Leading with Servant Leadership and Gratitude ft. John Marcante, Vanguard’s former CIO

Leadership is about embracing the process of unlearning outdated practices, fostering a culture of continuous improvement, and aligning your team with visionary goals. Today's guest, with his esteemed 29-year tenure at one of the largest asset managers in the world, Vanguard, shares how he successfully navigated this journey.

John T. Marcante is a renowned technology and business executive with expertise in digital transformation, business strategy, financial planning, and cybersecurity. He is the US CIO in Residence at Deloitte, providing strategic guidance to clients and leadership.

Previously, John was the Global CIO at Vanguard, where he led digital transformation and drove growth to $9 trillion. He modernized Vanguard's technology and promoted an inclusive workplace. He also developed Vanguard’s global advice platform, making financial planning accessible to millions.

John has contributed to the WSJ CIO Journal and Harvard Business Review. His awards include Business Insider Top 50 CIOs and ORBIE CIO of the Year. He holds degrees from The Pennsylvania State University and Saint Joseph’s University.

Host Barry O'Reilly invites John to share his journey at Vanguard and beyond in leadership, culture transformation, and gratitude. Inspired by his father's legacy in technology, John discusses how he aligned tech with business goals at Vanguard. Barry highlights John’s approach to direct client engagement and open feedback. They also explore John’s commitment to servant leadership, maintaining company values, and his future goals of mentoring new leaders and giving back to the community. This episode offers personal insights into what drives effective leadership with gratitude.

Key Takeaways:

• Leadership and Transformation: Transformations should align technology initiatives with business goals, led by C-suite executives.

• Servant Leadership: Building a culture of servant leadership is crucial for successful transformations.

• Client Engagement: Direct client feedback, really listening and a take-action approach are essential for quick and effective improvements.

• Maintaining Values: Sticking to core values and supporting clients and employees ensures long-term success and engagement.

• Future Aspirations: Coaching future leaders, staying engaged in technology, and giving back to the community are key aspects of making a positive impact.

Additional Insights:

• Personal Influences on Leadership: John’s father played a crucial role in sparking his interest in technology and instilling values of gratitude and support.

• Handling Client and Employee Relations: Prioritizing core values and employee well-being, even when making tough decisions like firing abusive high-net-worth clients, ensures long-term success.

• Learning from Mistakes and Building Trust: Creating an environment of trust and open communication allows employees to voice opinions and make mistakes, fostering innovation and continuous improvement.

Episode Highlights:

00.00 - Introduction to the episode

02:58- John's reflections on recent thoughts and his father's influence on his career

"I think the last thing that popped in my head since we just went through Father's Day, as I was kind of reflecting on my own father…"

05:29- Cultural transformation and leadership at Vanguard

"So I think I go back to a point you just made, which is, if this transformation is a technology transformation, if it's a technology initiative, then it's already lost, right? Because nothing's a technology initiative. Everything is, a business, a client transformation and that alignment..."

05:53- Leadership and servant leadership in transformation

"I always felt like that the transformation was a C-suite and CEO-led transformation. You know, technology, lean, agile. They'll roll out across the company, not just in technology, but across the company really took that level of focus and alignment."

15:00-Engaging and aligning with clients

"if you want to drive engagement and give a group of people an outcome that's meaningful to clients and give them access to clients, and you said, yes, it's a wonderful when they when they could do something, they see the impact."

15:21- Feedback on improving processes and client satisfaction

"And if you have a nimble, very, very nimble foundation that allows you to very quickly take that feedback and turn it."

18:38- Dealing with high-stakes decisions and maintaining company values

"Not every business is good business. Stick to your mission and purpose, and always have your clients' and employees' backs."

20:47 Discussing the importance of mission alignment in leadership

"It's also you feel connected to the mission of the organization. Like what I do every day has to be connected. But the mission, I have to sleep well at night knowing that the company has my back, but more importantly, that I'm actually doing good for society."

21:45- Personal anecdotes on handling client interactions and maintaining values

"this is one of the things I think that, uh, again, it shines about the company. Like sticking to the values, leaning into your principles, I know, and making tough decisions around that.."

23:52- Building Trust Through Commitment to Solutions

"And even if you don't know the answer that you know you're committed to getting the answer, I think you then build trust in the organization."

25.45- Servant leadership and employee engagement

"If your intention isn't good and you make a mistake, well, then we'll deal with that later, right? But if you're doing work for a client and your intention is good that you have nothing to worry about, even if it goes south..."

32:34- Embracing Grace as a Core Mission in Leadership

"I think as a father, that's our mission as a leader. That's our mission. Like, be gracious, you know, be gracious even when someone doesn't hit the record button"

35:09- Transitioning into a new chapter and future plans

"I want to be part of, uh, coaching and developing the next generation of leaders that I want to be part of that team, whatever team that is. Count me in, because that was the best part of my job. Second technology. I mean, like, come on, like, I mean technology, AI, generative AI."

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