Transformation Means Leading on Social Change

I make my living from transforming underperforming highly engineered global product businesses into high growth industry leaders. Every underperforming business that I have encountered suffers from one universal entrenched challenge: a business culture that reflects actions and policies lagging well behind society as a whole. When a business does not reflect a high level of human decency, inclusive policies, diversity, equality, and trust consistent with the full spectrum of society, business performance suffers. Customers, employees and shareholders recognize this decay from society’s evolving norms and take their support elsewhere. Conversely, businesses that lead social change attract more loyal customers, achieve happier and more productive employees, and generate outsize shareholder returns.

Customers, employees and shareholders gravitate to forward-thinking businesses. Not only forward-looking products and services, but also businesses and leaders that value and trust the intelligence, perspectives and uniqueness of every customer, employee and shareholder. When business cultures celebrate women and men, welcome diverse backgrounds and perspectives, and embody trust for their customers and workforce, shareholders reap outsized rewards. Staying in sync or ahead of evolving social change demands constant vigilance and adaptation from business leaders to incorporate new norms. It’s also the pathway to success.