Becoming the Best: Build a World-Class Organization Through Values-Based Leadership

by Harry M. Jansen Kraemer Jr.

What does it mean in practice to be a values-based leader? When faced with real situations, how can you be your best self and create best teams―while also being a best partner with customers and vendors, a best investment for your stakeholders, and a best citizen making a difference in the world? It's a tall order, but these are the expectations for world-class organizations today. In his bestselling book From Values to Action , Harry Kraemer showed how self-reflection, balance, true self-confidence, and genuine humility are the traits of today's most effective leaders. In Becoming the Best , his highly anticipated follow-up, Kraemer reveals how, in practical terms, anyone can apply these principles to become a values-based leader and to help create values-based organizations. Drawing on his own experiences as the former CEO and chairman of Baxter International, as well as those of other notable leaders and organizations, Kraemer lays out a pathway for understanding the principles and putting them into practice, showing specifically, how Powerful case studies from Campbell's Soup, Ernst & Young, Target, Northern Trust, and many others demonstrate the four principles of values-based leadership in action and show how thinking beyond the corporation can trigger positive outcomes for both the company and the world. Regardless of level or job title, individuals can make a difference in their organization and beyond by embodying the essential traits of a great leader. Becoming the Best offers a definitive, actionable guide to show anyone how to apply in practice the principles of values-based leadership personally and professionally, making it an indispensable manual for the new wave of better leaders.

All of Harry’s proceeds from the book sales are donated to the One Acre Fund in Africa.

Genres: Business

224 pages, Hardcover

First published April 13, 2015

Reviews

[Ariadna73 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my summary of this book:

Becoming the best (Five bests)
2015, Kraemer, J; Becoming the best. Willey, NJ, ISBN 9781118999424
Four Principles for valued-based leadership
Self Reflection: What you stand for, What your values are, What matters most
Balance: See multiple viewpoints
True self-confidence: Acceptance of yourself, Recognizing own strengths, Continuous improvement
Genuine humility: Never forget who you are, Appreciate everyone's value, Treat everyone with respect
Becoming your best Self
Reflective, balanced
Steps: Stepping back, Filtering distraction
Looking inward to gain clarity on what matters most Personally, Professionally
Results: Know yourself better, Make choices that are aligned with your values,
Gain fuller awareness of the impact of your decisions
Centering your best self: Lead up (lead your boss), Pause for reflection (walk the dog), Balance and perspective
Humble, self-confident: Know who you are, Remember how did you get where you are
Team
Turning around a team: Challenge: while the individual members may be hard working and well intentioned, they can focus too
narrowly on their own activity
What can go wrong?
Damaged values and dysfunctional culture: Change in mission, Mergers
Slowdown
Too much success
Creating a team: Share your real values, Attitude toward risk: Believe in your idea, Cope with the possibility of loss, Attract people who
are aware of the risk
Team first, ego last
Each member is able to think what he or she does to the overall goals and objectives of the organization
Partner
Holistic relationship
How can our organization become a best partner?
Using partnership with suppliers
To respond to competitive pressures, Each party has to be committed to the other's success
Use partnerships to build new relations
Customer relationship Customer satisfaction is a priority, Innovation to better serve the costumer develops in more and
better business, Merging with another company to have something bigger
Investment
Talent: How members are motivated and rewarded, Invest on the team mindset
Shareholder value
When an investment made today is worth more in the future.
5 C= Criteria for finding a best investment
Competency: the leadership expertise and knowledge
Courage: Ability to make though decisions
Compassion: caring about people who work for the firm
Culture: Mission, vision, values
Communication: Everyone understands the mission, vision and values
What can be done to contribute to the community and the world
Citizen
Enables the recruitment and retention of best teams and the creation of best partnerships
Values in action
Social responsibility
Authenticity and pursuit of the right spirit
Four principles of values-based leadership
1. Self reflection to establish priorities, 2. Balance and perspective to seek feedback,
3.True self-confidence to make good decisions, 4. Humility
Global footprint and legacy
Example of humanitarian work in Kenya

[Ligia Bonetti · Rating 5 out of 5]

I truly believe value based leadership is the key to any company’s success. I can relate to the authors findings, examples and principles. A recommended book to read for anyone. I met the author at Northwestern University when I went to the CEO management program. He gave us a lecture and captivated my interest on this value based method of succeeding. I have had this signed book by him since 2016 and I had not gotten myself to read it. Almost 8 years later and it all comes back to me, and reminds me why i have fought so hard to create a value based leadership in our company.

[Jack Bandy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Their first book was so much better than this one. They said they same thing over and over again to fill pages.