Chapter 6. Factor 4: Exhibiting the Capacity for Innovation and Change

A few years ago I spoke with Brad Anderson, CEO of Best Buy at that time, about the qualities and skills he looked for when selecting the company's executives. In the course of that conversation, he said something I found provocative and profound: he looked for executives who had the wisdom to know when the organization needed to be fundamentally changed and shaken up and when the organization needed time to focus on incorporating prior changes. Lucien Alziari, the head of human resources for Avon Products, echoes Brad's point: "At Avon we need executives who can change how we do things—not simply manage the status quo."

Managing innovation and change has always been an ...

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