“Your life story is your leadership story,” says Douglas Conant, former CEO of Campbell Soup
Doug Conant, the former CEO of Campbell Soup, tells a very personal story in his latest book on leadership
By Adrienne Selko for Industry Week
After facing an unexpected layoff and consulting with an outplacement counselor, Douglas Conant discovered that the man he projected in his business life, was not in fact the man he actually was.
And in order to achieve his goals, he would need to incorporate his personal experiences into his leadership ambitions.
His revelation holds true for those wondering how to lead in the time of COVID-19. “Your life story is your leadership story,” explains Conant, who is currently the founder of Conant Leadership. “In fact, I was just on an online conference with 200 leaders and shared that message. Each person is unique and brings different values to the table, so every leader is going to react to a situation like this very differently.”
Leaders need to closely examine “how they were raised and who influenced them” in order to understand and own their personal leadership style. In his latest book, “The Blueprint: 6 Practical Steps to Lift Your Leadership to New Heights”, he lays out a system that he perfected after 40 years in leadership positions, including President of Nabisco Foods and Chairman of Avon Products. “With a foundation in place, when leaders run into a crisis such as this pandemic, they can deal with it in a way that works for them and their company.”
Conant offers his own leadership experience as proof. “I’ve found that the leaders who succeed have a steady and secure foundation,” he writes in his book. “That foundation tethers them to their beliefs and values; keeps them connected to their unique personality, characteristics and temperament, and allows them to put their skill set to work in the most productive way.”
