How best to revive a flagging company?
It starts with mindset.
First, kudos to Chip Cutter for highlighting the importance of language when it comes to executive leadership and how the similarities in that language connect the new CEOs of both Boeing and Starbucks — two companies in desperate need of transformation. Unfortunately, based on the language used by Kelly Ortberg and Brian Niccol, investors might be waiting a long time for those results.
The problem isn’t that either one is a bad guy. In fact, neither demonstrates any sign of narcissism, obstructionism, or self-martyrdom. Niccol at Starbucks actually has high empathy with incredibly high emotional tone, likely able to make baristas think he truly feels their pain. Both are nice guys who are relatively agreeable with a positive outlook, and they’re probably easy to talk to, if not fun to be around.
The problem is, neither one of them is Results-Oriented, which is needed by flagging companies if they’re ever going to turn the ship around. And despite some hints of Expert thinking, both of these guys are Discipline and Opportunistic in their mindset — not Results, or even Systems Thinking. And there isn’t a single example of a Disciplined CEO who has made the news, turned a profit, or saved a wounded company.
Boeing needs a leader who is Results-Driven with a high Systems Thinking score, along with a twinge of Empathy to motivate an otherwise de-motivated workforce. Yes, going back to your roots is one strategy; but only a Disciplined mind would think 1985 Boeing is the Boeing of the future, or the way out of this mess. Ortberg might make a safer airplane with a better aesthetic; but the company won’t make any money by playing it safe, slimming down, and being agreeable. There needs to be a focus on transformation change in mindset; not merely a cultural change in the press release.
But that’s where the trouble lies: most people don’t know how to truly read language and psychology at scale, which is what Stealth Dog Labs has spent 15 years perfecting. Ortberg is Opportunistic (12)/Discipline — no Results, no Systems Thinking; Niccol is Discipline (17)/Opportunistic with high Empathy and no Results with a light dusting of a Systems orientation. Compare that to Jamie Dimon who has a Discipline score of 4 with a 24 in Systems and a 30 in Results, or Jeff Bezos who gets a 4 is Discipline but a 14 in Results and a 24 in Systems. Big differences there. So how do you revive a flagging company? Not with these two. Nice guys; but not the right guys for the job. Discipline does not equal innovation. They’re too busy playing it by the book.
About Stealth Dog Labs
Founded by Christopher Skinner, Stealth Dog Labs provides technology that enables businesses to refine their strategies, predict outcomes, and tailor their operations to meet the unique needs of their ecosystem. This starts by analyzing the subconscious traits and decision-making drivers of a business using advanced search engine capabilities, AI, and our unique mindset tools able to remotely capture and interpret consumer behavior and mindset. Through our proprietary technology, we enable business to unlock growth and find true harmony at scale. Interested in how Stealth Dog Labs might transform your business? Reach out at c@christopherskinner.com.
About Christopher Skinner
As an abstract mathematician who transforms language into actionable data, Christopher Skinner helps businesses achieve deliberate growth. Over the years, he has built search engines (parts of Google), companies, and business models that have led to substantial success. In the process, he’s learned that the most successful business models are harmonious in terms of leadership, employees, customers, and product. Today, he can help you achieve this through his proprietary software that studies psychology at scale, enabling your business to focus on the best people for the best outcome.