Sandra Rupp's Davos Diary: The Yin & Yang of Leadership

Coca Cola CEO Muhtar Kent

WPP CEO Sir Martin Sorrrell

Citigroup CEO Michael Corbat

Unilever CEO Paul Polman

Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan

QUOTE: “Women enable success.” Muhtar Kent, CEO of Coca Cola

It am delighted to announce THE DAVOS CEO CHALLENGE Award Winners for 2016. I also have a special announcement which is: The Davos Challenge will now become THE DAVOS CEO PLEDGE for 2016-2017. This has always been my goal on how we will inspire other CEOs. Anchoring this Pledge, I am asking CEOs to commit to bring two or more female delegates to World Economic Forum 2017 and to ask other CEOs to follow their lead. I am also asking all Female CEOs to bring at least one other female delegate (a must have). With these two actions, I believe that within three years, we will achieve 30% Women at World Economic Forum. If you would like to participate or sponsor The Davos CEO Pledge, please contact Executive Coach Sandra Rupp at www.parthenonadvisors.com  I invite all CEOs to interview with me on camera. Follow Tweets @ExecCareerCoach I have met the nicest leaders on Twitter and YouTube. And now Click to Meet my Heroes:

I was really excited that World Economic Forum had for the first time 3 of 6 Female Co-Chairs this year (a record 50% Women)! Many thanks to my CEOs, FT Alphaville, WSJ, Fast Company, Forbes as well as my favorite Thinkers 50 colleagues as I put my heart & soul into this project over the last two plus years. My Davos CEO Challenge 2016 was to five of my Favorite CEOs (data at Quartz website).

Coca Cola: 2 Female Delegates of 5 =40% Women (more than his major competitor and up from 0 last year) Many thanks Muhtar Kent!

WPP Group: 1 Female Delegate of 2 for parent co. = 50% Women (Sir Martin Sorrell my favorite Math Man)!

Citigroup: 1 Female Delegate, but Michael Corbat had 2 Female Delegates in 2015 as previous winner!

Unilever: 1 Female Delegate, but Paul Polman gets Honorary Award as he appointed two women to his CEO team during the Challenge, so he is likely to have more Doves at Davos next year. Many thanks Paul!

Since Virgin didn’t list any delegates, we’re adding Bank of America: 4 Female Delegates of 7 = 57% Women! Way to go Brian Moynihan. And Sir Richard I’d love your support on the CEO Pledge.

The most important thing I learned from this Challenge: sometimes CEOs surprise you, but above all feelings count for both men & women. While I believe the talent is available for 30% Women at Davos, I think there are some ongoing myths about Women in Business Leadership. So I initiated a creative “Cannes Lions” strategy this year (with pretty dresses) to help “rebrand” the Look & Feel of Leadership asking: What Does Leadership Look Like to You? In my 20+ years of global executive search & executive coaching experience, I don’t believe home issues are holding back executive-level appointments for women in business at the larger companies. Executive women have high incomes to hire help and many have older children or no children (not one of my Fortune 100 clients has ever mentioned this as their obstacle). I also don’t think women need to be more aggressive or less feminine. Indeed if anything the world has too much masculine energy! We see war looming and the highest economic inequality: these things will only be solved by what I call The Yin & Yang of Leadership. Inclusion now makes companies more profitable and helps avoid risky decisions. There was only one CEO, not in the challenge, who got upset with me when I asked the WSJ why he had only one woman on his CEO Team, but soon after he was sending his male executives to be counseled on that topic!

The world needs more Executive Women and baby boomer Female Founders at Davos (because 90% of US Female Founders – the most educated talent on the planet- are oddly one person companies). We need some creative brainstorming. While I couldn’t sleep for three nights when I saw the 18% overall Women in attendance at Davos, I rest better knowing I have five plus heroes here. CEOs & CHROs, I coach Executive Teams on Leadership, Talent Acquisition, Executive Communication, and Inclusive Advertising. I am currently working with a Silicon Valley CEO and coaching three men and women on his team. After donating six figures of video time, I do need more executive coaching work now. I will also be launching my 1st DVD/Video on Amazon on How to Navigate a 21st Century Career for my Viewers in 65 Countries. I am honored to have you watching. PS CEOs: You might see me in more suits now, but with the help of Paul Polman, Sir Martin & my other CEOs, there will be a lot more Doves descending upon Davos. I could have never achieved all of this without all of you! Yin/Yang.

Final Thoughts:

Let’s call it Gender Parity. We need more positive (and feminine) energy. Indeed the World Economic Forum tweeted a survey that key skills for 2020 include Creativity, Emotional Intelligence, and Critical Thinking skills. I couldn’t agree more as my history/arts degree is to me as valuable as my Kellogg MBA. Special Thanks to Paul Murphy at the Financial Times who has three daughters and has followed my videos, as well as to Don Tapscott, Bill George & Tom Peters.

Sandra Rupp, Executive Coach & Anchor. Learn more at www.parthenonadvisors.com and www. sandrarupp.com She was placed on the cover of the Davos Debates in 2011 when she stated “Investing in & Empowering The Feminine Leadership Style is the largest economic opportunity worldwide.” She was also placed on the THINKERS50 Guru Radar List for the world’s top business thinkers for thought leadership on The Yin & Yang of Leadership. Sandra currently resides in Naples, FL. USA. CEOs & CHROs schedule an appointment to meet her at the Ritz Naples or meet with her on video calls.