which was “Why were these people promoted
over everyone else all the way to
the corner office?”
Q: CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE FIVE
CORE THEMES THAT CAME FROM
YOUR INTERVIEWS?
AB: 1) Passionate curiosity – I define
this as a deep sense of engagement with
the world. It is a relentlessly questioning
mind where you are curious about people
and how things work, and how they can
be made to work better. I really like that
phrase because it is bigger than the sum
of its parts. We have all met people who
are really passionate about something,
but not that curious in the broad sense,
and we have also met people who are
curious, but not necessarily passionate.
So, there is something about those two
words together that capture that relentlessly
curious mind.
I also think that it points to a misconception
that a lot of people have about
CEOs. To the outside world, the CEO
has to look like he or she has all the answers.
What I came to appreciate is that
the role of the CEO inside their companies
is not to have all the answers – because
that is simply impossible – but to
have the right questions. To have what I
like to call the good, dumb questions that
will lead to new insights by the company
and maybe move them into new markets
or smart innovation. Essentially, it is that
ability to ask these types of powerful
questions that separates really effective
leaders from the rest.
2) Battle-hardened confidence – This
is about developing a track record of
overcoming adversity so you know what
you are capable of. Effective leaders go
into difficult situations, and although
there is some humility, they say, “I don’t
know how I will get through this, but I
know that I will because I have done it
before.” This is the quiet confidence that
feature
In Bryant’s best-selling book, The Corner
Office, he sketches out the patterns he
found in interviewing over 75 CEOs to
learn how they got where they are.
TEN WAYS TO IMPROVE SAFETY MANAGEMENT
Je Thorne, Manager of
Health & Safety Training
Wednesday, January 22
3:10 - 4:00 PM in 803A
Or visit us at Booth 842
osg.ca • 800.815.9980 Occupational Safety Group
WORKPLACE SAFETY TRAINING IN OUR CLASSROOM • AT YOUR SITE • ONLINE
HRPATODAY.CA ❚ FEBRUARY 2014 ❚ 45