Leadership Interview – Doug Conant

Many people discuss transformational leadership, but few can point to a modern-day CEO who is an example of a transformative leader. Douglas R. Conant is the President and CEO of Campbell Soup Company, and he epitomizes just such a leader. When Doug took the helm at Campbell’s 10 years ago, he reversed the trend of declining earnings and employee engagement. In 2010, during a down economy, the company posted a 12% increase in earnings on $7.7 Billion in sales, and the storied brand now possesses some of the best employee engagement rankings in the industry. Doug had a similar impact in his previous role as President of Nabisco where the company posted 5 consecutive years of double-digit earnings growth under his leadership. What I most appreciate most about Doug is his passion for those whom he leads. He’s part old-school; still regularly sending handwritten thank-you notes to employees, and part new-school; equally as comfortable communicating on Twitter (@DougConant). Doug’s new book TouchPoints, co-authored with Mette Norgaard is a must-read for leaders. If you do one thing today watch this video and then leave a comment thanking Doug for freely sharing his considerable insights and experiences.