A guide to collaborative leadership | Lorna Davis

Summary

In this insightful talk, the speaker reflects on her journey from a 'heroic' leader to an advocate for radical interdependence. She emphasizes the ineffectiveness of the traditional hero-centric approach in today's complex world, advocating for a collaborative mindset that recognizes the need for collective effort to solve global challenges. Drawing from her experiences in the B Corp community and personal endeavors in wildlife conservation, she illustrates how setting shared goals, openness to co-creation, and valuing every individual's input can foster genuine collaboration and lead to impactful change.

Takeaways

• 😎 The speaker began as a new boss at Griffin's Foods in 1997, aiming to be a hero in the business world with a bold vision for the company's snacks.
• 📈 The speaker's initial call to action was for the company to be the snack of choice for every fourth Kiwi, emphasizing measurable results and control over the future.
• 👏 Despite receiving applause for the speech, there was no subsequent action, highlighting the gap between inspiration and execution.
• 🤔 The realization that leadership requires more than just being a figurehead; it requires understanding and articulating what others are expected to do.
• 🌐 The speaker advocates for 'radical interdependence' over the traditional hero narrative, emphasizing the need for collective effort in complex, interconnected systems.
• 💼 The B Corp community is highlighted as an example of businesses committed to being a force for good, with a rigorous certification process and a declaration of interdependence.
• 👗 The clothing industry example illustrates how companies like Patagonia and Eileen Fisher work together to reduce waste, showing interdependent leadership in action.
• 🌍 The idea of seeing a company as part of a larger system, from upstream suppliers to downstream consumers and the environment, is crucial for true collaboration.
• 🎯 Interdependent leaders set goals that are important but impossible to achieve alone, inviting others to co-create solutions to shared problems.
• 📢 Declaring goals before having a plan is a key approach of interdependent leaders, opening the door for collective brainstorming and support.
• 🤝 Meetings are redefined as collaborative spaces where ideas are shared and everyone's input is valued, rather than just a platform for the leader's speech.
• 🦏 The speaker's personal passion for rhino conservation is used to illustrate the concept of interdependence, showing that even without direct experience, one can contribute to a collective goal.

Q & A

What was the speaker's position in 1997 at Griffin's Foods?

The speaker was the new boss of Griffin's Foods, an iconic cookie and snacks company in New Zealand.

What was the speaker's call to action during their first speech as a leader?

The speaker's call to action was 'One in every four times a Kiwi eats a snack, it will be one of ours.'

Why did the speaker's initial speech not lead to any action or change within the company?

The speech did not lead to action because no one knew what they were expected to do, and they didn't realize that the speaker needed them.

What does the speaker argue is more effective than the idea of a single hero having all the answers?

The speaker argues that 'radical interdependence' is more effective, which means recognizing that we need each other and working together.

What is a B Corp and what does it signify about a company's commitment?

A B Corp is a group of companies that believe in business as a force for good, signifying their commitment to social and environmental performance through a tough certification process and legally declaring their intention to serve the community as well as their shareholders.

How did Patagonia and Eileen Fisher, as B Corps, approach the problem of waste in the clothing industry?

Patagonia encourages customers not to buy new clothes and offers free repairs, while Eileen Fisher pays customers for returning clothes that can be resold or repurposed. They work together and with others in the industry to solve shared problems.

What is the difference between a hero's goal and an interdependent leader's goal according to the speaker?

A hero's goal is individually deliverable and neatly measurable, often competitive and focused on terms like 'revenue' and 'market share'. An interdependent leader's goal is important but impossible to achieve alone, focusing on shared and systemic problems.

Why did the speaker announce the goal to become a B Corp without a plan?

The speaker wanted other people to help and co-create the path to achieving the goal, making the announcement an invitation for collaboration and support from both within and outside the company.

How did the speaker change the innovation and planning meetings at Kraft Foods in China to counteract the hero culture?

The speaker changed the language to Chinese and asked every single person in the meeting for their opinion, which improved understanding of cultural nuances and increased new product success rates.

What did the speaker learn about the importance of meetings from the perspective of an interdependent leader?

The speaker learned that meetings are not just calendar fillers but precious opportunities for collaboration, communication, and idea sharing, where people should lean forward, engaged and ready to contribute.

What did the speaker do to apply the concept of radical interdependence to the issue of rhino poaching?

The speaker declared their goal publicly, sought out others who were passionate about the issue, and joined them in the complex process of learning how to work together to address the problem.

Why does the speaker believe that interdependence is harder than being a hero and what are the benefits?

Interdependence is harder because it requires openness, transparency, and vulnerability, which traditional leaders are not trained to do. However, the joy and success that come from interdependence and vulnerability are worth the effort and the risk.