Posted by
Chris Pinney in
With input from IBM and nine other leading companies, the Council on Foundations has just launched an ambitious initiative to revitalize and redefine the roles of corporate foundations and philanthropy. Increasing Impact, Enhancing Value establishes a roadmap to help those involved in corporate philanthropy to dramatically increase its social and business value by moving away from “philanthropy as charity” and adopting a 21st century model based on leadership, innovation, and creation of sustainable value.
Our report is the result of an 18-month study that engaged corporate philanthropy practitioners and external stakeholders throughout the United States in a discussion of the challenges and opportunities facing corporate philanthropy in the 21st Century. Increasing Impact, Enhancing Value addresses an environment in which society is looking to business for leadership on social issues as never before. A 2009 Waggener Edstrom Poll found that 60 percent of consumers now believe that businesses are in the best position to create positive results on social issues. By contrast, only 14 percent of respondents believed that governments can drive positive results.
Sixty-four percent of respondents to a 2010 Edelman survey stated they believe it is no longer enough for corporations to give money. Corporations must integrate good causes into their everyday business, said those surveyed. As companies work to meet this challenge through strategies such as “shared value”, philanthropy must redefine its role to support this transformation. Increasing Impact, Enhancing Value establishes goals for this transformation, identifies the challenges to be addressed, and details potential leadership opportunities.
Key initiatives include:
- Creating a new narrative for corporate philanthropy as social investment
- Developing an inclusive protocol for philanthropic investment
- Professionalizing the practice of corporate philanthropy
- Improving collaboration, communication, and knowledge sharing
- Mobilizing grassroots leadership
As a global leader of corporate philanthropy’s transformation from “checkbook charity” to creating sustainable value, IBM has played an important role in the development of the Council’s agenda. IBM initiatives such as Corporate Service Corps, Smarter Cities Challenge, and Supplier Connection are powerful examples of how a commitment to service can help solve society’s challenges while creating lasting value. The Council on Foundations looks forward to continuing to work with IBM as we support and encourage the evolution of corporate philanthropy.
Download Increasing Impact, Enhancing Value.
Chris Pinney is project lead for the Corporate Philanthropy 2012 project and author of Increasing Impact, Enhancing Value. Mr. Pinney is a Senior Fellow at the Aspen Institute Business and Society Program and Senior Vice President of the Alliance for Business Leadership.
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While The Philippines is one country, it encompasses more than 7,000 islands and has a very complex political system. Cebu – one of The Philippines’ major metropolitan areas – has a host of beautiful natural attractions, a population with excellent English language skills, and some big goals. Cebu wants to transform itself into a major tourist and call center destination.
Having a goal is an essential first step toward progress, but all stakeholders need to be onboard. “Metro Cebu” is made up of 13 cities/municipalities that share the goal of making their island a destination, but with more than 13 political leaders supporting their local constituents, setting priorities that benefit the whole has been a challenge. Some cities are primarily concerned with flooding. Others are focused on the type of infrastructure development that could strengthen their economies, but need to consider the potential impact on surrounding cities by creating new, unplanned water, transportation, and waste management needs. Cebu needed an integrated strategy to start planning in an effective manner, so IBM stepped in to help.
In June 2011, an IBM Corporate Service Corps team deployed to Cebu to help city leaders prioritize the issues that needed to be addressed to help Metro Cebu achieve its goals. The group’s two top priorities turned out to be:
- Land use planning and zoning, and
- Traffic and transportation management
In September 2011, IBM’s Executive Service Corps team came to Cebu to advance those two key topics. When the team arrived it was clear that Cebu had created a very committed and forward-thinking council to help address intercity issues. One thing that wasn’t clear, however, was how the council would govern. The members of the Metropolitan Cebu Development Coordinating Board (MCDCB) includes 13 mayors, the governor of the Province of Cebu, representatives from the private sector and a very well respected foundation, and a selection of important governmental department heads. Unfortunately, the council has neither the authority to enact legislation nor the funding to move forward with coordinated plans. In response, we expanded the scope of our engagement to include recommendations on governance.
Looking Ahead
IBM’s recommendations helped strengthen the influence of the MCDCB as it communicated the importance of integrated, collaborative planning. In addition to gaining support throughout the region, the Board also needed to motivate and mobilize its volunteer membership to prioritize common needs and drive results through the political process.
After an intense three weeks of fact-finding and collaboration, we made the following recommendations to Cebu’s municipal leadership:
- Evaluate existing Consolidated Land Use plans and integrate them into an accepted Geographic Information Systems (GIS) platform to identify and address potential points of conflict and areas for collaboration. A robust GIS system enables map building to indicate sources of tax revenue, the locations of cultural attractions, and key infrastructure assets to give decision makers a consolidated view of the region’s challenges and opportunities.
- Collaborate with Telco providers to pinpoint the locations of mobile phone users, thereby allowing Cebu to model traffic patterns and develop solutions to ease transportation issues like ensuring effective emergency response management – turning data into useful information to improve the quality of life of Cebu’s citizens.
- Clarify roles and decision making processes in order to promote a culture of responsibility, progress, and trust.
It was hard to imagine that our team could have an impact on decades-old problems after just three weeks. But expertise and a fresh perspective always have the potential to raise awareness and help point people in the right direction. Bringing one’s professional and personal experiences to bear in a part of the world that is striving for change is incredibly rewarding.
Robin Selber is a Director of Integrated Technology Services focused on Public Sector, Communications Sector and General Business Clients with IBM Global Technology Services.
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Developing Global Leaders for the 21st Century
The Can Tho Connection: Corporate Service Corps/Vietnam
Executive Service Corps, Johannesburg: Anatomy of an Engagement
For 2012, IBM advanced from No. 3 to No. 2 on Corporate Responsibility Magazine’s “100 Best Corporate Citizens” list – a ranking compiled from the Russell 1,000 Index. IBM is the only company that has achieved a Top 5 ranking in each of the last four years. Companies were evaluated based on publicly available information in seven categories: environment, climate change, employee relations, human rights, governance, finance, and philanthropy.
CR Magazine's 100 Best Corporate Citizens Award Winners Ring the Closing Bell at the New York Stock Exchange
Whether you call it Corporate Social Responsibility, Corporate Citizenship or Socially Responsible Investing, IBM is proud to be recognized for our values-based approach to philanthropy. We back up our use of the phrase “from spare change to real change” with meaningful and effective contributions of our talent and technology to solving critical societal issues around the world.
IBMers are involved in countless ways in helping others overcome challenges related to job creation, education, environmental sustainability, health care, disaster response, and improving the quality of life in our cities. Our Corporate Service Corps – modeled on the Peace Corps – deploys our global top talent to work with local leaders in growth markets. Corporate Service Corps engagements provide a “triple benefit” to communities, participants and IBM. Growth market communities benefit from IBM expertise, participants develop valuable contacts and leadership skills, and IBM welcomes a new generation of global leaders who understand the dynamic of developing economies and serve as ambassadors for the IBM brand.
In the United States, IBM is collaborating with school systems and community colleges to create a new model for American education – one that connects learning directly to jobs.
In New York, our innovative grades nine through 14 Pathways in Technology Early College High School (P-TECH) incorporates a targeted curriculum, workplace learning, and mentor guidance into a holistic approach to preparing students for industry and continuing education. P-TECH’s inaugural class – inspired by great teaching and the promise of a productive future – is surpassing every notion of what young people from disadvantaged backgrounds can achieve.
Eighty-nine percent of P-TECH students met standards for promotion after only 100 days. Ninety-six percent have attendance rates of 96 percent or higher. Sixty-six percent of students who entered P-TECH with below-average reading ability have improved their scores by at least one grade level – and some have improved by three grade levels or more. P-TECH’s phenomenal success has inspired the City of Chicago to use IBM’s P-TECH Playbook to help develop and open five similar schools this fall, while New York plans to open three more schools based on the P-TECH model.
The tendency may be to think that IBM’s corporate philanthropy programs are helping to improve lives both “locally and globally.” But at IBM, “global” is local. Through each of our programs, we share our values, technology and expertise with the global community of leaders, thinkers and citizens who strive to make our world a better, safer, healthier, more productive, more sustainable, and smarter place.
Stanley S. Litow is IBM’s Vice President for Corporate Citizenship & Corporate Affairs and President of the IBM International Foundation.
Posted by
Robin Willner in
In my address to the Third Annual International Corporate Volunteerism Conference (ICV) last night, I spoke about the need to link values to business strategy in order to create sustainable value. In other words, corporations must develop and advance a new model of philanthropy that’s grounded in an enduring commitment to service. The old model of “checkbook philanthropy” is outdated. What matters today – what makes a difference – is volunteering one’s expertise to help solve critical societal issues.
IBM’s Corporate Service Corps program delivers a triple benefit for communities, participants, and IBM:
- Communities benefit as IBM sends its best talent and global experience to tackle business and societal issues in growth markets;
- Participants benefit from unique opportunities to expand their leadership skills and understanding of growth markets, and giving back to society;
- IBM benefits from the development of new leaders with a broad range of skills in a global context, a better understanding of developing economies, and the opportunity to introduce the IBM brand.
Since 2008, more than 1,500 IBMers from more than 50 countries have contributed their expertise in nearly 30 countries via the Corporate Service Corps. Through these engagements, IBMers provide high quality business and IT consulting on critical concerns related to job creation, education, the environment, health care, disaster response, and creating smarter cities. This means more effective public agencies and nonprofits to spur local economic development and better services for residents.
Our Corporate Service Corps, Executive Service Corps and Smarter Cities Challenge programs provide outstanding opportunities for IBMers to develop global leadership skills. Collaborating with top-performing colleagues from around the world, developing and refining consulting skills, building relationships with new clients, and gaining exposure to new markets all help prepare leaders in a globally integrated enterprise. It’s why IBM continues to be recognized as the top global company for leaders, and why we’re continuing to expand these programs to involve more participants, reach new markets, and bring our culture of service to communities around the world.
Robin Willner is Vice President for Global Community Initiatives with IBM Corporate Citizenship & Corporate Affairs.
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The Can Tho Connection: Corporate Service Corps / Vietnam
Executive Service Corps, Johannesburg: Anatomy of an Engagement
Posted by
Stanley S. Litow in
“Can we extract lessons from the for-profit world and apply them to philanthropy?” That’s the question being asked by Harvard Business School and other institutions that are training tomorrow’s global leaders. At the recent Center for Social Value Creation (CSVC) Social Enterprise Symposium, I spoke with University of Maryland M.B.A. students to help them understand the evolution of philanthropy, and their roles in creating sustainable value to help build a smarter planet.
Young leaders need to understand that corporate philanthropy is an integral part of a successful and sustainable business strategy. For an organization to survive, its core values must remain consistent in a world where everything else is guaranteed to change.
So when it comes to philanthropy, the phrase “from spare change to real change” must represent a values-based commitment to social responsibility. In IBM’s case, this means deploying our best technology and talent to address critical societal issues around the world.
Watch this video to learn about how programs such as the Corporate Service Corps,
P-TECH, and World Community Grid are raising the effectiveness of public-private partnerships to new levels. Read what city mayors and volunteer experts are saying
about improving the quality of life in cities – where 70 percent of the world’s population
lives. Find out how nonprofit leaders are using private-sector management skills to deliver social services more efficiently.
In the world’s most forward-thinking academic, civic, and corporate environments, tomorrow’s leaders are learning from Day One to work together to help manage global challenges. Organizations that seek to lead will attract, motivate and retain top talent by giving them opportunities for service. Meanwhile, the world’s leading enterprises will continue to adapt to change while maintaining their core values of innovation, service,
and citizenship.
Stanley S. Litow is IBM’s Vice President of Corporate Citizenship & Corporate Affairs
and President of the IBM International Foundation.
Related Resources:
Download “Corporate Social Responsibility: An Integrated Approach” (presentation)
Harvard Business Review: “IBM Corporate Citizenship Efforts ‘Enrich the Ecosystem’”
2010 IBM Corporate Responsibility Report
Posted by
Jean Chu in
Jean Chu was part of a six-nation IBM Corporate Service Corps (CSC) team that worked in Vietnam with a local pharmaceutical company on business and operational planning, implementation and management. Below, Jean shares her impressions of life in the Mekong Delta during and after her CSC engagement.
Can Tho, Vietnam is about 160 kilometers southwest of Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon). The name of this city of 1.1 million means “river of poems,” and it sits in the midst of abundant flowers, fruits and seafood in Vietnam’s lush Mekong Delta. Working in Vietnam with the CSC helped me fulfill a lifelong dream to serve abroad and give back to the community.
Mekhong Delta
The CSC team came from Canada, Germany, India, Mexico, Slovakia and the United Kingdom, in addition to the United States. During our month-long assignment, Angela Lee (from Canada) and I were to help a local pharmaceutical manufacturer improve its operational effectiveness. But along the way toward helping modernize a vital sector of Vietnam’s growing economy, my colleagues and I had an unforgettable experience getting to know a beautiful country and its people.
Vietnamese Hot Pot
You can’t work on a global assignment with a global team without collaborating, so the team’s first order of business was to listen patiently to our client’s pain points and concerns. In the evenings, our team comaraderie was strengthened by lively discussions about the project, followed by Karaoke (which is hugely popular inVietnam) with our hosts. Weekend tours to the Delta, Ho Chi Minh City and the Cu Chi tunnels – along with sharing food – also helped us bond and learn more about the country.
At the Orphanage
A particularly touching moment for all of us was our visit to the local orphanage. Under a new law, Vietnamese orphans can only be adopted by Vietnamese citizens. On our visit, we played with the children and donated a variety of badly-needed items for infants. We were sad to leave, but glad we had been able to give these adorable children the attention that they needed – even if it was just for one day.
Led by teammate Martina Dudova (from Slovakia), we also celebrated the annual Harvest Moon Festival with a group of persons with disabilities who helped us with traditional songs and dances. In return, teammate Tiju Aambalathingal (from India) performed a traditional Indian dance, which then led to all of our doing the Chicken Dance, the Macarena, and the Electric Slide.
Mrs. T., the author, Tham
None of this would have been possible without the outstanding work of my translator Tham Thi Nguyen. Though she had not worked on CSC projects previously, Tham did an exceptional job translating questions and responses (both written and oral) with our pharmaceutical company client. Tham and I continued to communicate online after I left Vietnam, and she expressed an interested in graduate study in marketing communications in the U.S. I was happy to serve as a reference for Tham in her application for a Fulbright fellowship – which she won!
Voluteering with CSC allowed me to act on my interest in global unity by working closely with colleagues who shared those ideals. I learned many valuable lessons, and will leverage them by helping to bring a global perspective and added cultural sensitivity to my future interactions. The CSC leadership development program helps people understand the importance of global service, and allows us to work on interesting projects that are important to business partners around the world. The program offers an excellent opportunity to learn about collaborative problem solving, develop global awareness, and motivate people to take the extra step to make an impact on the world.
Jean Chu is Channel Technical Manager with IBM Tivoli Software Group.
Related Article:
Executive Service Corps Johannesburg: Anatomy of an Engagement
With more than seven million people in its metropolitan area, Johannesburg is the largest city in South Africa. Unfortunately, years of economic turmoil and urban blight have made “Jo’burg” as famous for its high crime rate as for its rich history and cultural importance. Earlier this fall, my teammates Vania Curiati, Renee Ducre, Pat Guzman, Subu Iyer, Christel Verschaeren and I served as part of an IBM Executive Service Corps (ESC) team on an engagement in Johannesburg to help improve the quality of life in the city. Our mission was to define a five-year roadmap to smarter public safety, a key component of Jo’burg’s smarter city transformation.
A Johannesburg Shantytown
Setting the Agenda
The primary purpose of the roadmap was to specify the key actions that Johannesburg should take to move toward smarter public safety. Once we had this successful recipe for change, the city could reuse the methodology to achieve similar goals in other parts of its Growth & Development Strategy (GDS) – a comprehensive outline of where Johannesburg plans to be by the year 2040.
Our ESC team worked closely with Jo’burg’s civic and public safety leaders to learn about the city’s most critical issues and establish key project objectives. We developed a basic plan for the engagement and reviewed it to ensure it would work. In subsequent discussions, we refined our methodology to increasing levels of detail and used it to identify potential ideas for a smarter Johannesburg.
From the start, we planned for our roadmap to integrate and extend elements of existing work. We reviewed the city’s plans and strategies to identify what could be used, and what gaps needed to be filled. To fill gaps, we incorporated elements from IBM’s smarter city frameworks, and invented other ideas during the engagement. As we progressed, we tested and validated all roadmap components with city leaders.
ESC Team Mentoring Students at a Local School
Focus Areas and Recommended Actions
Johannesburg is at the beginning of its journey toward becoming a smarter city, and it was exciting to work with the thoughtful people who developed the city’s GDS for 2040. Together, we agreed that Jo’burg needed to overcome the following challenges to implement our roadmap:
- Resource shortages, such as funding, expertise, and inconsistent business community support;
- Execution difficulties, including unclear mandates, incomplete implementation strategies, and weak scorecard accountability;
- Perception issues of the nature of the city’s crime problem, and negative views of the effectiveness of law enforcement; and
- Structural challenges, including city departments’ acting as independent silos and failing to share data.
In summary, our ESC team identified important steps in five key safety areas that Jo’burg needed to address. For the city of Johannesburg, hunting these “big five” – corresponding with South Africa’s five most dangerous game animals – would be the key to success. They included:
- Crime prevention and investigation (the elephant);
- Crisis and emergency responsiveness (the leopard);
- Asset management and infrastructure safety (the rhinoceros);
- Community education and engagement (the cape buffalo); and
- Governance and integrated intelligence (the lion).
In the words of Nelson Mandela, “It’s in your hands to make a difference,” and implementing the steps identified in the roadmap will be critical to Johannesburg’s putting smart public safety in place. It will be important for City of Johannesburg officials to begin acting on our recommendations – including assigning project ownership to specific parties, and giving them the resources for implementation. Jo’burg needs to establish a clear change management protocol, and incorporate regular progress measurement into its governance system. Finally, Johannesburg officials will need to communicate progress clearly and effectively to local and global audiences to ensure the perception of their great metropolis remains in step with its emergence as a smarter city.
Further Resources:
IBM and City of Johannesburg Collaborate for Smarter Public Safety
Posted by
Tony Mwai in
For the second consecutive time, FORTUNE magazine has named IBM as the #1 Global Company for Leaders. As part of our series on IBM Leadership, Country General Manager for East Africa Tony Mwai comments on IBM’s new model for identifying and developing global leaders.
IBM understands the complexities of identifying and supporting employees with global leadership potential. To compete on the global stage, today’s leaders need adaptable expertise. Developing this expertise requires more than a simple “tour of duty” in an unfamiliar locale, and it goes beyond merely being mindful of local differences. The development of global leadership skills results from immersion in multiple markets and cultures, and the experience of collaborating with colleagues and partners across an even broader spectrum of opportunity.
At IBM, we always have relied on a distributed leadership model to enable decision-making authority among those best positioned to make knowledgeable, real-time contributions to the business. Monumental shifts in where revenue is generated have inspired us to expand and reinforce that commitment, and to recognize that successful global leaders must be able to appreciate and truly embrace diversity. To make this happen, we now offer greater opportunity for more employees to develop their skills, participate in global leadership experiences, and learn how to work across our enterprise more effectively.
Our Corporate Service Corps program – IBM’s version of the Peace Corps – broadens participants’ thinking and improves their understanding of different cultures and today’s global context of business operations. Corporate Service Corps helps transform our emerging leaders into global citizens through specially designed short-term projects in key growth markets.
I am especially excited about the work Corporate Service Corps has done in Africa, where we are building out our technology infrastructure, and civic and social institutions to keep pace with our growing middle class. Here in Kenya, IBM employees have provided advice to improve our country’s ability to develop and retain top technology talent; modernize the national postal service; and establish a framework for e-government services for citizens, including electronic voting. Our initiatives in Ghana, Nigeria, and Tanzania are dedicated to effecting similarly positive changes in the lives of ordinary people.
Thus far, nearly 1,500 IBMers from more than 50 countries have worked on projects in Brazil, Cambodia, Chile, China, Indonesia, the Philippines, Russia, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, and in more than a dozen additional countries. And each engagement has provided a triple benefit:
- Communities have their problems solved;
- Our employees receive leadership training and development; and
- Our company develops a new generation of global leaders.
When it comes to developing and retaining global talent, it is particularly rewarding to know that 90 percent of Corporate Service Corps participants agree that the experience has helped make them more effective leaders, and 100 percent say the experience has made it more likely that they will complete their careers at IBM. Recognizing top talent and giving them opportunities to enhance their skills as global leaders is an essential part of how we collaborate across the enterprise to strengthen an organizational culture based on shared values.
BOTTOM LINE: Immersion in markets and collaboration are the keys to developing global leaders. #ibmleaders
Read more about IBM Leadership:
Why IBM Is the Best Company for Leaders by Randy MacDonald, Senior Vice President, Human Resources
A Global View of Leadership Development by Stanley S. Litow, Vice President of Corporate Citizenship & Corporate Responsibility and President, IBM International Foundation
How Private-Public Partnerships Can Lead Through Innovation by Rod Adkins, Senior Vice President, Systems & Technology Group
Entrepreneurship Takes Homework, Not Hubris, by Sharon Nunes, Vice President, Government Industry Strategy & Solutions
Leadership Must Evolve in an Interconnected World by Bridget van Kralingen, General Manager, North America
For the second consecutive time, FORTUNE magazine has named IBM as the #1 Global Company for Leaders. As part of our series on IBM Leadership, Vice President for Corporate Citizenship & Corporate Affairs and IBM International Foundation President Stanley S. Litow comments on the connection between social responsibility and leadership development.
When IBM’s founder Thomas Watson, Sr. coined the term “World Peace Through World Trade,” he foretold much of what we have been about for the last 100 years. IBM has always been an exemplary corporate citizen and a pioneer in interweaving corporate responsibility with overall business strategy. From the earliest establishment of our core values, to their recent renewal by our employees, IBM has been at the forefront – contributing vision, innovation, and real leadership in the communities and nations where we operate.
IBM’s longevity and long-term perspective have uniquely positioned us to create the next generation of corporate leaders who will make the world a better place. Our success has its roots in an adherence to core values while embracing fast-paced global change. And at no time in human history has the pace of change been faster or more profound.
Eighty percent of the world’s population now lives in cities, and emerging markets in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, and Latin America have the potential to bring positive change – affecting the quality of life for tens of millions of people. IBM’s Corporate Service Corps (CSC) and Smarter Cities Challenge programs are two of the innovations helping to bring about these changes.
In its third year of operation, Corporate Service Corps sends teams of six to 10 high-potential employees and executives to work with leaders in emerging markets to solve pressing problems. As a new model for leadership development and social engagement, CSC and its sibling Executive Service Corps have deployed more than 250 teams of IBM’s top talent from more than 50 nations on projects in more than two dozen countries. The effects have been transformational, both for local leadership and for the participants – 90 percent of whom say the experience has dramatically improved their skills and increased the likelihood that they will complete their careers at IBM.
Connecting with IBM’s Smarter Planet strategy, our Smarter Cities Challenge provides $400,000 worth of pro bono service grants consisting of expertise and technology to help cities develop actionable strategies that will improve the lives of their residents. As the three-year, 100-city, US$50 million program enters its second year, it has already helped cities around the world tackle issues as diverse as economic growth and job creation, transportation, public safety, health care, and the environment.
IBM’s multifaceted approach to corporate social responsibility provides clear business advantages and maximum benefit to communities. It helps attract, retain and develop top talent by giving them the opportunity to understand how complex problems get solved as they provide sustainable value to the communities they serve. Our approaches – and the skills those approaches engender – also make us more effective for our clients. They protect our shareholders by minimizing exposure to risk. But they also provide real returns for the company by building better leaders and better global citizens.
BOTTOM LINE: Corporate social responsibility attracts, inspires, retains top talent. #ibmleaders
Read more about IBM Leadership:
Why IBM Is the Best Company for Leaders by Randy MacDonald, Senior Vice President, Human Resources
How Private-Public Partnerships Can Lead Through Innovation by Rod Adkins, Senior Vice President, Systems & Technology Group
Entrepreneurship Takes Homework, Not Hubris, by Sharon Nunes, Vice President, Government Industry Strategy & Solutions
A New Model to Cultivate Global Leaders by Tony Mwai, Country General Manager, East Africa
Leadership Must Evolve in an Interconnected World by Bridget van Kralingen, General Manager, North America
Posted by
Randy MacDonald in
For the second consecutive time, FORTUNE magazine has named IBM as the #1 Global Company for Leaders. As part of our series on IBM Leadership, Senior Vice President for Human Resources Randy MacDonald offers his perspective on why IBM is the best company for leaders.
This honor comes at a time in history where leadership is shifting in every corner of the world – even at IBM, we have just announced a transition of leadership at the top from Sam Palmisano to Ginni Rometty. This year is also an important milestone in IBM’s history – what other company, let alone a tech company – has been around and committed to leadership development for 100 years? (consider the fact that only one percent of large companies make it to the 40-year mark).
We’ve learned that in order to navigate a volatile global business environment over the long term, it’s important to produce new kinds of leaders who can deal with big projects that help society by reducing traffic, improving public health and fighting energy shortages. Such projects test people’s ability to operate in a large, complicated environment. They need to manage relationships with governments, clients, business partners, universities and others both within and outside the company. They need strong collaboration skills to deal with people from different countries and ways of thinking.
How does IBM train the next generation of leaders? Through a high-touch combination of immersive experiences, mentoring and social media that connects people and empowers future leaders to make important decisions wherever they work. With programs like our Global Enablement Teams and Corporate Service Corps, IBM encourages people to be what I like to call “aggressively innovative,” and to continually push for transformational excellence and impatience with the status quo.
As IBM’s approach to leadership development has changed, so has our definition of leadership. Last year, we introduced a new set of leadership characteristics, or competencies, to define leaders for the 21st century: engaging people from different backgrounds and cultures; thinking systemically and helping others see broader and deeper patterns in businesses opportunities; building mutual trust; and influencing others through expertise. These are a far cry from behaviors that were rewarded in the days of command-and-control leadership.
People often ask me what it takes to be a leader. I think it’s important to have stamina, courage and perseverance. Focus on doing things that are innovative and solve real problems. Have the courage and conviction to express your viewpoint and influence others to agree. In this age of virtual work where the world is growing flatter by the minute, the ability to team and build consensus with people who may see things differently is increasingly important. Every day I ask myself “have I added value and made a difference today?” and I often encourage our leaders to do the same.
Here at IBM, we make building the next generation of leaders a priority. Because that is our past and our future.
BOTTOM LINE: To make it as a leader, have the courage and conviction to express your viewpoint and influence others to agree. #ibmleaders
Read “How to be a leader at IBM” — FORTUNE’s Q&A with Randy MacDonald.
Read more about IBM Leadership:
A Global View of Leadership Development by Stanley S. Litow, Vice President, Corporate Leadership & Corporate Affairs and President, IBM International Foundation
How Private-Public Partnerships Can Lead Through Innovation by Rod Adkins, Senior Vice President, Systems & Technology Group
Entrepreneurship Takes Homework, Not Hubris, by Sharon Nunes, Vice President, Government Industry Strategy & Solutions
A New Model to Cultivate Global Leaders by Tony Mwai, Country General Manager, East Africa
Leadership Must Evolve in an Interconnected World by Bridget van Kralingen, General Manager, North America
