Archive for the ‘Leadership’ Category
Jobs’ Health = Apple’s Health
What does Steve Jobs’ health have to do with Apple? EVERYTHING! He is not only the CEO of Apple, he IS the Apple brand. When there is a possibility that the leadership of a company is facing a life-threatening illness, it could mean serious speculation about the strength of the brand.
Steve Jobs has intrigued me ever since I watched the Steve Jobs Stanford Commencement Speech 2005 on You Tube. His speech was amazing. It was an inspiring story about the many ups and downs in Jobs’ life. He is an amazing storyteller. This speech builds trust in him and the Apple brand.
Steve Jobs Stanford Commencement Speech
In his speech, he was candid and open about his heath struggles. So, why the change of heart? Why is he so secretive about his health now?
Because the possibility of Jobs leaving the company could mean a HUGE loss for Apple-both physically and financially.
Yes, there are laws to protect employee privacy when it comes to health. However, from a PR standpoint, withholding this information could be detrimental to the health of the company.
With the launch of the new iPhone convergence, Apple would be taking a huge risk by disclosing Jobs’ liver transplant. (Mind you, he received this transplant because HE was the sickest person on the transplant list.) I agree with Laura Ries’view on the iPhone craze. Apple may dominate the market right now, but they still have strong competition and Jobs’ health could stop the juggernaut in its path. The mere speculation of Jobs’ health could cause problems for Apple.
The SEC is currently trying to pass laws that force companies to disclose the health of CEOs. This is controversial, but could be necessary if companies want to please their shareholders and improve brand equity. If CEOs choose to be the spokespeople for their companies, they should be prepared to live in the limelight in all aspects of their life. After all, they are a direct reflection of the brand!
Servant Leadership: The Solution to Marketing in a Bad Economy
Yep, the economy sucks right now and it doesn’t look like it’s going to get better any time soon. Companies are cutting costs any way they can and, unfortunately, most companies cut the marketing budget first. Right now, decision makers are more worried about the bottom line than investing in the future.
This puts marketing teams in a tough spot. Workers are afraid to loose their jobs because of cutbacks and others feel like they are stuck in positions that they hate, afraid to face the unstable job market. And since companies can’t afford to invest in promotions to attract new customers, their focus is shifting to customer service so they can keep the customers they have.
How are managers supposed to encourage great customer service, when employee morale is so low?
The solution? Servant Leadership. Servant leaders do the following:
• Devote themselves to serving organization members
• Focus on meeting the needs of those they lead
• Develop employees to bring out the best in them
• Coach others and encourage their self-expression
• Facilitate personal growth in all who work with them
• Listen and build a sense of community
The main idea of servant leadership is that leaders serve the staff. Managers treat their employees how they want the employee, in turn, to treat customers.
One brand that embraces servant leadership is Chick-fil-a. Their entire company is centered around servant leadership. Founder, Truett Cathy, has built an empire around “seizing everyday opportunities to help others.” He leads by example and this is reflected by Chick-fil-a employees. They have the most cheerful and polite drive-thru operators I’ve ever seen!
As leaders, we have to start focusing on our employees so they are more willing to focus on the customer. More and more executives are realizing that this is the most successful way to run an organization. This approach to leading is evident in their brand messaging, employee benefits, and, most importantly, mirrored by the employees that interact with their customers each and every day.
Servant leadership is the answer!
Food for thought: What companies can you think of that use servant leadership? What leadership qualities do you find important? In addition to servant leadership, how do you recommend improving employee morale?
