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The Secret Handbook: Not Just for CEOs

It’s brilliant: This, my reaction after reading this month’s issue of Business 2.0 feature on “The CEO’s Secret Handbook.” The piece focused in on the teachings of Raytheon CEO Bill Swanson (who incidentally I used to work with in some capacity). It runs through the unique and creative ways that Bill took valuable business lessons and repackaged them for his management team to grasp and pay forward, if you will. I’ve recapped a few of these below for you so you can see what I mean. I think we can all learn something from these rules.


Rule 1:
Learn to say “I don’t know.” If used when appropriate, it will be used often.

Bill says: “As a CEO, you know that everyone wants to impress you, so I sometimes ask a question to which I already know the answer, as a way to test someone’s character. Confident people know their strengths and weaknesses and don’t try to BS you. You are not expected to know the answer to everything. Smart people simply say: “I don’t know” and go get an answer.”

Ardell’s two cents:
This one has long been a mantra of mine. It’s OK not to have the answer right away. Especially in PR when you are speaking to an editor that may be a bit more tech savvy than you. It’s more effective to get back to him/her with the right answer than to wing it by yourself. It will only gain you more credibility and respect in the long run.

Rule 2:
You remember 1/3 of what you read, ½ of what people tell you, but 100 percent of what you feel.

Bill says: “If a parent tells a young child not to touch a lightbulb, the child generally won’t remember. But after the first time he touches a lightbulb, he’ll never forget that it’s hot. A leader needs to communicate in a way that makes people feel what they need to do.”

Rule 3:
Look for what is missing. Many know how to improve what is there; few can see what isn’t there.

Bill says: “This is one of my favorites. It hit me in the middle of the night. It isn't an obvious lesson; it only came to me later in my career. When people look at a design or a problem, they're good at refining the details -- it's human nature to focus on what's in a presentation. But sometimes what isn't there is even more important. This idea becomes especially critical as you take on more responsibility, because it speaks to the importance of strategic thinking.”

Rule 4:
Never direct a complaint to the top; a serious offense is to "cc" a person's boss on a copy of a complaint before the person has a chance to respond.

Rule 5:
Treat the name of your company as if it were your own.

Bill says: “My father always said, "You were given a good name when you came into this world; return it the way you got it." A company's reputation is built on the actions of each employee. I spend a lot of time emphasizing ethics and integrity, but I humanize those issues by asking people to treat the Raytheon name the same way they do their family name. Anyone who would bring embarrassment to our name should find work somewhere else.”

Ardell’s two cents:
This is also very important in PR, especially when working for an agency. People (press, analysts, shareholders, employees) will also view you as the gatekeeper of important information. This means that all of your actions, words and non-verbal cues will somehow be interpreted to reflect the company you work for or represent. Don’t go bashing the company executives at the open bar Christmas party. Good news travels fast – especially when it comes from the PR rep’s mouth.

Rule 5:
Have fun at what you do. It will be reflected in your work. No one likes a grump except another grump!

Bill says: “We all spend plenty of hours at work. It's much more pleasant to spend those hours with people who have a bounce in their step and a smile on their face than with those who mistakenly associate professionalism with a dour disposition. I don't like being around depressing people because they make me depressed. The best managers give of themselves by having fun at what they do -- and I look for that in those around me.”

Ardell’s two cents:
Amen!

- AP

To read more of this article, check out the July 2005 issue of Business 2.0.

posted by The Ardell Group @ 4:30 PM