In the Lead Magazine, Fall 2021 by Seton Hall Publications Alumni Magazine

FALL 2021 A Seton Hall University Publication

Leadership and Professional Development 101 Certificate Learn  Grow  Build

September 22 – December 9, 2021 WEDNESDAYS • 7 – 8:30 p.m. Michael Gordon, Esq. Bryan Price, Ph.D. Joe Testa, M.B.A.

Special Seton Hall student, faculty, and alumni rates. SHRM-PDCs and CEUs available.

www.shu.edu/LPD101 OFFERED BY THE Buccino

Leadership Institute AND Continuing Education and Professional Studies

FALL 2021

A family-business leader shares the importance of developing a customer-centric culture.

“A” Is for Advocate BY CATHY CHOI

In the Lead With Josh Harris

A conversation on leadership challenges in the sports industry.

Letter from the Editors Leadership Lessons

A chief executive in health care and higher education shares how leaders can engage in the critical skill of character development. BY MARY J. MEEHAN

In Focus

Michael Cappelluti ’18 explains how Seton Hall’s leadership lessons play out in Amazon’s corporate culture.

BY THE EDITORS

Leadership When Normal Is No Longer Amid great disruption, leaders must both examine the past and manage a dizzying pace of change.

In the Crucible

I lost $2.25 billion in a failed takeover of my family’s business, but I almost lost much more. BY WARWICK FAIRFAX

BY FRANK DIANA and JOHN H. SHANNON

Case Study

BY BENJAMIN LOWE and RENU RAMNARAYANAN

The Future of Leadership Survey Insight and Foresight into the Future of Leadership.

BY RUCHIN KANSAL KAREN BOROFF, STEVEN LORENZET and ALEXANDER MCAULEY

Parts of the dairy supply chain showed remarkable resilience in the face of the pandemic’s epic disruption.

Book Review

The new book, Think Again, by Adam Grant, examines the critical art of rethinking. REVIEWED BY PAULA ALEXANDER and STEPHEN WOOD

In the Lead | A Seton Hall University Publication 3

EDITORS

Ruchin Kansal, M.B.A.

Steven Lorenzet, Ph.D.

Bryan C. Price, Ph.D.

leads the Business Leadership Center and teaches The 5th Industrial Revolution. Prior, he spent 20 years in healthcare, first 10 as a management consultant with Capgemini & Deloitte, and the next in-house, serving as Head of Innovation at Boehringer Ingelheim, and then as SVP & Global Head of Strategy for Digital Services at Siemens Healthineers. He received his M.B.A. from NYU-Stern, and bachelor’s in architecture from IIT, Roorkee. www.ruchinkansal.com.

is Associate Dean of Academics and Associate Professor of Management in the Stillman School of Business at Seton Hall University. He is also the Director of the school’s M.B.A. program. His research has received multiple awards including the Citation of Excellence from Emerald Management Reviews. Dr. Lorenzet has also served as a consultant in the pharmaceutical, legal, military, financial, and academic industries. He received his Ph.D. in Organizational Studies from the University at Albany, SUNY.

is the executive director of the Buccino Leadership Institute at Seton Hall University and the founder of Top Mental Game, where he helps business leaders and athletes perform at their best when it matters the most. Price graduated from West Point and served as an Army officer for 20 years, with combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. He earned his Ph.D. from Stanford University and ran the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point as an Academy Professor.

Frank Diana

Warwick Fairfax, M.B.A.

Josh Harris, M.B.A.

Benjamin Lowe, M.B.A.

is a recognized futurist, thought leader and keynote speaker. At TCS, he is a thought leader and advisor in the context of business, societal and economic evolution. He blends a futurist perspective with a pragmatic, actionable approach — leveraging horizon scanning and storytelling to see possible futures.

is the author of Crucible Leadership: Embrace Your Trials to Lead a Life of Significance. At 26, he lost a $2.25 billion takeover bid of the family media dynasty he stood to inherit. He now helps others learn from their own “crucible moments” to live and lead with significance.

is Co-Founder of Apollo Global Management and Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment. He is also an active philanthropist through his family foundation, Harris Philanthropies, and as Managing Partner as the Philadelphia 76ers. Josh resides in Miami with his wife, Marjorie, and five children.

is the managing partner of Lebeta Tech, LLC and was formerly head of business intelligence and analytics at Verizon. He has earned a B.S. and a M.S. degree in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from Johns Hopkins University and an M.B.A. in Finance from Columbia University.

4 In the Lead | A Seton Hall University Publication

CONTRIBUTORS

Paula Becker Alexander, Ph.D., J.D. is an associate professor and chair of the Department of Management at the Stillman School of Business at Seton Hall University. She developed the curriculum for Corporate Social Responsibility, a core course in the school’s M.B.A. program. Routledge published her business ethics textbook, Corporate Social Irresponsibility, in 2015.

Mary J. Meehan, Ph.D., FACHE has served in executive roles in healthcare and higher education. She is president emerita of Alverno College and Seton Hall University. Meehan earned her bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate from Seton Hall University, and a graduate degree in health policy from New York Medical College.

Karen Boroff, Ph.D.

Michael Cappelluti

Cathy Choi, M.B.A.

is professor and dean emerita at the Stillman School of Business at Seton Hall University. She also served as dean of the school as well as interim provost. Among other work as interim provost, she led the creation of the University-wide Leadership Development Program. Boroff earned her Ph.D. from Columbia University.

graduated from Seton Hall in 2018 with a B.S. in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing and a certificate in Leadership Studies. Since graduating, Mike has been working at Amazon where he currently is a Senior Program Manager for the Global Fleet Products team.

is President of BULBRITE, a family-owned business whose vision is to empower people to “turn life on.” Choi is on a never-ending journey of learning, especially when it comes to leadership. She has served as an Advisory Council Member for the Stillman Business School Leadership Program since 2016 and is proud to be contributing to this issue.

Renu Ramnarayanan, Ph.D.

John H. Shannon, J.D.

Stephen Wood, M.S.

is a faculty member at the Stillman School of Business teaching courses in Supply Chain Management. Prior to Seton Hall, she has had over 25 years of experience in industry, developing organizational areas of expertise in supply chain-revenue management/ risk evaluation, marketing planning, forecasting, and pricing

is Professor of Legal Studies at the Stillman School of Business at Seton Hall University. His interests focus on the intersection of law, business and technology with a particular emphasis on the issues and challenges propelled by digital transformation.

consults and writes on policy topics after 43 years on Wall Street and in governmental finance. He specializes in infrastructure and project finance, publicprivate partnerships, federal and state grant and finance programs. A speaker at numerous industry conferences, he teaches about corporate social responsibility at Seton Hall.

In the Lead | A Seton Hall University Publication 5

Seton Hall University Business Programs Make Graduate School a Goal Within Reach. ACCREDITED, FLE XIBLE, AFFORDABLE GR ADUATE PROGR AMS

M.B.A. (8 Specializations Including Finance, Marketing and Business Analytics) ONLINE M.S.

in Business Analytics

M.S. in Accounting

• Full-time or part-time • On-campus and online options • GMAT/GRE waivers for qualified candidates

M.S. in Professional Accounting

TO LEARN MORE VISIT www.shu.edu/IntheLead

• EMAIL busgrad@shu.edu

Leading Through Disruption IN THE SECOND ISSUE of In the Lead, we explore the topic of leadership in the face of disruption. What are the disruptions leaders face? How can they react? What have they learned? Can we apply these lessons in the future? We bring you perspectives from the sports industry, food industry, higher education and a family business. We bring you perspectives on what the new generation entering the workforce sees as a differentiator in their undergraduate experience that makes them a better leader today. We also bring you highlights from “Future of Leadership: 2021,” an annual survey focused on generating insight and foresight into the future of leadership from leaders of the future. Thank you to all of you for your kind words of appreciation and encouragement on our inaugural issue. Over 55,000 of you received it, read it, or commented on it. Thank you to all of you who have expressed interest in contributing to the future issues. We will continue to seek you out; our goal is to provide the most relevant content each time, every time. As we said last time, the vision is to become THE leadership magazine for current and aspiring leaders. The mission of the magazine is to inform future leaders, generate global dialog on the topic of leadership, and build a community of leaders who see more effective leadership as a prerequisite to building a better world. We have launched a blogsite at blogs.shu.edu/inthelead/ for you to easily follow the content in e-format. We appreciate your help in spreading the word by sharing the link. We also want to hear from you. Your feedback on current articles and input on topics we should tackle will make us better. Please reach out to us by writing to inthelead@shu.edu. We are looking at a new beginning. In parts of the world, we seem to have turned the corner on the current disruption brought upon us by COVID-19, but we will feel the after effects for some time to come. We will experience new disruptions. However, we know we can overcome any disruption. We can lead, better. We are In the Lead!

DISRUPTION. A scary word. A negative word. A constant fact of life. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a phenomenon experienced in high fidelity over the last 18 months! LEADERSHIP. The act of leading. The qualities of a leader. The demonstration of a behavior. A constantly changing role in times of disruption?

Until next time! Ruchin, Bryan and Steve

In the Lead | A Seton Hall University Publication 7

Purpose-built for IT transformation. Purpose-built for YOUR transformation. Salient CRGT is a leading provider of health, data analytics, cloud, agile software development, mobility, cyber security, and infrastructure solutions. We support these core capabilities with full lifecycle IT services and training—to help our customers meet critical goals for pivotal missions. We are purpose-built for IT transformation supporting federal civilian, defense, homeland, and intelligence agencies, as well as Fortune 1000 companies. We are looking to fill the following positions: • • • • • • • •

Full Stack Java and .NET Developers UX/UI Designers/Developers Infrastructure Support Services Cyber Security Analysts Splunk Engineers Agile Business Analysts SAS Developers Business Objects Developers

Learn more at salientcrgt.com/careers▶ Salient CRGT 4000 Legato Road Suite 600 Fairfax, VA 22033 703-891-8200

Character Counts

A chief executive in health care and higher education shares how leaders can engage in the critical skill of character development. BY MARY J. MEEHAN, Ph.D. THE MOST EFFECTIVE leaders are those who live authentic lives, whose character speaks for itself. Warren Bennis, a pioneer in leadership research, wrote that a successful leader is not about being tough or soft, sensitive or assertive, but about having strength of character. Effective leaders are committed to lifelong learning; character development is no exception and takes courage and determination. Leaders who are committed to character development practice a wide range of behaviors on a regular basis. Here are a few simple but highly effective examples: 1. “I was wrong.” If leaders expect team members to acknowledge failings, leaders must model that behavior by publicly admitting when they have made an error in judgment or practice. 2. “I need help.” No one has all the answers. The leader

needs to find the answers but will never have all of the possible solutions. Asking for help gives team members the green light to express their own doubts and concerns. 3. “I am sorry.” Whether it is speaking ill of another or losing one’s temper, leaders who apologize are more respected and trusted. Apologizing shows true concern for the other. 4. “I had a plan, but I think yours will be more effective.” Acknowledging the ideas and input of others builds stronger and more motivated teams. 5. Practicing silence. Robert Greenleaf often told the employees at AT&T that words should be spoken only if those words would improve the silence. Listening with full attention is a skill that can be learned and starts with a sincere desire to know the mind and heart of the other. 6. “Thank you.” Leaders often write memos expressing gratitude, but nothing is more meaningful than a personal acknowledgment of an achievement. L

In the Lead | A Seton Hall University Publication 9

Michael Cappelluti

How Seton Hall’s leadership lessons play out in Amazon’s corporate culture. HOMETOWN Marlboro, New Jersey CAREER Senior program manager

at Amazon, the world’s largest e-commerce company

IN THE LEAD Why were you attracted to working at Amazon? MICHAEL CAPPELLUTI In my opinion, Amazon is the most fascinating supply chain in the world. It’s customerobsessed culture relentlessly solves a logistics challenge that has been present since the beginning of e-commerce: How can we get as many packages to customers as quickly as possible? This is an effort I was intrigued to be a part of. ITL What skills did you learn in the Buccino leadership program that help you in your current role at Amazon? MC The Buccino Center’s focus on experiential learning prepared me extremely well for Amazon’s ‘learn by doing’ philosophy. Perhaps more importantly, though, the leadership program grooms its leaders to be forward-looking and futureoriented — both particularly relevant characteristics to demonstrate at a company like Amazon. ITL Can you give an example of how the leadership program prepared you to be, as you called it, forward-looking and future-oriented? MC Absolutely. I think the best example I can give was Professor [Jack] Shannon’s Disruptive Strategy course. His course really inspired me to challenge the status quo. After just a few lectures, I quickly found that I had a passion for futurism that would later lead to an interest in scaling e-commerce through efficient supply chains/logistics. Before I took the course, I probably had a relatively nonchalant attitude when

10 In the Lead | A Seton Hall University Publication

it came to the concept of faster delivery. But after taking Professor Shannon’s course, I realized that the companies that could overcome those types of futuristic barriers were the ones that were ultimately going to achieve sustained success. ITL When did you make the decision to apply to Amazon? MC That’s an interesting story because I completed my degree in three years, but I didn’t know I was going to graduate in three years until the fall semester of my last year. My friends and I were always talking about the FAANG companies [Facebook, Apple, Amazon, Netflix and Google] and what their businesses would mean for the future of society. As a young professional, that was something I was eager to be a part of. ITL To finish your degree in three years takes a special mindset. I’ve heard you talk about the importance of a “Day 1 mentality” at Amazon. What does that mean? MC At Amazon, “every day is Day 1” in that there is always something new to learn, there is always freshness in our ambition and there is always excitement about what new solution we could find on any given day. This mindset helps us to break monotony that some people might experience at work. A non-complacent, “never settle for less”-type attitude can go a long way in helping someone find value in their role. At Seton Hall, I wrote a philosophy paper on the idea of ‘hyper specialization’ and how that concept can lower someone’s

morale. When every day is Day 1, there is no ‘super zoomed in’ situation of complacency. While we organically might find ourselves zoomed in on the work we do, we put mechanisms in place to remain forward-looking and focused on the big picture. ITL The pandemic has radically impacted global logistics and our supply chains. What are the most important leadership skills you need to excel in this environment? MC Customer obsession. This is one of Amazon’ leadership principles, and it’s an extremely valuable characteristic for anyone in any business. Customers can be so much more than just someone purchasing something. They are your downstream and upstream counterparts. They are janitors, safety personnel, associates, senior leaders. They can be, literally, anyone. Realizing that the work you do impacts everyone — even in an organization with over 1.5 million employees like Amazon — helps me to find value in the work that I do and strive to always put my best foot forward. During the pandemic, it’s unfathomable to think about how many people were relying on Amazon. We had quarantines and travel mandates. Some people were afraid to even go outside. People needed us, and because of that, I found significant meaning in what I was doing. ITL One of the fundamental pillars of the Buccino leadership program is feedback. In fact, providing feedback might be the most impactful thing we do. Was there any feedback that you received in the program that was meaningful to you? MC I got some really rich feedback during my time with the program. I remember specifically some feedback I got in my Peer 360 during my freshmen year. There was a comment, in particular, that read something to the effect that “Mike is a super smart guy and he always has good things to say, but my advice would be to take a step back and listen sometimes, too.” That really stuck with me, and I’m proud to say that in every peer piece of feedback from that point on, I got feedback that was more like “Mike was always willing to listen, and then add his contributions after.” Everyone wants their ideas to be heard. Everyone wants to have their contributions valued. That one change was important to my success in the program, or at least in gaining the respect of my peers. This is something that has paid dividends in my career. ITL Knowing what you know now, are there any skills that we should be giving students in the Buccino leadership program that we didn’t when you were a student?

MC If you’re part of a customer-obsessed organization, that means that other people are going to be customer-obsessed about you. Emphasizing the value of strong interpersonal relationships in business is absolutely crucial. While there is always desire to “be the best,” that doesn’t necessarily have to mean competition. It means, “how can I best serve my peers and customers today?” I believe that is the epitome of servant leadership, which I believe is at the heart of the Buccino leadership program. I think when students come into college, especially business students, there’s a preconceived notion that they have to be the best, adopt a Wall Street mentality and box-out their peers so that all of the opportunities get funneled to them. The downside to that is [that] in a super alpha, ultracompetitive business school setting, there are some great ideas that end up hidden because some people might have a quieter, less aggressive personality type and therefore never get their ideas out.

“ If you’re part of a customerobsessed organization, that means that other people are going to be customer-obsessed about you. Emphasizing the value of strong interpersonal relationships in business is absolutely crucial.” When we’re all tackling big problems and challenging the status quo, everyone has the same goal in mind. To tackle this big ask, we have to get as creative as possible and leverage as many people to generate as many great ideas as possible. Almost organically, it creates a team setting versus an environment of “every person for themselves.” Instead of being in competition with your peers, compete with the status quo. If you can channel that healthy competitive spirit, you can make a world of change. If you have 25, or 80, or 150 people doing that — or like Amazon where you have 1.5 million workers doing that — there’s no ceiling. L

In the Lead | A Seton Hall University Publication 11

What I Found When I Lost I lost $2.25 billion in a failed takeover of my family’s business, but I almost lost much more. BY WARWICK FAIRFAX, M.B.A. ONE OF MY HIGHEST values is authenticity, to be the real me no matter what. But this has not been easy. I grew up in a family with a large, 150-yearold media business in Australia, a company that owned newspapers, television and radio stations, and magazines. After graduating from Oxford, working on Wall Street and getting my M.B.A. from Harvard Business School, in 1987 I launched a $2.25 billion takeover of my family’s company. It is a story for another time, but I felt that the company was not being run according to the ideals of the founder — my great-greatgrandfather — and was not being well run. This may or may not have been true; but that was my perspective. Three years later, the company filed for bankruptcy. My self-esteem was decimated. I felt as if I had let my family, my ancestors, even God, down in some strange way. Embarrassed

and ashamed, I pulled back on being the authentic me. In fact, I hid who I was when, a few years later, I tried to get a job in an aviation services company in Maryland. (This was just before the internet became prevalent; it would have been harder to do today.) I did not go to Oxford or Harvard Business School reunions; I believed my classmates would laugh at or ridicule me. Over time, I became less ashamed of myself and began to use the lessons from my failure to help others. I decided to lean into my pain and write a book about my mistakes and the lessons I learned from my failed takeover bid of the family company. Crucible Leadership: Embrace Your Trials to Lead a Life of Significance comes out in October 2021. The lesson here is that even if you are afraid to be your true and vulnerable self because you are ashamed — of past failures or what was done to you or your family or family heritage — don’t let that hold you back.

When I eventually did attend Oxford and Harvard Business School reunions (with some initial trepidation), my classmates did not ridicule me; they welcomed me. You see, I was not the only one who had been through challenging times — crucible experiences as I call them. As I used my failures to help others, I became stronger and even more willing to be myself. This is an important truth in an era when the pressure to fit in, to be who others want and expect us to be, has never been greater. We see it affecting leaders at all levels and of all ages. Young leaders want to put their best foot forward; they want to look or dress the part and not do anything controversial to endanger their career path. Seasoned leaders at or near the top of their organizations don’t want to be seen as out of touch with current trends. They want to fit the image others — including shareholders, customers and employees — expect of them; they also want to be respected by younger leaders rising through the organization. This intense desire to fit in squeezes out authenticity and originality; you can forget who you are. When asked for an opinion, you are tempted to inquire, “What do you want my opinion to be?” So, can you be your true authentic self and be successful? In a word, yes! Here are some thoughts about how to achieve this. TAKE A STAND Decide on principle to be yourself. Of course, be respectful to those around you and dress appropriately for where you work. But you can have your own style. You don’t need to be the organization man or organization woman out of some 1950s movie. When you are asked for your opinion, give it. Stop trying to tell people what they want to hear. Be honest! That does not mean yelling or — if you don’t get your way — stomping off in a huff. It does mean being forthright in your opinions and recommendations. Decide today that you will be yourself no matter what. If the powers that be are going to fire you for being you, so be it. BEING AUTHENTIC AND VULNERABLE IS POWERFUL Here’s a secret: Being authentic and vulnerable may not hinder your success; in fact, it may enhance your chance of succeeding. Today more than ever, authenticity is valued. Younger leaders want realness and vulnerability. They want to be leveled with, not given the sugar-coated version of the “truth.” So seasoned leaders should quit trying to tell employees what they think the team wants to hear and tell them the truth. If your company is facing challenges, tell them. Also, be yourself; don’t try to

act or dress like you are in your 20s to seem “cool,” if that’s not who you are. A lack of sincerity and authenticity will be apparent. For younger leaders, good senior executives want input; they want to know your perspective. It doesn’t mean they will agree with you and accept your recommendations all the time, but if leaders at the top don’t get good information and a diverse range of opinions, they will not be successful. And if you don’t work in an organization that values input and diverse perspectives, leave. Find an organization with authentic leaders who value that trait in others. BEING THE REAL YOU CAN BE THE KEY TO SUCCESS In an era of sameness, conventional wisdom and fear of being different, being the real you can be powerful. Having unique opinions and perspectives makes you stand out — in a good way. Having the courage to express those opinions — whether to senior management or key stakeholders, including your board of directors — also makes you stand out positively. The key is to be clear about your opinions and recommendations. And if you don’t get your way, respond with grace and respect. Assuming the rejection is not a moral issue but a difference in, say, strategic alternatives, if you handle the situation considerately, leaders around you will respect you more. They will know the next time a decision needs to be made, they can count on you to share your honest perspective. HAVE A SUPPORT TEAM Being your authentic self is not easy. The winds of conformity can erode the best of intentions. Years can go by, and a wellintentioned desire to be the “real you” can fade. Like a lobster boiling, you may not realize you are drifting toward conformity until it is too late. So, how do you avoid being another faceless, bland cog in the organizational machine? Have a support team. Surround yourself with friends, family and mentors who will help you be you. Have the courage to ask them if they see you drifting from authenticity. Give them the freedom to tell you if they think you are “selling out” to what others want you to be. Ideally, you will have mentors who are further down the leadership track than you. If you can find mentors who will advise and support you in your organization, that can be especially helpful. But either way, find a support team that will fight for the real you. Don’t let anything or anyone hold you back from being your true authentic self. Not other people’s opinions. Not failure. Not past mistakes. Not anything. Your authenticity is your power. Rather than authenticity holding you back, it can actually propel you forward. L

In the Lead | A Seton Hall University Publication 13

A family-business leader shares the importance of developing a customer-centric culture. By CATHY CHOI, M.B.A.

IS FOR ADVOCATE

BULBRITE, MY FAMILY BUSINESS, was started 50 years ago by my father. It is hard to imagine what it must have been like to immigrate to this country, empty handed, not proficient in the language, and not understanding American culture. Nevertheless, my father, Andrew, had a dream to create something that would be more than a way to make a living and support his family. He started with what he knew — lighting — and began Bulbrite by calling on lighting stores on the Bowery, with bagels and bulbs in hand. Little did I know that the founding principle, the secret to his and our company’s success, started with the letter “A” (not so coincidentally, so does his name). I started at Bulbrite in 2001 with nearly a decade of experience, which included working at one of the Big 6 accounting firms while getting my M.B.A. at night. Perhaps it was my bravado that led me to think I would start at least at a midmanagement position. The first day of work, my father handed me a little white handbook on lighting, pointed to the cubicle in the middle of the office, and told me to answer the phones. Mind you, I knew nothing about the products or the customers. When I challenged my father on why I had to start in customer service, he barely acknowledged me and simply said, “You will see.” Cut to a few weeks ago when I had the privilege of watching my father be interviewed for a major publication, where he shared his story of starting the company and what led to his success. It was a full-circle moment when I heard him say, “It’s all about the relationships you build, especially with your customers.” As the saying goes, I had a light bulb moment. Over the last decade, I have been leading the organization, driving for growth — of people and profits. I have always talked about how important our customers are and how they should be at the center of all decisions we make. This has been challenging to keep top of mind, especially as we scale the business and new team members join. Staying connected with our customers was particularly challenging over the last year given the inability to travel due to the global pandemic. Knowing this, my leadership team and I set our No. 1 priority for 2021 as building a customer-centric culture. At the core of this focus is our company behavior that intentionally starts with the letter “A.” To make our No. 1 priority actionable, our entire team, regardless of what department they belong to, makes calls to customers every week. The goal of making the calls is to learn more about our customers, gain insights and develop relationships. This learning is critical to our ability to truly understand the customer’s perspective and make daily decisions that put the customer first. This is easier said than done. Just the other week, I was dealing with a major supply-chain issue that is creating backorders for key items. The solution that was presented to

me was to air ship an obscene amount of product to keep the flow of product moving. When thinking about the impact to our bottom line, it was an easy decision to make: air ship the least amount possible to not get customer complaints. However, if I looked in the mirror and practiced what I preached about advocating for the customer, the right decision became clear. I had to air ship the full amount and not view the cost as an expense, but rather an investment in customer retention. Why is this important, and what is the leadership lesson? First and foremost, as leaders, we must always challenge ourselves and our teams. I am a firm believer that either you grow or you die — both as individuals and as an organization. In this case, it took a global pandemic for me and my leadership team to realize that our No. 1 priority for this year is to return to the fundamental principle that the company was founded on, focusing relentlessly on the customer. Second, it is our responsibility as leaders to engage our teams and create opportunities to practice, practice, practice. Talking about an initiative is one thing; doing the work is another.

ALWAYS ADVOCATE FOR THE CUSTOMER.

Look at things from the customers’ perspective, strive to understand their challenges, opportunities and frustrations. Anticipate customers’ needs and find solutions that exceed their expectations and align with company and business objectives.

We are doing this through the company-wide customer calls, and the process is uncovering a lot of areas of opportunity — both in training our team and in creating process efficiencies. Finally, I am constantly reminded that as the head of the company, I must always lead by example. It has been a long time since my daily job was to pick up the phone and talk to customers. It would be so easy for me to forget to advocate for them, especially as I make decisions based on information presented by my team in Excel documents and PowerPoint presentations. While these are important tools that help me see the issue and/or opportunity at hand, I must remind myself that behind the numbers is a customer — a person who has their own set of challenges, opportunities and frustrations. A customer that I talked to everyday during my first few months on the job. A customer that my father met door-to-door on the streets of New York City five decades ago. A customer that I must “Always Advocate” for. I guess my father was right; the alphabet (and his name) starts with the most important letter, “A.” L

In the Lead | A Seton Hall University Publication 15

In the Lead

Josh Harris

with

How would you describe the intensity of disruption in sports? Is disruption a key challenge for sports leaders? If yes, why? This is an incredibly exciting time to be in the business of sports. Innovation is everywhere, driving disruption in a number of different areas across the industry. One major driver behind this disruption is the globalization and digitization of media content. Fans, particularly younger viewers, want to watch sports when and how they want to. As a result, they’re “cutting the cord,” relying less on traditional media outlets to consume content. While this trend has been emerging for years, it was accelerated by the pandemic, when people spent more time than ever in front of screens. This shift presents a huge opportunity to deliver content and experiences to fans in new ways — something that is top of mind for all sports leaders. From a market perspective, we’re seeing unprecedented interest in sports assets, reflected in their valuations and access to expanded capital streams. Companies are emerging in areas like betting and Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs), which are exploding in popularity. This tells us that there is a real desire to engage with sports in new ways — beyond just tuning in to watch a game. It’s our responsibility to determine which ideas within the vast universe of opportunities are worth investing in. HBSE Ventures, HBSE’s venture investing arm,

In the Lead with is a conversation with an industry leader on key trends and leadership challenges in their industry. In this issue, we present a conversation with Josh Harris, owner of multiple sports franchises, on key leadership trends in the sports industry.

does just that — identifies and partners with promising entrepreneurs building the next leading companies in sports tech. At the end of the day, this industry is brimming with entrepreneurs looking to build great companies and it will be interesting to see how things play out over the long-term.

What in your view are the three top challenges for sports leaders? First, I believe all sports leaders are focused on creating the strongest franchise possible, and ultimately building winning teams and delivering championships to the cities where they play. To do that, we need to attract, develop and grow the best people — including players, coaches and staff members within our organization. Taking the NBA as an example, there are thirty teams, all competing for top talent. At HBSE, we have always placed a premium on recruiting the best players and hiring the brightest, most driven and forward-thinking individuals to lead our organization. We recently announced that Tad Brown, formerly the CEO of the

In the Lead | A Seton Hall University Publication 17

Houston Rockets, will be HBSE’s next CEO. In Philly, we’ve assembled one of the best front offices in the NBA, led by Daryl Morey, Elton Brand and Doc Rivers. It’s a perpetual challenge that we face, and one we relish — making sure that we have the industry’s most innovative leaders driving our decisionmaking every day. Second, fan experience is always front and center. At the Sixers and Devils, we have some of the most passionate and dedicated fans in the world. We’re constantly looking for new ways to deliver the best experience to our fans, introducing innovation where possible while maintaining the integrity of the game they love. With sports betting, for example, many of our fans are excited about the secondscreen experience during games, but others are not. It’s our job to strike the right balance — working with our fantastic partners to meet the growing demand for betting, but knowing when enough is enough. Basketball is also becoming hugely popular overseas, and we’re excited about the Sixers’ growing international footprint. This is pushing us to think about how to engage our fans on a global scale and deliver the same great experience, regardless of where in the world our fans are. Lastly, we have a responsibility to act as steward of the cities where our teams operate. Sports are a great unifier and people really look up to these teams. This is what got me into the game, and it’s a responsibility I take seriously — I’ve also found it to be the singular most rewarding aspect of my

job. We’re mindful of the fact that the decisions we make as an organization impact not only our players, but the fans and the cities where our teams play. Every day, we try to push the ball forward, doing our best to represent Philly, Camden and Newark, and putting energy and resources into strengthening the communities where our fans live, work and play. There is nothing more important or motivating to us than making our fans proud of the teams they love.

Can you speak to a recent challenge that you worked through as an organization? Who are the key stakeholders who were involved and how did you collaborate? I feel extremely lucky to wake up every day and work with an incredible group of people — many of whom I’ve worked alongside for years and count among my closest friends. It’s my responsibility to support our leaders — at the organization, team and community level — to ensure they have the resources they need to succeed, put them in positions where they have agency and empower them to do their jobs to the best of their ability. The events of the past year are a great example of how we work together as an organization and league, especially through adversity. In the early days of the pandemic, the world missed sports. We wanted to get back up and running, as quickly and safely as possible, to unify people and bring them hope. The NBA is structured as a 50/50 partnership, which means there is an extremely constructive relationship between the players and owners. Led by Adam Silver, owners and players worked closely to come up with a strategy for how to play through lockdown, adhering to the guidance of experts in the medical community. The players were a critical piece of the puzzle, acting as leaders both on and off the court. The NBA Bubble was a huge success amidst unprecedented circumstances; we had zero cases of COVID and created a framework for how other sports could play safely in this “new normal.” Like the rest of the world, the pandemic was something we had never anticipated. It tested us in unexpected ways, bringing us together and helping us communicate as an organization and league. It has had long-lasting impacts on the way we collaborate, and we are stronger for it, something I consider a silver lining.

What has been the traditional profile of a leader in the sports industry? How do you see it changing in the future? While there has always been a responsibility to lead the franchise and act as a fiduciary on behalf of the fans, I think Managing Partners and Governors have a greater responsibility than ever before to act as stewards of the communities where their teams play. I believe deeply that people in positions of power have an obligation to help those around them. My platform is one of privilege and its critical that I use it to create tangible impact. When the pandemic struck, as an organization, we knew it

The NBA Bubble was a huge success amidst unprecedented circumstances; we had zero cases of COVID and created a framework for how other sports could play safely in this “new normal.” 18 In the Lead | A Seton Hall University Publication

was incumbent upon us to support the communities where our teams play. We worked with community partners to help in a time of desperate need, providing emergency aid, medical supplies and food, as well as longer-term support like laptops and WiFi to ensure that children could continue their studies and stay connected remotely. This was an extremely difficult time, especially for communities where resources were not as readily available, and we wanted to lean in and use our platform to bring people relief where we could. In the midst of the pandemic, our country was also facing a reckoning of the systemic racism that exists in our country. The protests were eye-opening for me — I was not as aware as I should have been about the unacceptable magnitude of racial injustice that Black Americans face every day. It was my responsibility not only to educate myself, but to make sure that as an organization, we were taking the necessary steps to combat issues of inequity. I’m proud of actions that the NBA has taken — including establishing the NBA Foundation, dedicated to economic empowerment within the Black community, and the Social Justice Coalition, but this is just the beginning. There is so much more work to be done. I got into this business because I truly believe sports have the power to unite people, drive change and be a great equalizer. I think everyone has an obligation to do what they can to move the ball forward, starting with our own industry. The NBA, for example, is 75% Black men, but we need to push for more diversity, particularly gender diversity, at the organizational and leadership level. This is table stakes — not only because it is the right thing to do, but because it is critical to the longevity of our industry if we want to continue attracting the best and brightest people.

What lessons can be learned from leading in the sports industry that are valid universally? I have always been deeply passionate about sports, since I discovered wrestling at a young age, through to competing at the collegiate level at Penn. Eventually I was able to apply skills from my day job at Apollo to sports. This is very much a labor of love, and I have found that above all, in order to find success, its incredibly important to love what you do. We spend far too much time working to not feel fulfilled in our careers. Investing and sports are my passions, so even though this work is extremely challenging, I look forward to it every day and find it incredibly rewarding. I also think it is critical to surround yourself with likeminded people who share your values and vision for the future. I have a great partner in David Blitzer, and together we have built a strong portfolio of teams and brands within HBSE, but more importantly, an organization full of people whom we trust and care about. People do their best

work when they are in a supportive environment, and we continue to make that a top priority. Finally, we always return to the fact that everything we do is with the cities and the fans we serve in mind. These teams mean so much to so many people. The Sixers and Devils have lifelong supporters, committed through great seasons and disappointing ones. That is what drives our organization forward. I feel extremely fortunate to have a hand in these storied franchises, home to athletes that are advancing the sport, represent the best in athleticism and sportsmanship, and are inspiring the next generation of athletes, as well as creating close-knit communities that transcend city, state and even country borders. These teams have captured the hearts of millions across the globe, and it’s daunting, thrilling and deeply inspiring to be a part of that story. L

In the Lead | A Seton Hall University Publication 19

Amid great disruption, leaders must both examine the past and manage a dizzying pace of change. By FRANK DIANA and JOHN H. SHANNON, J.D.

“The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those that can’t read or write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.” – Alvin Toffler

onventional wisdom suggests that the past and future are largely disconnected. Our learned experience suggests otherwise. The conventional wisdom may be comforting and reassuring but, in reality, there is much to learn by examining the experience the past describes. This is especially true when society enters a period of significant change. We are in the early stages of such a period. We cannot underestimate the need, first, to recognize that such a period is upon us and, second, to encourage an awareness of the risks and rewards that will develop as a result. That awareness must be used to develop strategies that will allow us to be responsive to the extent and rate of exponential change.

navigating without guidance It is clear that everyone, particularly those charged with leadership responsibilities, will be summoned to navigate a set of circumstances that are not well defined, developing rapidly and will broadly influence this coming century. We have argued for many years that we must think differently as we develop solutions and strategies to address these challenges. The scope and pace of change demands a different sort of creativity because the old ways are simply insufficient to respond to the tasks ahead. While the past can be instructive, our responses to other similar transitions will not be sufficient to meet these developing demands because of the breadth, speed and impact of this period’s challenges. In short, what got us here will not be enough to get us to where we must go. These developments potentially set the stage for the next cycle of history. The world has entered a highly transformative period, where disruption with a capital “D” is already apparent. In fact, it is not an exaggeration to state that we are well into a period of significant disruption. Where shall we look for guidance as we progress through this next period of transition? The era since the end of World War II can be described as a remarkably stable time in global governance, notwithstanding periodic challenges. Those 76 years saw the rise, expansion and, some suggest, an early indication of the decline of American influence. American global dominance followed that of the British and Dutch empires and will, quite likely, give way to a period of Chinese ascendance. That said, is the rise of China

inevitable? Perhaps not, but early signals suggest that American influence is in decline and Chinese influence will become more pervasive. Are those transitions really the natural order of things? Or, alternatively, were they the natural order of things until we reached this digital age with a pervasive level of disruption that is progressing with extraordinary reach and speed? The early 20th century can provide some perspective. There are remarkable similarities between then and now. That era saw extraordinary levels of innovation in the development of general-purpose technologies like the telegraph and telephone, coal, the steam engine and electricity. The convergence of these technologies set the stage for advances that encouraged change. The world also saw increased global and economic integration (and its collapse), the implementation of tariffs and other forms of resistance to globalization, rising nationalism and opposition to immigration, the escalation of economic inequality and a global pandemic. Ultimately, the Great Depression and World War II were catalysts for the reorganization of global society. Those who witnessed the upheavals of the early 20th century have largely departed, but we are fully capable of learning from their experience. Even those relatively unfamiliar with history will see the parallels with our present. Understanding the implications of those parallels will require us, where appropriate, to identify and absorb the lessons provided by that history. Remember, the philosopher George Santayana wrote, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”

a defining characteristic is … uncertainty The intersections of geopolitics, economics, society, environment, science, technology and philosophy also highlight threads that are ripe for understanding the ideas and trends that are influencing our future and will continue to do so. This exceptional level of innovation coupled with the global nature of the challenges we face will require fundamental changes in the approach that the broader society takes when problem-solving. Climate change, the rise of mis- and disinformation, the dominance of technology platforms and public health crises, among others, will all demand wholeworld responses if they are to be effective and, therefore, successful. Our most recent experience would suggest that will be difficult and, perhaps, impossible. Our increasing connectivity and the combinatorial effect of the aforementioned intersections, while mostly positive, will also drive an increase in uncertainty and insecurity in many domains (e.g., political, economic and public policy). Large technology companies, while organized under the laws of sovereign nations, are in reality transnational operators. This suggests that the opportunities, and challenges, created by these companies will demand transnational solutions. As we learned in the 20th century, vast change over a period of years has a significant impact on culture, governance, regulation and society generally. Of course, an effective response will require a level of global cooperation that, to date, has not always been easy to achieve. In fact, it is foreseeable that a reordering of nation-state priorities will be required. That is always a difficult task and, in the absence of crisis, will take an extended period of time to achieve, if it is even possible. Robert J. Gordon has written of a special century (1870-1970) where exceptional innovation set the stage for extraordinary advances in human development. The range of innovation was staggering and transformative, from indoor plumbing to the internal combustion engine to antibiotics. We have not been in a position to dramatically improve human development since then, the early days of the second industrial revolution. We already see transformative technologies that are becoming mainstream, such as genetic engineering; 3D, 4D and 5D printing; brain machine interfaces; and renewable energy platforms. The accelerated development of the COVID-19 mRNA vaccines is a prominent, real-time example of the potential in this dynamic space. And that is just a taste of the innovations that shape our present and future.

our future demands leadership Our challenge as leaders is to manage these opposing forces: the natural cycles of history and the astounding innovation likely in this second period of great invention. Managing these forces requires a willingness to unlearn, accepting that our beliefs, a function of our experiences, environment and upbringing, will be challenged. A world that looks different from the one we are accustomed to demands new perspectives and a willingness to lead with open minds. Leaders must champion cultures that look to the future and are open to change, that adapt as necessary, that stimulate and support creativity and that encourage resilience in people and their organizations. For it is leadership, as demonstrated those 76 years ago, that is required today. Leaders must either step into the void and embrace an opportunity to advance our human development once again or allow the future to shape us. The choice is ours. L

In the Lead | A Seton Hall University Publication 23

THE FUTURE OF LEADERSHIP SURVEY: 2021 INSIGHT AND FORESIGHT INTO THE FUTURE OF LEADERSHIP FROM THE LEADERS OF THE FUTURE. By RUCHIN KANSAL, M.B.A., KAREN BOROFF, Ph.D. STEVEN LORENZET, Ph.D. and ALEXANDER W. M C AULEY

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Based on novel research designed purposefully to provide insight and foresight on leadership from the perspective of the emerging generation of leaders, the Buccino Leadership Institute at Seton Hall University puts forth an innovative vision on the future of leadership and the development of leaders. We call this Vector Leadership. In 1995, Seton Hall University established the Center for Leadership Development in its Stillman School of Business. This learning experience, unique at the undergraduate level, provided budding business professionals specialized development opportunities in coursework and mentorship. Its effectiveness earned accolades, including one from HR.com as the No. 1 undergraduate leadership certificate program in the United States. Recognizing that leadership is essential for all organizations, the University widened its leadership development program in 2018 to include undergraduate students in all of its colleges — Arts and Sciences, Communication and the Arts, Diplomacy and International Relations, Education and Human Services, and Nursing, and continued its marquee program in the Stillman School. This University-wide program, under the Buccino Leadership Institute, has become truly multidisciplinary in its scope. Students who aspire to become, for example, directors of hospital nursing programs or department chairs or principals in elementary schools can now learn from each other as well as from the array of leaders in all domains of organizations. Students receive specialized coaching and even view their own performance videos, common to any athlete, to reflect on and improve their leadership competencies. Part of the mission of the Buccino Institute is to be a thought leader in leadership and leadership development. To that end, the Institute undertook groundbreaking research in 2021 in the field of leadership. This research pointedly examined the insights and foresights of those newly entering their professional lives. Heretofore, leadership research tended to center on C-suite executives, either on their own behaviors or as observed by those who report to them or by other stakeholders. There was a significant gap in the literature on how the next generation viewed leadership and how best to develop leaders of tomorrow. This, we believed, was a serious omission in research for two reasons. First, the absence of research did not help guide organizations on how they may want to respond to the leadership aspirations and expectations

In the Lead | A Seton Hall University Publication 25

THE FUTURE OF LEADERSHIP SURVEY

ILLUSTRATION 1

OBSERVED PERSONALITY TRAITS

Who has been the most influential leader in your life — someone you have observed personally? Think of this leader and rate these statements accordingly. OBSERVED PERSONALITY TRAITS

LOW

MODERATE

HIGH-LEVEL

EXTRAVERSION

9.56

CONCIENTIOUSNESS

9.23

AGREEABLENESS

9.16

EMOTIONAL STABILITY

7.72 0

NOTE: The values were calculated by working out the sum data associated with each trait (Scale of 2–10). Source: The Future of Leadership Survey

of tomorrow’s professionals. Second, there was concomitantly a dearth of guidance on how to develop the leaders of tomorrow based upon their own wants. From our research, we put forth Vector Leadership as the touchstone concept for emerging leaders. As subsequently discussed, from our unique approach to studying leadership, we learned that future leaders embrace diversity, believe that leadership can be developed, and are expected to have strong people and engagement competencies. With these attributes and coupled with their preferred high touch leadership development models, we can better propel leaders into their roles for tomorrow. These future leaders are themselves vectors — with their own magnitude (intensity of training and development) and their measured direction (values and competencies). We call this Vector Leadership. Subsequently, we discuss the research design, the building blocks of insights obtained, and the leadership shifts that aligned from these insights.

THE RESEARCH DESIGN

Recognizing the gap in leadership scholarship centered on the perspectives of college students aged 25 or younger, we decided to survey these students about leadership and leaders. A specialized survey instrument was designed. The survey questions first focused on respondents’ impressions of an outstanding leader, linking their identified leader with specific behaviorally based reflections about this leader. Then, a series of statements were posed about physical traits of leaders,

26 In the Lead | A Seton Hall University Publication

nested in the prior traits research, some of which is over 50 years old. From there, survey questions were constructed to seek respondents’ input on important competencies and values of the mid-level leader. These questions were posed to obtain a form of leadership trajectory for young leaders. In other words, we would learn the competencies and values that would be important in a leadership position they envisioned 10 years or so into their own future, as well as the competencies and values they would be seeking from their own boss. From there, the survey instrument put forth questions on challenges facing future leaders. There was also a series of questions posed on how best to develop leaders of tomorrow. Finally, respondents replied to a set of demographic and work experience questions. In January 2021, over 9,000 Seton Hall University college students and recent graduates, all under the age of 25, were sent electronic copies of the survey instrument. Several reminders were also sent. Over 900 completed surveys were returned, over 10 percent of the population surveyed. In order to develop longitudinal insights, the Buccino Institute will conduct this survey annually, and we anticipate widening the population that will be surveyed.

INSIGHT 1

Growing Up, Our Mom is the Most Influential Leader The first survey question asked survey respondents to identify the most influential leader thus far in their life, someone they had observed personally. The respondents were further asked to rate behaviors to determine the personality

traits of these leaders. The goal of this question was to: (i) identify if the target respondent group has established a mental model of a leader before they enter the workforce; (ii) if yes, what are the key personality traits exhibited by this leader; and (iii) to analyze if this mental model correlates to their perception of a mid-level manager/leader in the workforce. Fifty-five percent of survey respondents identified a parent, and another nine percent identified a family member (grandparents, siblings, cousins) or friend as the most influential leader in their life. Twenty-nine percent of respondents identified a professor, teacher, or coach as the most influential leader in their life, and the other three percent were bosses or co-workers. Less than five identified a celebrity as the most influential leader in their life, which may be attributed to the question’s constraint: someone they have observed personally. Overall, mom emerges as the most influential leader — identified by 27 percent of the target respondents. When asked about the observed personality traits of these most influential leaders, extraversion, agreeableness and conscientiousness were ranked as high, and emotional stability as moderate (See Illustration 1). We therefore conclude that in the formative years of our life, the respondents form a view of a leader that is extroverted, agreeable, conscientious and emotionally stable. Also, that this leader nurtures — as indicated by the fact that respondents rated parents, family members, professors, teachers and coaches as the most influential leaders — roles that are typically associated with nurturing. ILLUSTRATION 2

As this is the leader the survey respondents have observed most frequently for the first 25 years of their life, one would hypothesize that this is the persona they would look for in the leaders in the next phases of their life (aka, at the workplace). We will come back to that.

INSIGHT 2

Physical Traits Matter Less The research on leadership, now more than 100 years old, links physical traits, intellectual prowess, leadership behaviors, values, competencies and personality dimensions with leaders. In our research, we wanted to understand the current generation’s views on the relevance of physical traits in their perception of a leader. Our research sought to examine if physical traits would be less important to our target respondents — specifically, what leaders do versus how they look. The survey respondents were presented with seven predominantly studied physical traits: attire, attractiveness, deep voice, hair, health, height and physical fitness — and were asked to rate them on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 = Strongly Agree, 4 = Agree, 3 = Neither Agree or Disagree, 2 = Disagree and 1 = Strongly Disagree (See Illustration 2). Based on the responses received, our respondents, unlike respondents from the early studies of trait research, did not confirm the importance of most physical traits. They did not place strong emphasis on height, deep voice, physical fitness or attractiveness of the leader. Further, height and deep voice,

PHYSICAL TRAITS AND LEADERSHIP

The research on leadership, now more than 100 years old, links physical traits with leaders. For the statement below, please select how much you “agree” or “disagree” with them. QUESTION 2 APPROPRIATELY ATTIRED

4.16 3.85

HEALTHY GOOD HAIR

3.78

ATTRACTIVE

2.93

PHYSICALLY FIT

2.91

HEIGHT

2.62

DEEP VOICE

2.57 1

Source: The Future of Leadership Survey

In the Lead | A Seton Hall University Publication 27

THE FUTURE OF LEADERSHIP SURVEY

the two attributes that are genetic, rank the lowest as the attributes of a leader. At the same time, attire, health and hair are attributes that were most strongly linked with the persona of a leader, with attire ranking the highest. When analyzed on gender, race and experience, there were some statistically significant differences that emerged for physical traits. However, the numerical differences were small and therefore of little importance. We therefore conclude that the future leaders want to see current leaders who are appropriately attired, healthy, and with well-groomed hair. However, we also see respondents placing less emphasis on genetic physical traits (e.g., height, deep voice, physical fitness and attractiveness). This is indicative of a more inclusive world, where physical traits begin to matter less in one’s ability to be seen as a leader.

INSIGHT 3

The Middle Level Leader is Adept, Collaborative, Inclusive, Persistent, a Good Communicator and a Problem Solver Next, we asked the survey respondents to pick three competencies and values they would seek if hiring a mid-level manager/leader in their organization. Competencies and values are one of the most studied dimensions of a leader. However, we did not find literature that discusses the values and competencies required in a mid-level manager/leader. The research questions were designed to ascertain what values and competencies the respondent set would want in their potential bosses as they enter the workplace. We were also interested in whether there would be a strong correlation between the observed persona of the most influential leader while growing up, and the leader in the workplace. The persona of a mid-level manager/leader that emerges from the survey, from a competencies perspective, points to an individual who is “adept at dealing with problems and conflicts,” “communicates effectively” and “collaborates with customers and employees.” The top three values this individual demonstrates include “adaptive,” “seeks diverse perspectives” and is “persistent in the face of failure.” On the other end, values of mentoring and leading with higher purpose seldom made it to the top three. Similarly, the competencies of staying updated on market trends and taking advantage of global opportunities did not come up as a priority for this persona (See Illustration 3). We analyzed the data to understand if gender, race or experience have any impact on competencies. While there were no statistically significant differences across these three

dimensions, we did find that the respondents who reported having at least six months of work experience (36 percent of the dataset) ordered the top three competencies differently (Ranking by respondents with experience: “1. deals with problems and conflicts,” “2. communicates effectively,” and “3. collaborates with customers and employees.”; Ranking by respondents with no experience: “1. communicates effectively,” “2. collaborates with customers and employees,” and “3. deals with problems and conflicts”) (See Illustration 4).

ILLUSTRATION 3

COMPETENCIES OF A MID-LEVEL LEADER

Assume you are hiring a mid-level manager in your organization. What are the TOP 3 competencies that the candidates must possess in order to be finalists for the position?

5% 6%

TAKING ADVANTAGE OF GLOBAL MARKETS UP TO DATE ON MARKET TRENDS

FORGES AGREEMENTS

11%

MAINTAIN FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY

11%

UNDERSTAND IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY

19%

WILLING TO TAKE CALCULATED RISKS

20%

CONSIDERS THE NEEDS OF OTHERS

22%

INNOVATES AND INSPIRES CHANGE

22%

CHAMPIONS AND IMPLEMENTS CHANGE

25%

COACHES

27%

COORDINATES EFFECTIVELY

29%

35%

Source: The Future of Leadership Survey

28 In the Lead | A Seton Hall University Publication

DELEGATES VISION

40%

COLLABORATION

41%

COMMUNICATES EFFECTIVELY

41%

DEALS WITH PROBLEMS AND CONFLICTS

Similarly, we analyzed the data to understand if gender, race or experience have any impact on values. While there were no statistically significant differences across these three dimensions, we again found that the respondents who reported as having at least six months of work experience (36 percent of the dataset) ordered the top three values differently. (Ranking by respondents with experience: “1. seeks diverse perspective,” “2. adaptive” and “3. persists in face of failure;” Ranking by respondents with no experience: ILLUSTRATION 4

VALUES OF A MID-LEVEL LEADER

Values are considered to be the standards of personal behavior. Leadership literature suggest values that are important for leaders. Assume you are hiring a mid-level manager in your organization. Please pick the TOP 3 values that the candidates must possess in order to be finalists for the position.

HIGHER PURPOSE

13%

MENTORS

17%

DIGNITY

18%

AUTHENTIC

19%

PURSUES EXCELLENCE

19%

EMPATHETIC

20%

ENCOURAGES DIALOGUE

20%

MAKES HARD CHOICES

21%

ADMITS MISTAKES

23%

CONTINUOUS LEARNER

23%

ETHICAL

24%

PERSISTANCE

27%

DIVERSE PERSPECTIVES

31%

ADAPTIVE

“1. adaptive,” “2. seeks diverse perspective” and “3. persists in face of failure.”) Interestingly, when we ran correlations between the personality traits of the most influential leaders and the perceived values and competencies of a mid-level manager/leader, no statistically significant relationships emerged. This leads us to conclude that for the respondent set, there are two mental models of a leader: that of a leader in their personal life, and another of a mid-level leader in the workplace. Further, data shows that with work experience, respondents are more emphatic in their vision of the mid-level leader. On one hand, this points to a divergence in expectations from a leader in the workplace versus home. On the other, it points to the importance of early experiential learning for one to begin to develop as a leader.

INSIGHT 4

Engage Us!

Leadership roles are challenging. Every year, we see multiple reports in mainstream media highlighting the top challenges faced by leaders. Again, these reports are based on responses from leaders in the role, not based on what the emerging workforce perceives these challenges to be. Our research question was designed to ascertain if our target respondents see the challenges differently. When asked about the top three challenges facing leaders today, the respondents identified “dealing with crisis and failure,” “managing work-life balance across the organization” and “preventing worker alienation.” We analyzed the data to understand if gender, race or experience have any impact on challenges. There were no statistically significant differences across gender and race. However, the respondents who reported having at least six months of work experience (36 percent of the dataset) picked different top three challenges except for “preventing worker alienation.” Respondents with no experience picked “manage work-life balance across the organization” and “create jobs that provide job security” as the other two, and respondents with experience picked “dealing with crisis and failure” and “developing robust pipeline of diverse leadership talent.” The results may be indicative of the pandemic-induced environment that our respondents are experiencing — both for their parents and for themselves as they enter the workforce. The identified challenges point strongly to the need for better employee engagement. The respondents are asking for better work-life balance, which could mean that organizations need to seriously consider hybrid work models that allow flexibility of location and timing. The respondents are also asking leaders to prevent worker alienation, which points to the need for designing jobs and work that is seen as meaningful to the

Source: The Future of Leadership Survey

In the Lead | A Seton Hall University Publication 29

THE FUTURE OF LEADERSHIP SURVEY

employees. Employers need to give this a serious look, because if they can’t cultivate engaged employees, they may struggle to deliver value. Or vice versa: if the employers take care of their employees, value creation will follow (See Illustration 5).

INSIGHT 5

We Prefer High-Touch Leadership Development Next, we were curious to understand which forms of leadership development the students and young professionals believed to be the most effective. The pandemic has led to the development of hybrid learning models and remote work practices. We wanted to see if these models also cross over into preferences for leadership development approaches, and suggest a framework that can be utilized for future leadership development. The survey respondents were asked to rank different leadership development approaches on a scale of 1 to 3, with 3 = most effective, and 2 = somewhat effective and 1 = least effective. The respondents ranked “employer-driven leadership development programs,” “job shadowing a leader” and “graduate level leadership development programs” as their top three choices. Closely following were “on the job leadership coaching sponsored by the employer” and “undergraduate level leadership development programs.” “Podcasts” and “online certificates” ranked the lowest, indicating a preference for high-touch leadership development models. When asking the question, we cited a recent study by McKinsey that found the average lifespan of companies listed in Standard & Poor’s 500 was 61 years in 1958. Today, it is less than 18 years. McKinsey believes that, in 2027, 75 percent of the companies currently quoted on the S&P 500 will have disappeared. Despite this, the respondents overwhelmingly picked “employer driven leadership development programs, “on the job shadowing” and “on the job leadership coaching sponsored by the employer” among their top choices, other than graduate and undergraduate level leadership development programs. We foresee two challenges for employers emerging from this outcome: 1. Employers will continue to invest in leadership development despite the shrinking longevity of their organizations and the resulting lack of opportunities for on-the-job leadership development. 2. For efficiency and work-life balance reasons, there seems to be emerging support for the virtual work model (in some form) to live on after the pandemic has subsided. However, such an approach may not be the most conducive to leadership development, given the respondents’ overwhelming preference for high-touch leadership

development models. Employers will need to ascertain how to solve for this paradox (See Illustration 6).

FORESIGHT

Vector Leadership

The survey reveals at least three notable shifts in the future of leadership from broadly perceived norms of leadership today. SHIFT #1: The respondents’ perception of the most influential ILLUSTRATION 5

CHALLENGES FACING LEADERS TODAY

Being a leader is hard, especially in the fast-paced society that we live in today. From all of the challenges a leader faces below, indicate which three challenges you believe are the most critical.

37% 36% 33% 32% 29% 28% 27% 26% 25% 24%

PREVENT WORKER ALIENATION JOB SECURITY

HAVE A DIVERSE LEADERSHIP PIPELINE INNOVATE

CREATE AN ADAPTIVE ORGANIZATION INCLUSIVE CULTURE

DEVELOP FUTURE LEADERS MAINTAIN FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY

PROTECTION AGAINST TERROR AND WAR

23%

CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

18% 17%

DEAL WITH TECH THREATS

ATTRACT AND RECRUIT EMPLOYEES

CREATE SHAREHOLDER VALUE

PROVIDE WELL-PAID JOBS

Source: The Future of Leadership Survey

30 In the Lead | A Seton Hall University Publication

WORK/LIFE BALANCE

23%

21%

15%

CRISIS AND FAILURE MANAGEMENT

ILLUSTRATION 6

PREFERRED LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT MODELS

Given that lifespan of organizations will change, this can have an impact on how leadership development will take place. How much do you believe that participation in each of the following approaches has already been or will be effective in your leadership development based on the McKinsey research? JOB SHADOWING A LEADER

2.65

GRADUATE SCHOOL LEVEL LEADERSHIP PROGRAM

2.62

EMPLOYER DRIVEN LEADERSHIP PROGRAM

2.61

OTJ EMPLOYER SPONSORED LEADERSHIP COACHING

2.6

UNDERGRADUATE LEVEL LEADERSHIP PROGRAM

2.56

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION LEADERSHIP PROGRAM

2.55

JUST-IN-TIME PEER FEEDBACK

2.33

OTJ SELF-SPONSORED LEADERSHIP COACHING

2.22

HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL LEADERSHIP PROGRAM

2.11

PERSONALITY ASSESSMENT INSTRUMENTS

2.06

LEADERSHIP LITERATURE

2.05

LEADERSHIP PODCASTS SELF-PACED ONLINE CERTIFICATION Source: The Future of Leadership Survey

LEAST EFFECTIVE 1

leaders in their formative years — someone at home or at school — does not appear to be predictive of their perception of the persona of a mid-level leader in the workplace. They shift their expectations when evaluating leaders in the workplace. Further, physical and personality traits (attributes that are considered fixed) show no significant correlation with the values and competencies (attributes that can be inculcated) expected from mid-level leaders. This can be seen as indicative of support for the advocates of “leaders can be developed” over “leaders are born.” SHIFT #2: The respondents reveal a shift from current literature that correlates physical traits with leadership. While the preferred future leader is well-attired, healthy and has well-groomed hair, it does not matter how tall the person is, if they have a deep voice, if they are attractive, nor if they are physically fit. This is indicative of acceptance of diversity in the ranks of future leaders, irrespective of fixed characteristics including race and gender. We may be seeing the realization of Martin Luther King’s dream where future leaders “will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” SHIFT #3: The respondents reveal an increased desire for engagement from employers — whether it is in dealing more effectively with crisis and failure, in preventing worker

1.99 1.87 SOMEWHAT EFFECTIVE 2

MOST EFFECTIVE 3

alienation or in managing work-life balance. Employers, and leaders of the future, will need to balance delivering shareholder value with employee engagement. In our view, this is good news, as increased employee engagement can lead to employer success. We have also noticed that respondents with experience become more emphatic in their choices, and begin to see the challenges faced by leaders differently. It behooves us to reconsider the importance of experience in early leadership development, including at the college level. Employers will benefit immensely from an entering workforce shaped by a combination of experiential leadership training. Evidence of these shifts reveal that the discipline of leadership is evolving. The future of leadership embraces diversity, believes leaders can be trained and expects leaders to have strong people and engagement skills. Combining these attributes with high-touch leadership development models can unleash a future generation of leaders that will shape our future. Borrowing from the world of mathematics, these future leaders are like vectors — with their own magnitude (intensity of training and development) and direction (values and competencies) — and they will become leaders in their own right. We call this emerging future “Vector Leadership” L

In the Lead | A Seton Hall University Publication 31

Got Milk? Remarkably, the Answer Was Yes

Parts of the dairy supply chain showed resilience in the face of the pandemic’s epic disruption. BY BENJAMIN LOWE, M.B.A. and RENU RAMNARAYANAN, Ph.D. AS THE PANDEMIC HIT, shortages of many products left grocery shelves empty. Businesses such as restaurants and hotels shut down, while people panicked, hoarded and stayed at home cooking, causing a sudden shift in consumer behavior. Meat, canned corn, Tostitos multigrain scoops, ketchup packets, caffeine-free coke and many other items were stocked out at the local grocery as the entire food supply chain shifted its manufacturing toward more popular, core products. Tony Vacchiano, who is an undergraduate student at Seton Hall

32 In the Lead | A Seton Hall University Publication

University and works on his family farm, Vacchiano Farms, mentioned demand for meat at the local farmers market tripled as supermarket stock outs caused consumers to seek out other retail options. The dairy industry was impacted harder and earlier than other agricultural products because of the highly perishable nature of the product. Images of farmers dumping milk, the main ingredient in the dairy food supply chain, while there were shortages at the local grocer created a strange dissonance. Figure 1 represents a typical dairy supply chain. The shift

from wholesale food-service markets to retail grocery stores that occurred during the pandemic created packaging and logistical challenges for plants processing milk and milk products. These dairy products, packaged in large restaurantsize containers, could not quickly be repurposed for retail stores. Trucking companies were unable to get enough drivers due to the virus. Sales to major dairy export markets plunged because the global food-service sector had mostly collapsed. Despite it all, the dairy supply chain showed resilience, as farmers and processors were able to quickly cope with the situation. As Jim Mulhern, chief executive officer of the National Milk Producers Federation, stated, “But the root of dairy’s resilience was centered, as always, on the farm … our farmerleaders. Faced with an unprecedented rupture in the balance of supply and demand, many farmers used every tool in their arsenal to throttle back production — from changing feed rations and milking schedules to putting the brakes on herd expansion. Those efforts helped stave off what would have been a complete price collapse and they set the stage for a rebound.”

CO-OPS VERSUS PROPRIETORSHIPS The legal business structure provided closer relationships between the farmer and downstream manufacturers and distributors, enabling the dairy food supply chain to remain resilient. There are five major forms of business structures that farmers can choose: sole proprietorships, partnerships, limited liability companies (LLC), corporations and cooperatives. Each of these structures has advantages and disadvantages, but the one that seems to have been the most resilient during the time of the pandemic is the cooperative. A cooperative is a “business owned and democratically controlled by the members who use its services and whose benefits are derived and distributed equitably on the basis of use.” Dairy cooperatives oversee milk marketing for all their members and handle shipping and logistics. Although farmers are paid for the milk they dump, the payments for all cooperative members took a hit from the lost revenues during the pandemic. The sharing of financial benefits of a co-op creates a close union among its members. As seen in Figure 2, from the raw

Figure 1: Milk Production

In the Lead | A Seton Hall University Publication 33

DAIRY FOOD SUPPLY CHAIN RAW MATERIALS

BEDDING AND LITTER

ANIMAL FEED

VETERINARY AND MEDICINE

AGRICULTURE PRODUCTION

DAIRY FARMS IN THE UNITED STATES

TRANSPORT, PROCESSING, DISTRIBUTION

PROCESSING FACILITIES

PRODUCTS

CUSTOMERS

INDUSTRIAL MACHINERY AND EQUIPMENT

FEED COMPANIES ADM • ALLTECH • CARGILL • PURINA ANIMAL NUTRITION LAND O’ LAKES • TYSON FOODS

DAIRY FARMERS OF AMERICA, INC. • DANONE U.S.A. DEAN FOODS • GREAT LAKES CHEESE • KRAFT HEINZ LAND O’ LAKES • NESTLE U.S.A.

LIQUID MILK • POWDERED MILK • CONDENSED MILK FERMENTED MILK • CHEESE • BUTTER

RETAILERS

COMMERCIAL

RESTAURANTS AND RETAILERS MCDONALD’S • RESTAURANT BRANDS INT’L • STARBUCKS AHOLD DELHAISE U.S.A. • ALBERTSONS • COSTCO • KROGER • WALMART

Figure 2: Dairy Supply Chain Detail

material vendors, farmers, transporters, processors and customers, each can partner or collaborate to form closer and mutually beneficial relationships. This would allow the supply chain to respond to demand changes more rapidly. Land O’Lakes, one of the largest agricultural co-ops in the nation, was able to adapt its dairy supply chain within a few weeks to handle the volatility of the pandemic because of such collaboration among its partners. IN RETROSPECT While it is premature to look back while we are still in the throes of the pandemic in many parts of the world, some lessons are becoming increasingly apparent. a. H uman Intervention For many of the companies impacted during the pandemic, conventional planning solutions like ERPs and MRPs were of little use. Many of the forecasting capabilities in their demand planning module were based on historical data. With the pandemic, there is no precedent, and as Christian Edmiston, Director of Sourcing and Risk at Land O’Lakes, said, “We’ve shifted our efforts toward building in intentional flexibility to respond, rather than dwell on our inability to see what’s coming next.” The pandemic exposed the weaknesses of conventional planning solutions, pointing to the need for human intervention when the volatility of demand is much greater than normal.

34 In the Lead | A Seton Hall University Publication

Therefore, systems should be used to augment our intuition of the decisions buyers/planners make. Systems should not dictate the running of our supply chains. b. Flexible Supply Chains As demand from schools and restaurants ceased, co-ops fared better than independent farms. The former have established relationships from the farm to producer to the distributor, which enabled rapid change. In the case of Land O’Lakes, it was able to create new products, allowing it to store cheeses to last out the pandemic. c. Demand Shaping Demand Shaping: Many companies eliminated low-margin or slow-selling products by focusing on fewer SKUs. This helped align the suppliers and buyers, and focused on the more important and higher-selling products, increasing profitability and ensuring supply in the groceries and supermarkets. This type of SKU rationalization is a form of demand shaping that gently pushes consumers toward available product. This can result in streamlining the supply chain, increasing profitability and also ensuring availability in the fewer SKUs. FUTURE SUPPLY CHAIN ACTIONS As the dairy supply chain recovers, many companies, including Land O’Lakes, are looking to make changes in the handling of milk to adjust to an increasingly volatile world.

a. Demand and Supply Volatility There is renewed effort to find other ways to create more flexibility in the supply chain and minimize the reliance on forecasting, increasing the ability to respond to volatile changes in demand. Companies are looking at ways to increase resilience in the supply chain, which can be increasing inventories, adding capacity or utilizing secondary sources of supply. b. D igitalization of Supply Chain to Increase Visibility The pandemic showed the need to respond rapidly to shifting demand. Increasing the ability to “see” what is happening throughout the supply chain to detect abnormalities, such as shortages and oversupply, would help to reduce waste, increase speed to market and increase margins. Digitizing strategic portions of the supply chain would be a future step to providing both the company with the ability to respond to changes and to deliver future reporting and traceability of product that the consumer may demand.

The pandemic showed the need to respond rapidly to shifting demand. Increasing the ability to “see” what is happening throughout the supply chain to detect abnormalities, such as shortages and oversupply, would help to reduce waste, increase speed to market and increase margins. c. Risk Management Along with increased visibility, many companies are in the process of mapping key raw materials and suppliers, and developing mitigation steps to reduce risk. By mapping the supply chain, companies can strengthen areas of weaknesses and create a more resilient supply chain. d. Ability to Use Data Increasing supply chain visibility will enable more data to be collected. The data could be sales information, financial data, transaction data from suppliers, transportation logistic data or point-of-sale data. Also, companies should increase use of external data sources, such as weather data, consumer preference data, Google trend data and, for food, online cookbook data. As

these sources of data are collected, the need to process and create actionable insights becomes more important, and techniques like artificial intelligence, predictive algorithms and optimization will be deployed. e. Management of Value Network Relationships One of the keys to success in the pandemic was the close relationship between the co-op members. Further development of these relationships and the ability to create flexibility in the supply chain will help ensure the industry can handle volatility caused by the pandemic or any future unforeseen event. As Christian Edmiston from Land O’Lakes said, “We have gone out of our way to give our strategic suppliers a chance to maintain business or even build business. When things get tight, those relationships have really shown value.” LEADERSHIP LESSONS The pandemic highlights the need for strong leadership to manage through an abrupt change to the supply chain avoiding a price collapse of the dairy food products, as well as, positioning itself for recovery. In the case of Land O’Lakes, the speed to change the supply chain required decisive action and trust between the farmers, logistics providers, food processors and distributors. The production of milk flows continuously and it necessitates the coordination between all the players within the supply chain to act collaboratively. This also shows the need for flexibility in the supply chain and the ability to adapt. As a leader, one cannot assume the future will be the same as the past. Decisions made in the the past should allow for resilience and cooperation in the supply chain. The need to evaluate the current situation and have the right data at our fingertips is more important than ever to make informed and quick decisions that optimally enables each member of the supply chain network to coordinate its actions and come to an agreement. Lastly, each company we spoke to showed care and concern over its employees. For those who could work remotely, they were given the ability to work from home. Those who needed to work on location, their workspaces were modified to limit the transmission of the virus, and safety precautions were put in place. So, empathy was shown to its internal supply chain, as well as to the external network thereby building trust. As the world recovers from the pandemic, the dairy industry is evaluating what the future landscape will look like. But overall, the supply chain has been proven to be more resilient than expected. L Authors are listed in alphabetical order.

In the Lead | A Seton Hall University Publication 35

Think Again – Point, Counterpoint A new book examines the critical art of rethinking.

REVIEWED BY PAULA ALEXANDER, Ph.D., J.D., and STEPHEN WOOD, M.S.

GRANT WRITES, “If knowledge is power, knowing what we do not know is wisdom.” Reading this book was a pleasure, and it is easy to see why Grant is a top-rated professor at the Wharton School. It is chock-full of examples, illustrations and recommendations to improve individual and group thinking. I plan to re-tool my presentations and lectures to incorporate many of Grant’s points. However, at the same time, as one reads, many counterarguments come to mind. I find myself thinking, “Yes! But consider this …” Such a reaction, of course, demonstrates Grant’s principles of rethinking through debate and openness to new ideas. Grant’s themes in support of good leadership are covered in three parts: • S tart with yourself. A leader’s voice carries weight: his/her insight helps performance; his/her expertise

36 In the Lead | A Seton Hall University Publication

increases productivity. Grant points out how important it is to become self-aware of biases that blunt one’s effectiveness — a tone-deaf voice, a mistaken “insight” or a faulty assumption. • I nclude the team. Just as an individual can embed faulty assumptions or biases, groups are subject to the same errors. Grant offers tactics for building group dynamics that overcome some of the barriers to rooting out our mistakes. • R esolve conflict. It is one thing to root out counterproductive tendencies within oneself and within the group, but there are times when people are at odds over the substance of the issues at hand. Grant offers several ways to engage in helpful debate, be more persuasive and open the field for deeper communication and nuance as well as ways to create genuine dialogue and increase the odds of resolving thorny issues.

KNOWING HOW TO THINK INSTEAD OF WHAT TO THINK As we move into positions of higher leadership, we accumulate a growing record of performance and success. This trove of personal triumphs, however, may blind or bias us in two ways. First, it may capture us inside the “overconfidence cycle” identified by Grant: (a) pride, (b) conviction, (c) desirability & confirmation biases and (d) validation (See the Overconfidence Cycle graphic below). Second, the elements of the past may calcify in our thinking as the “winning formula,” closing our minds to what may be tomorrow’s better idea (a form of faulty validation). Nobody likes being wrong. As a leader, being wrong looks weak, undermines credibility, and sows doubt. For serious topics, business decisions and preservation of our self-image, discovering we are wrong is unpleasant at best and devastating at worst. Grant goes to some length to destigmatize “being wrong.” His goal is to overcome the inner resistance to self-appraisal that blinds us to our mistakes and keeps the teams we lead clinging to unproductive strategies for far too long. Being wrong is OK. We should embrace the discovery that we are wrong. Grant describes a conversation with Daniel Kahneman, the Nobel Prize-winning psychologist and author

of Thinking Fast and Slow (a work that is a more profound treatment of Grant’s topic). Grant had just presented research results that conflicted with Kahneman’s: “His eyes lit up, and a huge grin appeared on his face. ‘That was wonderful,’ he said. ‘I was wrong.” Later over lunch, Kahneman made the point that he genuinely enjoys discovering when he is wrong because “it means he is now less wrong than before.” Grant also quotes Ray Dalio, founder of the hedge fund Bridgewater: “If you don’t look back at yourself and think, ‘Wow, how stupid I was a year ago,’ then you must not have learned much in the last year.” Grant’s central theme is to recognize that the road to the truth sometimes travels through the territory of error, doubt, curiosity and, ultimately, discovery. This road begins with looking inward at one’s own views and then, when in a position of leadership, to employ constructive conflict in our teams. How do we encourage others to open their minds, rethink their positions and establish communities of people committed to open-mindedness? This is Grant’s true purpose in writing the book, and he provides many useful tactics to persuade others, diminish prejudice, motivate others to change and depolarize debate. For example:

• I n debating a topic, research shows that using fewer

PRIDE

CONVICTION

THE OVERCONFIDENCE CYCLE VALIDATION CONFIRMATION AND DESIRABILITY BIASES

arguments, and making them more effectively, is more persuasive. Piling on more but weaker points dilutes the power of the stronger ones rather than bolster them. •D epolarize discussions by abandoning the binary “either-or” framing. Research shows that acknowledging uncertainty and complexity surrounding a topic makes writers and speakers more credible, not less. • I n team settings, create psychological safety, where mistakes are treated as learning opportunities, ideas flow freely, risk-taking is both possible and encouraged, and team members trust each other. Think Again is full of great examples, ranging from the Yankees-Red Sox baseball rivalry to climate change. It is full of diagrams and illustrations, useful in understanding the many biases that lead us astray, including confirmation-, desirability-, status quo- and binary bias, as well as the Dunning-Kruger effect. (The Dunning-Kruger effect is overconfidence in estimating one’s ability; Grant’s much more descriptive term for the effect is the “Mountain of Stupid,”

In the Lead | A Seton Hall University Publication 37

a point where people with less knowledge and expertise on a topic are more confident of their opinions than those with more knowledge and expertise). Speaking of the Dunning-Kruger effect, I found myself lamenting the problem this book poses. Underlying Grant’s excellent analysis is a presumption that people have an intellectual dimension, an ability to “reason.” The book’s appeal is to break through barriers to truth by using reason and employing self-awareness, logic and prudence. However, the people who need this advice often do not believe in this type of process. They may view intellectual inquiry as either the enemy of good sense or beneath them: “Of course I’ll keep an open mind, but you’ll never convince me there’s a better way.” COUNTERPOINT: SOMETIMES WE ARE NOT WRONG Herein lies one of the contradictions growing out of Grant’s proposition: being wrong is not always right. Grant offers the rethinking cycle as a virtuous loop, accepting that we may have been wrong, even embracing the venture into risk-taking, as a means leading to discovery — a good thing (See The Rethinking Cycle graphic below). Sometimes, however, being wrong leads to grief. Once “making mistakes” is our method of discovery (i.e., “nothing ventured, nothing gained”), we lower our threshold to risk. The reality is that we are in a state of constant tension

HUMILITY

DOUBT

THE RETHINKING CYCLE DISCOVERY

CURIOSITY

38 In the Lead | A Seton Hall University Publication

between seeking the benefits of accepting our wrongness versus doing our best to purge mistakes from our thoughts and our team dynamics. Asymmetries of Risk: Thinking and rethinking must be calibrated to match the levels and types of risks faced. It is one thing for a hedge fund manager to be wrong about interest rates as they “discover” a winning formula to navigate financial markets. It is quite another for NASA engineers to test the limits of cold-weather conditions by proceeding with a rocket launch where O-rings may be compromised. The virtues of progressthrough-discovery cannot be properly evaluated without a sober assessment of potentially ruinous consequences. Grant includes a discussion of NASA and the Challenger launch in his excellent section on psychological safety. Sometimes we are not wrong: We are right, and the other person is wrong. Our present fractious political discourse is not lost on Grant. While he does not rush in on the most divisive issues, no doubt he hopes his methods can be used to heal our divisions. His analysis on the climate change debate is a good start on understanding his method without setting the book on a course that would alienate readers from either political camp. In addition, we are in a period of rethinking racism, white supremacy, and the institution and legacy of slavery: how do we deal with the errors of the past, when slavery was established and defended? CONCLUSION Not only does Grant provide many insights, but he has a sense of humor. In his own epilogue, he admits to hating conclusions. He writes, “If the topic is important enough to deserve an entire book, it shouldn’t end … I don’t want the conclusion to bring closure. I want my thinking to keep evolving.” He even provides his epilogue in edited format, showing the reader the development of his thinking to illustrate the nature of evolving thought. He also quotes Governor Franklin Delano Roosevelt of New York, who later served as the president of the United States. As the state and the nation faced an unprecedented crisis from the depression, in 1932 he announced, “It is common sense to take a method and try it: If it fails, admit it frankly and try another. But above all, try something.” GRANT CONCURS “It’s easy to see the appeal of a confident leader who offers a clear vision, a strong plan, and a definitive forecast for the future. But in times of crisis as well as times of prosperity, what we need more is a leader who accepts uncertainty, acknowledges mistakes, learns from others and rethinks plans.” L

The Leadership Crucible A Personalized Leadership Program Using the BLDRR Methodology ™

cru · ci · ble /'kroos b( )l : noun: A situation of serious trial which different elements interact, leading to the creation of something new. “This is not your ordinary leadership course.” Discover your leadership strengths through powerful leadership application tools including:

BLDRR METHODOLOGY ™ Be-Learn-Do-Reﬂect-Repeat A proprietary method to solve current leadership challenges and provide the tools to evaluate and relentlessly improve your leadership journey

EQ+IQ Unleash your potential by focusing on leadership EQ and IQ

EXECUTIVE COACHING Personalized 1V1 executive coaching to help discover your personal brand

Led by top leadership coaches from the Buccino Leadership Institute at Seton Hall University Voted the #1 leadership certiﬁcate program in the nation for 5 years in a row.

For more information, email:

Bryan.Price@shu.edu or Ruchin.Kansal@shu.edu Sign up individually or with your corporate team (discounts available for multiple employees)

Orange You Curious?

400 South Orange Avenue South Orange, NJ 07079

SHU-061-21