3.4 billion. With 80,000 employees—15,000 of them located outside of India—Wipro is set to expand globally. During a recent visit to Emory University’s Goizueta Business School, Premji told students and visiting executives that such a move will demand that leadership be culturally sensitive, and it will also require employee’s to work well as members of cross-cultural teams. Premji also shared his philosophy on leadership and stressed the importance of excellence. “Excellence is not an act, it’s a habit,” he states.

The Anatomy of an Expert: The Rewards of Deliberate Practice

Wed, 14 May 2008 19:19:17 EST

Turn on the television at any given time, and you’ll find “experts” explaining something: security, dancing, home design, weather patterns, and politics. But are experts born or created? According to research by Michael J. Prietula, a professor of information systems and operations management at Emory University’s Goizueta Business School, and coauthors K. Anders Ericsson and Edward T. Cokely, real experts are few and far between. In The Making of an Expert, recently published in Harvard Business Review, Prietula and coauthors contend that true experts reach their level of perfection the old fashioned way—through hard work and continuous practice. But something more is needed.

National Urban League�s Deborah Coleman on Social Responsibility and Embracing Cultural Differences

Wed, 09 Apr 2008 15:53:49 EST

Moving up the ranks at the Ford Motor company, Deborah Coleman learned the true meaning of respecting her values and managing a diverse workforce. “The biggest failures I’ve seen come when we take American ways, and try to force them on people in a different country and change how they do business,” says Coleman, now executive vice president and chief operating officer of the National Urban League. During a keynote speech for the annual Black MBA Diverse Leadership Conference at Emory University’s Goizueta Business School, Coleman stressed a more proactive approach to global leadership and diversity came by approaching others “from the perspective of respect for their culture, respect for their business norms, and seeking a collaborative solution.”

A Piece of Cake? Hardly, but Autumn Bayles Helped Herself, and Others, Rise to the Top

Wed, 12 Mar 2008 22:06:43 EST

In 2005, about two years after Autumn Bayles became the first chief information officer at Philadelphia-based Tasty Baking Company, a supply chain executive quit the company. "As a part of my technology work, I was very involved with that side of the operation," said Bayles, who was hired to be part of president and CEO Charles Pizzi's turnaround team. "I raised my hand and said, 'Why don't you let me do this?'" They did, and she succeeded. Volunteering for new responsibilities and continuously growing in your job were two of the suggestions that Bayles, now senior vice president, strategic operations, offered her audience at the recent Wharton Women's Conference.

For Spanx, The Trifecta of Culture, Creativity and Quality Is a Winning Combination

Thu, 14 Feb 2008 01:57:01 EST

According to SPANX CEO Laurie Ann Goldman, keeping the $150-million dollar hosiery company innovative and competitive is a result of hiring dedicated people, knowing their customers, and keeping an office culture that is more “start-up” than corporate. During a recent keynote lecture at the Executive Women of Goizueta Conference, Goldman told a packed audience the company’s mission is more than to provide products that are comfortable, slimming and stylish. “We don’t just want to change pantyhose. We want to change women’s lives.”

Stephen M. LaMastra on the Growth Engine that is Raving Brands

Wed, 16 Jan 2008 17:33:28 EST

When Raving Brands sold Moe’s Southwest Grill last year, it set off a flurry of speculation about the company’s health. For Stephen M. LaMastra, president and COO of Raving Brands, managing the message that the firm is a “growth engine” can be a challenge. “If we’re looking to divest [a restaurant concept],” says LaMastra, “it doesn’t mean it’s not a great company, but that maybe someone else can do something better with it than we can.” Speaking to students at Emory University’s Goizueta Business School, LaMastra clarified the company’s niche by explaining Raving Brands’ core competencies of real estate and franchise sales. “We’re a growth engine,” he says.

Burger King CEO John Chidsey on Innovation, Trust, and �The King�

Thu, 15 Nov 2007 10:44:47 EST

Rebuilding an ailing company is the kind of challenge John Chidsey, CEO of Burger King Corporation, likes to undertake. The process, he explains, is about "making employees and franchisees believe we work together to strengthen the Burger King® brand." Chidsey offered his perspective on rebuilding companies, strengthening brands, and infusing innovation during a recent lecture as part of the Dean's Leadership Speaker Series at Emory University's Goizueta Business School.

Why Purpose and Tenacity Make the Great, Great

Wed, 10 Oct 2007 16:45:34 EST

Persistence, dedication and a driving passion mark the successful, noted best-selling author Dennis P. Kimbro during a recent lecture at Emory University�s Goizueta Business School. With energy and vigor, Kimbro rallied students by describing the mindset and determination of African-Americans who have triumphed over obstacles and become mega-achievers. �Get a big dream,� Kimbro urged the Goizueta students. �These individuals were inner-directed versus outer-directed. They weren�t so quick to believe well-meaning friends or family members who said, �You can�t do this� or �You can�t do that.� And they flat out refused to fail.�