I Stop Quarterly Reporting, I Stop Giving Guidance

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Aul was convinced he needed to broaden the boundaries of una lever's mission. He made a move that has become board room legend, i stop quarterly reporting. I stop giving guidance. Over a decade later, this doesn't seem so extreme, but back in two thousand and nine it was explosive. Paul was radically and publicly re drawing the boundaries they were keeping une lever from pursuing its purpose with vigor. For investors focussed on short term gains, the move was too much. The share price dropped eight % when i announced,. no quarterly reporting any more, no guidance, because, you know, probably the reaction as new so and bad news is coming. It was probably a lack

When Paul Polman joined Unilever as CEO in 2009, the consumer goods company – home to 400-plus brands including Dove soap, Ben & Jerry’s, and Vaseline – had been stagnated with years of lackluster performance. His famous turnaround of the company centered around his ability to redraw the boundaries of Unilever’s mission to emphasize sustainability and long-term growth. He’s a perfect example of why every leader should consistently reexamine the boundaries that limit their business – and be prepared to redraw them as you grow. By redrawing boundaries, you can reinvigorate your team with a new sense of power. As Polman says, “You cannot change people's behaviors if you only work on the purpose – and don’t change the boundaries around it that drive people's behavior.”

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