Generals usually have a hard time overcoming their aloofness and getting out on the street to see what's really happening. When Jill Barad was CEO of Mattel, she figured that she could connect with the next generation of children who wanted educational software instead of Barbie dolls. So she bought the Learning Company for $3.6 billion in 1999. But she was just snorkeling: She hadn't really done a deep dive into the market for educational software, or even into exploring the Learning Company. It turned into a disaster, and Barad resigned. Provocateurs work from the ground up and know what's happening on the streets of their communities. If you're too far from your customers, you can mistake what your community wants and needs.
Let's go back to the current environment. Will we embrace authority again?
If we go back to that kind of an arrangement, then the real talent, innovation, and creativity within companies will suffer. Ultimately, the greatest companies won't be those that rely on central control. The greatest companies will show more openness, more freedom, and more innovation. Those are the keys to a long-lasting community -- and it's the best way for provocateurs to succeed as leaders.
Paul C. Judge (pjudge@fastcompany.com) is a Fast Company senior editor. Contact Larry Weber by email (lWeber@Webergroup.com).
Here are some of Larry Weber's provocative rules for new-style leaders. The rules are taken from his new book, The Provocateur.
Build a community, not a company. The strength of a business is measured by the strength of its relationships. Provocateurs involve customers, partners, and employees in the business, allowing them to feel that they are important players in the enterprise's success.
Roll out the welcome mat for nomadic customers. Customers are footloose; loyalty is rare. But a community that appeals to nomads can attract and keep customers even when they can find a better price elsewhere.
Good communities are not built on monologues. Provocateurs try to create a feeling that no walls separate the company from the outside world. The goal is constant interaction -- with customers and prospects, with other businesses, and with suppliers and regulators.
Act like a great mayor. Who better than former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani knows how to bring constituents together and create a common goal? Successful provocateurs, like great mayors, create excitement, engagement, and a sense of belonging.
Marketing is job one. Communicate with customers to benefit the company, and put the brand before everything else that a CEO does. The stronger the communication, the stronger the brand.
Love your competitors. Even your toughest competitor serves to validate your ideas and to generate interest in your community.
Provocateurs know that they can learn from competitors. And they don't worry that their competitors might learn something from them.
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