Skip to main content

The Five Principles Of Leadership Good Power

Former IBM Chairman and CEO Ginni Rometty led one of the most high-stakes corporate transformations in business history. Just as impressive was her personal transformation, having overcome childhood challenges to become one of the world’s most influential business leaders (Fortune magazine’s #1 Most Powerful Woman three years in a row). 

The catalyst was a mindset she calls “good power.” The story of how she discovered this touchstone and uses it throughout her life and work, and her advice on how others can, too, is told in her new book Good Power: Leading Positive Change in Our Lives, Work, and World

“I think the best way to describe what I’ve written is memoir with purpose, because I write about my experiences through the lens of an idea much bigger than me and my life, one that relates to all of us: how we can drive meaningful change in positive ways for ourselves, our organizations, and for the many, not just the few, “ says Rometty. 

Divided into three sections—Me, We, and Us—the book provides you the actionable advice of a personal coaching session. It also via inspiring and compelling stories chronicles Rometty’s 40-year rise at IBM to eventually become its ninth and first woman CEO. 

Most important, you’ll learn more about Rometty’s five principles of Good Power

  1. Be in Service Of. Strive to make someone or something better by meeting their needs.
  2. Build Belief. Use influence, not authority, to inspire people to willingly embrace change.
  3. Know What Must Change, What Must Endure. Make tough choices by thinking critically, creatively, and honestly.
  4. Steward Good Tech. Drive trust and inclusion in our digital age by doing what’s right for the long term, speaking out, and advocating for others.
  5. Be Resilient. Change takes time; the right relationships and attitude help us persevere.


 Ginni Rometty 

Today, as co-chair of the non-profit OneTen, good power drives Rometty’s mission to connect millions of people without college degrees to family-sustaining jobs, part of a larger movement to get companies to hire for skills not only degrees so they can fill open positions and expand economic mobility. 

Thank you to the book’s publisher for sending me an advance copy of the book.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

How To Maximize Your Chances Of Landing The CEO Role

In the new book, CEO Ready , authors Mark Thompson and Byron Loflin reveal what you need to do to maximize your chances of being the one who secures the top spot. Specifically, they detail the seven key stakeholders  who weigh in on whether to choose you as CEO.   “Collectively, we have coached more than 200 executives who have been selected by their board members to become CEOs,” share the authors. “We can help you prepare to be a great CEO either in your current organization or elsewhere. We will share tools you can use to get objective feedback from all stakeholders, so you have complete visibility into what you’re up against.”   As you seek the CEO role, the authors explain that leadership selection isn't the methodical, objective process that one often imagines. They add that decisions aren't made by robotic executives ticking boxes for attributes such as strategic fit, core competencies, or cultural alignment. Instead, the process is deeply personal, emotional, a...

10 Quotes From The 5 Levels Of Leadership -- John C. Maxwell

Soon I'll post my full review of John C. Maxwell's latest book, The 5 Levels of Leadership .  In the meantime, here are some of my favorites quotes from the book that I believe should become a must-read book by any workplace/organizational leader: Good leadership isn't about advancing yourself.  It's about advancing your team. Leaders become great, not because of their power, but because of their ability to empower others. Leadership is action, not position. When people feel liked, cared for, included, valued, and trusted, they begin to work together with their leader and each other. If you have integrity with people, you develop trust.  The more trust you develop, the stronger the relationship becomes.  In times of difficulty, relationships are a shelter.  In times of opportunity, they are a launching pad. Good leaders must embrace both care and candor. People buy into the leader, then the vision. Bringing out the best in a person is often a catal...

How To Be More Respectful In Life And In The Workplace

  “It is respect for one another that builds healthy relationships. It is mutual respect that creates friendships and enables societies and their organizations to function effectively. It is respect that establishes trust between individuals and groups,” states Robert L. Dilenschneider , author of the new book, Respect: How to Change The World One Interaction At A Time .  “While my books typically have been for a business audience—and this one is perfect for entrepreneurs to directors to CEOs—it also will resonate with anyone at any point in their life who wants to improve interpersonal communication and relate to others with authenticity,” adds Dilenschneider.  Drawing on his decades of leadership experience and insights from respected voices in healthcare, education, business, politics, nonprofit foundations, and the arts, Dilenschneider offers a clear roadmap for building stronger connections and communities.  As you read the book, you will learn: Why self-respect...

My Favorite Leadership Quotes From The 5 Levels Of Leadership Book

Here are some of my favorites quotes from   John C. Maxwell 's book,  The 5 Levels of Leadership  that I believe should become a   must-read book   by any workplace/organizational leader: Good leadership isn't about advancing yourself. It's about advancing your team. Leaders become great, not because of their power, but because of their ability to empower others. Leadership is action, not position. When people feel liked, cared for, included, valued, and trusted, they begin to work together with their leader and each other. If you have integrity with people, you develop trust. The more trust you develop, the stronger the relationship becomes. In times of difficulty, relationships are a shelter.  In times of opportunity, they are a launching pad. Good leaders must embrace both care and candor. People buy into the leader, then the vision. Bringing out the best in a person is often a catalyst for bringing out the best in the team. Progress comes only from taki...

How To Master The Cycles Of Leadership: The Four Seasons

Whether you’re an aspiring leader, a newly appointed CEO, or a board member wanting to better steward your company’s performance, A CEO For All Seasons: Mastering The Cycles Of Leadership is the hands-on playbook you need – packed with practical, proven tips to help you navigate the four distinct phases of leadership.  “The journey of a CEO has a beginning, middle, and end, and the challenges leaders face early on are often far different than those midway through and near retirement, explain the authors of the book – Carolyn Dewar , Scott Keller , Vikram Malhotra, and Kurt Strovink .   “For us, the most apt analogy to describe these cycles is the four seasons of the year,” they add.  Spring : Stepping up - Preparing for the role. Summer : Transitioning into the role. Starting strong. Leading with impact. Fall : Navigating the middle years. Staying ahead. Sustaining momentum. Enhancing your learning. Future-proofing the organization. Winter : Transitioning out of the rol...

7 Honest-Feedback-Extracting-Questions To Ask When Hiring

Awhile ago, the  Harvard Business Review  published some great questions that  Gilt Groupe  CEO Kevin Ryan asks when he is checking references. Ryan serves on the board of Yale Corporation, Human Rights Watch, and  INSEAD , and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.  He holds a B.A. from Yale University and a M.B.A from INSEAD. His main seven honest-feedback-extracting-questions  (and follow-ups) are: Would you hire this person again?  If so, why and in what capacity?  If not, why not? How would you describe the candidate's ability to innovate, manage, lead, deal with ambiguity, get things done and influence others? What were some of the best things this person accomplished?  What could he or she have done better? In what type of culture, environment, and role can you see this person excelling?  In what type of role is he or she unlikely to be successful? Would you describe the candidate as a leader, a ...

The 12 Ways Marriott Practices Good Leadership And Customer Service

The next time you stay at a Marriott hotel look in the nightstand drawer for Marriott's booklet that highlights its milestones and tells the Marriott story. In the booklet, you'll find the following 12 ways that Marriott practices good leadership AND customer service : Continually challenge your team to do better. Take good care of your employees, and they'll take good care of your customers, and the customers will come back. Celebrate your people's success, not your own. Know what you're good at and mine those competencies for all you're worth. Do it and do it now. Err on the side of taking action. Communicate. Listen to your customers, associates and competitors. See and be seen. Get out of your office, walk around, make yourself visible and accessible. Success is in the details. It's more important to hire people with the right qualities than with specific experience. Customer needs may vary, but their bias for quality never does. Elimin...

How To Provide Caring Criticism

Negative feedback is part of growing as a leader -- both delivering that feedback and sometimes receiving that type of feedback. Keith Ferrazzi , CEO of Ferazzi Greenlight , a research-based consulting and training company, suggests practicing " caring criticism ," as he explained it in the Harvard Business Review . "Negative feedback can hurt, but usually it's a gift aimed at helping the recipient improve performance or avoid mistakes.  We should deliver and receive it that way," says Ferrazzi. "Use phrases like 'I might suggest' and 'Think about this'" when giving feedback. And, then Kerrazzi suggests when receiving candid feedback, that you thank the person who offered it and make clear the points on which you agree.  He's found that if you think of the person giving you honest feedback as generous, rather than critical , you become less defensive and more open to changing your behavior.

How To Be More Impactful Through Entrepreneurial Giving

    This Thanksgiving as you think about what you are grateful for, think, too, about how you can be more giving.   To help you discover a more giving you, read the new book, A Talent For Giving , by John Studzinski .   It introduces the meaning of entrepreneurial giving - a hands-on approach to philanthropy that harnesses skills, expertise, and resources. Through thought-provoking insights, A Talent for Giving offers a powerful new roadmap for impact as Studzinski shows how anyone, regardless of financial means, can become a force for change.   You do that by maximizing your Talent , Time , and Treasure and by embracing these values alongside others like Trust , Technology , and Trial , according to Studzinski.   “Giving is any act of kindness or generosity that recognizes and respects the dignity of another human being,” shares Studzinski. “It can be something very simple – a smile, or a hug or a few words. And on a larger scale, it’s giving your time,...

Discover Your True North And Internal Compass

In his book,  True North , Bill George shows you how to discover your true north - your internal compass that guides you successfully through life. "Only when you discover your true north can you unlock your full potential as a leader and human being," explains George. In the book, published a couple weeks ago, George shares with you how to: Cultivate self-awareness Define your values Find the "sweet spots": of your motivated capabilities Build your support team and lead an integrated life Make the journey from "I' to "We" as an empowering leader Become a global leader Bill George George shares  profiles and stories from more than 100 leaders  who in their own words explain how they discovered their true north.  He also explains the characteristics differences needed to be a leader in the Twenty-First Century versus the Twentieth-Century. Today's leaders, he says need to be: Purpose-drive versus charismatic Globally focused versus U. S.-centri...