CEO Advice: People Are The Only Thing That Matters
Monday, January 24, 2005By HR Whatnot Staff
Shelly Lazarus, CEO of advertising giant Ogilvy and Mather Worldwide, is quoted in the January, 2005 issue of Harvard Business Review as stating that the best advice she ever got came nine years ago from the then current CEO and founder David Ogilvy. He told her "No matter how much time you spend thinking about, focusing on, questioning the value of, and evaluating people, it won't be enough. People are the only thing that matters, and the only thing you should think about, because when that part is right, everthing else works."
Lazarus uses that one piece of advice from nine years ago every day to guide her critical decision making. It influences how she mentors her staff and how she develops key business strategies.
Many companies make key decisions based on the financial impact. Lazarus stands out in the business community by making decisions with the prime directive of keeping and nurturing her workforce.
Lazarus shares a related piece of advice on dealing with crisis situations. During catastrophes people tend to focus on the disaster to the exclusion of all else. Lazarus handles these kinds of situations by asking the simple and direct question "Will someone die?" In the business world the answer is generally a resounding no. Disasters tend to be blown all out of proportion. This question brings the situation back into perspective and allows her staff to focus on the solution. Guiding her people away from panic and towards focusing on solutions is the best way to succeed during crisis situations.
Taking care of your people pays off for your employees and for the companies they work for. Lazarus affirms that her company (as do many if not all) runs on ideas and ideas come from people, so take care of people and the rest takes care of itself.
Adapted from "The Best Advice I Ever Got" by Daisy Wademan, Harvard Business Review, January 2005 Issue
