John Deere Chair: Tone at Top “Necessary But Not Sufficient”
Behavior is shaping up to be the killer app of the New Year … and perhaps of our still-young century.
“The ethical fiber of a company does not rest solely in words or codes of conduct, but in the actual behavior observed by suppliers, dealers, customers, and employees,” writes John Deere chairman Bob Lane in a recent column. “At John Deere, this is summed up in a highly visible, frequently referenced shorthand known as ‘the how.’”
Lane’s column revisits the concept of tone at the top and draws this conclusion: Tone at the top, while necessary, is not enough. Actions need to back up words.
At Deere, for example, the company’s new CEO, Sam Allen, holds quarterly one-on-one sessions with his chief compliance officer and his chief internal control officer (note the title). And Lane reports that he witnesses similar practices at GE and Verizon (whose boards he also serves on).
If you have “behavior at the top” examples that you find inspiring in this new year (and century), please e-mail them to me at ekrell@sbcglobal.net. ###
January 8th, 2010 at 12:07 pm
Behavior shapes the culture. The right behaviors create a trusting coaching empowering culture. Once the culture is in place, your people become world class and they create the world class business that prospers.
This article is right on!
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