3 More Questions (Steve Squeri) with David Novak and Koula Callahan
May 27, 2024
auto_awesome
Leadership expert David Novak discusses various topics with guest Steve Squeri, CEO of American Express, including organizational alignment, adapting leadership styles based on individual backgrounds, and the importance of feedback for personal and professional growth.
Leaders should act on feedback to show genuine consideration for their team's input, fostering commitment and a culture of valued voices.
Aligning an organization as an enterprise promotes synergy and collaboration, balancing individual goals with shared company objectives for overall success.
Deep dives
The Power of Feedback in Leadership
One key insight from the podcast is Steve Squirey's belief in the importance of feedback for leaders. When critiqued for making decisions too quickly, Steve embraced the feedback as a gift and involved others in his decision-making process to enhance understanding. David Novak emphasized the significance of acknowledging and acting upon valuable feedback to show that leaders genuinely consider input from their team, fostering commitment and a culture where voices are valued.
Fostering Enterprise Thinking in Organizations
Steve Squirey's approach to aligning the organization as an enterprise rather than individual business units stood out in the episode. By emphasizing collective performance over individual unit success, he aimed for synergy within American Express. David Novak supported this approach, highlighting the importance of having individual goals alongside a shared focus on overall company objectives to drive collaboration and performance across the organization.
Tailoring Leadership Approaches to Individual Contexts
The podcast also delved into the idea that leaders should adjust their leadership styles based on individual experiences and contexts. Steve Squirey emphasized the need to understand each person's background and adapt leadership styles accordingly for optimal results. David Novak echoed this sentiment, underscoring the value of recognizing the uniqueness of each individual and leveraging feedback to tailor leadership effectively, promoting personal growth and organizational success.
On this episode of 3 More Questions, you'll hear David Novak's answers to:
What are other ways leaders can show their people that they’re acting on the feedback they receive?
What’s your take on Steve wanting the organization to operate more as an enterprise as opposed to individual business units that competed against each other?
How should a leader adjust their approach to leading people who have very different experiences?
Get coaching from David by signing up to receive his Weekly Leadership Plan. It builds on each podcast episode by offering actionable steps you can take each week to incorporate the learnings from the episode into your leadership style. It only takes about 5 minutes and is a great way to start off your week!