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Keeping employees happy and engaged while advancing a company is a delicate balancing act. Go too easy and the work doesn’t get done; go too hard on them and they check out. Right?
Not according to Doug Conant, the former Campbell Soup Company CEO who unlocked the secrets of having both an engaged workforce and a thriving organization. When Doug took the helm at Campbell’s in 2001, sales were in decline. It was ranked at the bottom among the top 20 food corporations. Plus, Campbell’s leadership team clearly hadn’t been drinking their V8. In just a few years’ time, Doug was able to boost both morale and the company’s bottom line.
The secret sauce is a combination of authenticity, servant leadership, and a tough-minded, tender-hearted management style. Doug thinks authenticity can be summed up with the phrase “what you see is what you get, and what you hear is what I believe.” He spent much of his career trying to please other people without being true to himself but found greater success after battling his own introversion.
Doug and host Jan Griffiths have an enlightening, candid conversation about leading from the head and the heart — and how that combination drives success and workplace satisfaction.
Themes discussed in the episode:
Featured Guest: Doug Conant
🥣 What he does: Doug is the founder and CEO of Conant Leadership, giving companies the tools to level up their leadership by leading from the heart. With an extensive C-suite background in roles at Nabisco Foods Company, Campbell Soup Company, and Avon Products, he is a celebrated New York Times best-selling author, speaker, and innovator in the field of leadership.
💡 On Gravitas: “[Gravitas is] authenticity. You declare a commitment to something and that’s how you show up, to a point where it’s just unquestionable. You have to be living and breathing it. It has to be the essence of how you show up every day.”
Episode Highlights
Timestamped inflection points from the show
[01:45] Doug’s professional journey: Doug boasts an impressive resume with senior roles at Nabisco Foods, Campbell’s, and Avon. He now is a keynote speaker and author on leadership.
[05:46] What’s your story?: Doug gives an overview of his background.
[07:57] The authentic zone: This principle is that “what you see is what you get, and what you hear is what I believe.” From there, it’s important to leverage your own talents to elevate the company or team.
[10:03] Tough mind, tender heart: Doug says you have to be tough on standards while also being tender-hearted with people.
[11:35] The three-year path: When you’re recruited into a leadership role, it’s likely because the person before you failed. You’re typically given about three years to prove...
