by Heidi Castillo, Account Director, PhotOle Photography
Bozoma Saint John has a natural talent for leadership. Her philosophy is in tune with the realities of the human capital. Success has followed her illuminating mindset to the top of some of the biggest brands in the world. Saint John’s gift for making meaningful connections, taking creative direction with her responsibilities, and embracing change reveal what it takes to be effective in driving productivity in the modern workplace.
People are drawn to leaders who are transparent. Saint John willingly chooses to make meaningful connections. She creates room to have honest conversations about the challenges of being a working mom, mental health, and representation in the executive space. Her ability to develop common ground for people has made her one of the strongest personal brands. According to Sprinklr, between July 2020 and May 31 2021, the top 50 Chief Marketing Officers received about 7,254 media and social media mentions. That is about 21 mentions a day for Saint John. She was the subject of a case study at Harvard Business School for an MBA class. Her experiences are universal and her actions inspire others.
Organizations are enthusiastic about thoroughness. They will boast about the accuracy and precision of their operation. The processes and systems that make consistency possible often don’t leave room to do things differently and affect decision making. Saint John doesn’t ignore data, she lets it inform her beliefs, and implements what makes sense for consumers. She trusts her expertise in people and takes big risks and leaps. Taking creative direction on demanding responsibilities earned her a number of accolades. She has been inducted to the Marketing Hall of Fame after achieving recognition from Forbes as Most Influential CMO and being included in Fast Company’s Most Creative People list. She is a culture creator. While at Pepsi, it was Saint John’s idea to select Beyonce as the Super Bowl XLVII halftime act. Recognizing the talent and influence of the artist early on resulted in 110.8 million viewers for Pepsi. After learning that as much as 12.5% of online conversations related to a single show are spoilers, Saint John addressed this conduct by throwing an event for Netflix’s viral series Money Heist. Under the illusion they were headed to Madrid for a special screening, superfans of the show were strapped on a five hour flight in airplane mode immediately before the release of the final season to prevent them from leaking spoilers.
Humans are creatures of habit. Forming plans, routines, and schedules provide security. The marketplace is constantly shifting though and unlike people, organizations are required to adapt. An organization’s situation may call for different solutions any time the circumstances change. This can also be applied to leadership. Saint John is comfortable with change and not afraid of starting over. Her curiosity prompts her to carve room for new opportunities. Her professional obligations are guided by the chapter she is in her life. Once she has achieved her personal and professional goals and growth, she moves on to pursue other interests.
The Logan Roy mentality of clinging to the same job until retirement is behind us. Organizations should be carrying out leadership audits during points of inflection. With big initiatives and investments on the line, it is important to not only focus on implementation but also the people who will carry them out. Fortunately, the Lancaster Chamber of Commerce’s decision to bring Bozoma Saint John as a speaker for the business community brings awareness of the competencies needed to stay current.
We are so excited for the opportunity to have a dynamic conversation with Bozoma Saint John at our upcoming annual dinner to discuss her extensive corporate career and hear her unique insights and experiences in navigating the challenges and opportunities facing today’s businesses.
Join us at the 151st Annual Dinner to hear from Our keynote speaker, Boz, who will share her unique insights and experiences in navigating the challenges and opportunities facing today’s businesses. Register now – We are looking forward to seeing you there!
Thursday, May 25th, 2023 | Lancaster County Convention Center | 4 pm – 9 pm
not secure