| Q. |
Are there any core traits or skills that you think
are in increasing or decreasing demand? |
| A. |
When the economy is in a downturn, with a business
focus on cutting expenses, there's higher demand
for financial people. When there's an economic
upswing, you see a focus on the top line and more demand
for people whose focus is the top line. But, one of
the more enduring business trends we're seeing
today is for women and people of color at the executive
levels. Companies are asking more and more of the search
firms to bring an inclusive slate of candidates to
them. They are sometimes saying, "Bring me only
women and people of color for this position as we have
sufficient white males for consideration." |
| Q. |
Do the numbers bare out this trend? |
| A. |
Yes. The Prout Group has brought
together a number of top organizations to research the
numbers around women and people of color on Fortune-500
boards. We specifically managed the research around Fortune
100 companies, and the results are on our web site at
www.proutgroup.com. You'll see that every single
company in the Fortune 100 has at least one woman or
person of color on the board. But, as you go further
down the chain beyond the Fortune-100, the boards become
more white-male-dominated. Alcoa is a good example of
a company with a totally inclusive board.
Much of this change is being driven by CEOs who are open minded and who are of a new generation, if you will. They fully comprehend the business case for diversity and inclusion and see the value. Most are baby-boomers and I’m even more optimistic that as corporate leadership emanates from Gen-X and Gen-Y this will change even more because these generations grew up in an environment that is less segregated and more inclusive. People like Steve Reinemund (note to reader: Harvard. MBA who was running Pepsi Co. and who just stepped down) have done a great deal in this particular area. |
| Q. |
Which executive or leader in corporate America do
you most admire? |
| A. |
Certainly Jack Welch. Putting aside all that has happened
since he stepped down, what he did with GE is admirable.
Jacques Nasser was ahead of his time at Ford and was
doing an excellent job there. Time will tell, I think,
that he was right for Ford. Ted Chenault, who is African
American and heads up American Express, is also another
driver of change, although a lot of what he does is somewhat
behind the scenes in terms of getting other Fortune 500
CE0s to be more open minded about diversity and a diverse
workforce. |
| Q. |
Who has been a mentor in your career? |
| A. |
I cannot say that I rose to
the position of President and COO at Bank One by myself,
because I didn't—I had help from people all
along the way. Whether they were aware they were helping
me or were doing it unintentionally, they were helpful
nonetheless; I learned a lot from them. But I never had
a formal mentor as such. I certainly understand that
whole dynamic now, and if I were to relive my life again,
I would entertain a number of mentors as well as sponsors
to help me. |
| Q. |
Did you learn anything in Viet Nam that has been
helpful in your business career? |
| A. |
My whole military training,
particularly my stint in Viet Nam, helped me on the leadership
side. It helped me understand people, I learned how to
lead and developed good insights into people. As a platoon
commander, I was responsible for people who came from
varying backgrounds and races— black, white, yellow,
brown, the rural South, the urban poor, and in some cases
folks who came from the Ivy League and had come from
some wealth. So, I had a plethora of different personalities
and economic backgrounds – true inclusively. I
had to deal with differences and I learned a lot about
people, and gained good insight into their motivation
and behavior. |
| Q. |
What's the best HBS-NEO
event you have attended? |
| A. |
I certainly enjoy the Business Statesman Award dinners
and listening to the folks who have made it in their
careers. They’re very good events. |
Programs 