One of the most important books of our times, The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding (Laura Ries, 1998), explained how great companies stay true to their values and message. In today’s digital world of social media, this has become even more important; employees, customers and the global community can make or break a company seemingly overnight based on the integrity of the company’s character.
The author asks 5 great women leaders how values drive their organization:
Michelle Peluso: There’s something our CEO, Ginni Rometty, always says that rings true for me. She says that a company should never define itself by its products, which will always change. Rather, a company should define itself by its values, which never will. I’ve had experience working across many industries, as both a CEO and a CMO. What has never changed, for me, is this notion that teams rooted in a culture of diversity and inclusion, who feel confident bringing their whole selves to work each and every day – those are the teams that are most successful.
Dottie Herman: At Douglas Elliman, we value honesty, integrity, innovation, and the development of each and every individual within the organization. Being a brand that has been in business for over 100 years, we are committed to excellence and distinguish ourselves on being the go-to source for information, education, and the latest information in real estate trends.
Michelle Peluso, SVP & Cheif Marketing Officer, IBM
Judith Glaser: Our organization’s focus in the world is to elevate awareness about how our brains are designed for connectivity. The most powerful design of our human brain is to connect with others. The instinct to be in connection with others is universal – and this connection comes from conversations.
Carolee Lee: In each of the businesses I have created, building trust with my consumer (or client) through authenticity and a commitment to excellence has been pervasive in everything we do. At Carolee Designs, our entire team knew that our purpose was to provide women with the highest level of design, quality, and products which made them feel more successful and stylish. Our goal was always to be the “best”: That included how we worked together as a team to deliver design, customer service, quality and every other facet of the business. When your team knows that is the goal, those qualities echo through to the consumer and the circle of trust, reliability, and connectivity create very successful results
Dr. Marsha Firestone: The mission of the Women Presidents’ Organization is to accelerate business growth, enhance competitiveness and promote economic security for women entrepreneurs running successful, second-stage businesses through confidential and collaborative peer learning groups. This has been the core of our values for the past twenty-one years. We are committed to helping our members increase and maintain their financial security by providing a source of advanced business education.
Source: Forbes.com
