Ron Williams - Learning to Lead: The Journey to Leading Yourself, Leading Others, and Leading an Organization

More Praise for Learning to Lead

In Learning to Lead, Ron Williams has given us an indispensable guide to leadership. Whether you are seeking ways to jump-start your career, lead others, or lead an organization, the book offers actionable tips and tools, from reframing issues, to the importance of honest and transparent communications, to creating a high-performance culture in the face of leadership challenges. Ron manages to distill what hes learned throughout his extraordinary career, and the book should be on every professionals must-read list.

Julie Sweet, Chief Executive OfficerNorth America, Accenture

Ron Williams has written an exceptional book that seamlessly blends his amazing personal journey with keen business insight. In todays world, where leadership is often associated with bombast and antagonism, his commitment to empathy, ethics, diligence, and belief in the innate good of others offers an alternative vision of how to lead businesses that is extraordinarily compelling.

Troyen Brennan, Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer, CVS Health

Ron Williams reveals how to turbo-charge your quest for success with this honest roadmap for all who want to thrive in their careers... starting on day one! Everyone from front-line managers to CEOs will find lessons that will help them unlock their potential and avoid needless mistakes when they read Learning to Lead.

Jerri DeVard, Executive Vice President, Chief Customer Officer, Office Depot

Learning to Lead is an expert tutorial in leadership and management, with lessons that are applicable to all levels of leaders, from new business leaders to Fortune 500 CEOs. The stories and insights are clear and come alive with rich examples applicable to anyone who leads a team or organization. Ron Williams aptly identifies many of the attributes we look for in successful executives. Learning to Lead is accessible, practical, and inspiring. Its lessons will help you become a better leader and may help you become a better person.

Rusty OKelley, Global Leader of the Board Advisory & Effectiveness Practice, Russell Reynolds Associates

Ive known Ron Williams for many years and Ive followed his career with admiration. We all can benefit from Rons vast leadership experience. Now that he has written Learning to Lead, many other peopleespecially young men and women who aspire to leadership roles in organizations of every kindcan take inspiration and guidance from his experiences and his wisdom.

Bernard J. Tyson, Chairman and CEO, Kaiser Permanente

Ron Williamss life story and business experience are inspiring, and the lessons he imparts about leadership apply across all sectors. His advice is personal, practical, and profound. Learning to Lead offers valuable insight for those seeking to grow and thrive in the workplace.

Roger W. Ferguson, Jr., President and Chief Executive Officer, TIAA

Ron Williams represents the kind of leader we need in every sector of society todaya person of integrity, focused on solving problems and building organizations that serve human needs with both efficiency and compassion. Learning to Lead offers wise counsel on every page.

Steve Odland, President and CEO, The Conference Board

A prominent investor recently told me that his fund doesnt invest in companies, it invests in leaders. Thats one key reason why Learning to Lead is a must read. It embraces the notion that only a few great leaders are born that waymost must learn the DNA of leadership. Ron Williams is a proven leader and teacher, and reading his book is a great way to start learning to lead!

Dennis Carey, Vice Chairman Korn Ferry and Founder, CEO Academy

The Journey to
LEADING YOURSELF, LEADING OTHERS, AND LEADING AN ORGANIZATION

RON WILLIAMS

with Karl Weber

This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher and author are not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional services. Nothing herein shall create an attorney-client relationship, and nothing herein shall constitute legal advice or a solicitation to offer legal advice. If legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional should be sought.

Published by Greenleaf Book Group Press

Austin, Texas

www.gbgpress.com

Copyright 2019 RW2 Enterprises, LLC

All rights reserved.

Thank you for purchasing an authorized edition of this book and for complying with copyright law. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the copyright holder.

Distributed by Greenleaf Book Group

For ordering information or special discounts for bulk purchases, please contact Greenleaf Book Group at PO Box 91869, Austin, TX 78709, 512.891.6100.

Design and composition by Greenleaf Book Group

Cover design by Greenleaf Book Group

Publishers Cataloging-in-Publication data is available.

Print ISBN: 978-1-62634-622-2

eBook ISBN: 978-1-62634-623-9

Part of the Tree Neutral program, which offsets the number of trees consumed in the production and printing of this book by taking proactive steps, such as planting trees in direct proportion to the number of trees used: www.treeneutral.com

Printed in the United States of America on acid-free paper

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First Edition

To my wife, Cynthia, who has supported me throughout our journey together.

I BEGAN WRITING THIS book shortly after retiring from the chairmanship of Aetna Inc., a Fortune 100 company that is one of the worlds largest diversified health-care benefits providers. But the origins of this book go back a lot further. In fact, I can recall quite vividly the conversation that first sparked my desire to share my story in writing.

It was in 2002, shortly after Id been named president of Aetna. Id been recruited to join the company a year earlier by Dr. Jack Rowe, a distinguished physician and medical researcher who had just been appointed to the position of CEO by Aetnas board.

At the time, the company was deeply troubled. It had been growing rapidly through a series of poorly planned mergers and acquisitions. As a result, Aetnas service culture had seriously deteriorated, its reputation among both patients and health-care providers had plummeted, and the corporation was losing almost a million dollars a day. With Aetna on the verge of collapse, the board had made the desperate decision of turning to Jack Rowean outsider with no business training and little knowledge of the insurance businessin hopes that he could somehow spark a turnaround. Jack, in turn, had called on me to help. Id helped to run a major managed care company and developed a knack for the kind of analytical systems thinking Aetna needed. Jack and I hoped that our very different talents would make us an effective, complementary team to lead Aetna back to profitability.

The conversation Im recalling took place one day early in our partnership. Jack and I were engaged in a crucial fence-mending campaign during which we would visit the headquarters of 150 of Americas biggest and most powerful corporationsall of which were major clients of Aetna. Our mission was to reassure these important customers that Aetna was now in good hands and that the managerial problems that had plagued the business were finally on a correction course. To facilitate these vital meetings in cities across the country, Jack and I had used the corporate plane. Our whirlwind tour was scheduled to end when we returned to Aetnas corporate headquarters in Hartford, Connecticut, to conduct the regularly scheduled quarterly announcement of our financial results and hold a crucial conference call with nervous Wall Street analysts eager to hear the details of our turnaround plan.