“TouchPoints:” Transforming Everyday Interactions into Powerful Leadership Moments

Speakers :
Douglas Conant is president and CEO of The Campbell Soup Company. Under his leadership, Campbell reversed a precipitous decline in market value and employee engagement, improving its financial profile, enhancing its diversity and inclusion practices and raising its corporate social responsibility profile. Previously Conant held management positions at Kraft and General Mills, and was president of the Nabisco Foods Company. He is the retired Chairman and a current Trustee of the Conference Board.

Mette Norgaard is an expert on strategic leadership and learning. She advises executive teams around the world to create distinct learning solutions that advance their companies’ strategies. She has designed and participated in executive dialogues with thought leaders such as Stephen Covey, Jim Collins, and Ram Charan. Norgaard has worked with senior-level leaders from organizations such as Microsoft, Procter & Gamble, Hard Rock Café, Harley-Davidson, The US Navy, The Royal Danish Theater, and Pfizer.

In Summary:

• This session is almost like a book review for “TouchPoints: Creating Powerful Leadership Connections in the Smallest of Moments”, co-authored by Doug Conant and Mette Norgaard based on their collaboration in shaping Campbell Leadership programme.
• TouchPoints is basically opportunities (rather than interruptions) for leaders to relate and influence other people when there are issues.
• Anyone can lead in TouchPoints.
• The guiding thought is for leaders to be tough minded on the issues yet being tender-hearted towards others.
•  Leaders would need to win over your employees and community in order to win in the marketplace.
• Essentially it requires leaders to have “Logical Head”, “Authentic Heart” and “Competent Hands” to handle every single TouchPoint.
• This comes with 3 Commitments in Inquiry, Reflection and Practise.
• Doug Conant also shared some of the things that he did to turn Campbell around can be found in an interview with Gallup. [More details]  
• List of the world’s most ethical organisations who has win with integrity. [Click here for the list] Our Singtel is one of those listed J

The Campbell Leadership Model and Programme

Afterthoughts

      §  Touch points connects leaders with those who are being lead. Most leadership development focuses on developing leaders’ logical head (decision making skills etc) & competent hands (functional expertise).

        §  Often, we neglect for leaders’ authentic heart which has been the yardstick of what we makes

out of them.

        §  So the idea of leaders using TouchPoints (opportunities to influence and relate) with those being lead is a refreshing idea.

        §  It is also noteworthy that Campbell supplemented this with other tools such as 360 feedback

& Campbell Leadership Model so there’s some robustness in their system.  

Evaluation

        This is quite a holistic model on leadership. The speakers made a lot of sense and was passionate in what they do. While they are not super engaging but I really learnt quite a fair bit of new concepts. So overall, it's a good session for me.

Naomi rates this....