Seasoned Purple client counselors, managing directors and leaders Stephen Smith, Ashley Gibaldi and Nate Byer have been named partners in the firm.

Building on recent steps to expand and strengthen its leadership structure amid continued growth, Purple Strategies is excited to announce that three long-time leaders at the firm have been added to its partnership group: Stephen Smith, Ashley Gibaldi, and Nate Byer.

“For 15 years, Purple has helped some of the world’s biggest brands protect and create enterprise value through strategic reputation management. Stephen, Ashley and Nate have been consistently and increasingly integral to developing strategy and delivering insights that guide our clients on that journey,” said Steve McMahon, Purple co-founder and CEO. “As founders, one of the great joys Alex and I have experienced is watching the next generation of Purple leaders develop into world class strategists and leaders in their own right. Today our clients could ask for no better partners than Stephen, Ashley and Nate.”

About Stephen Smith

As the leader of Purple’s Strategic Planning group, Stephen leverages his experience across health care, logistics, manufacturing and technology both for reputation renewal and for challenges in public affairs.

Stephen joined Purple in 2009 with a strong background in digital innovation. And he’s played a key role in transforming the company’s service offerings by integrating digital services into its core operations, reshaping how its campaigns are conceived and executed.

In his current role, Stephen dives deep into client engagements, crafting insights from primary research, and shaping innovative campaign activations. His ability to adapt to shifting business landscapes, dedication to proactive problem-solving, and commitment to producing high-quality work mirror the core values of Purple. Stephen’s background prior to Purple – working with Senators Bill Frist, Mitt Romney, and Lamar Alexander – ensures that his approach to corporate reputation accounts for both politics and policy.

Stephen graduated from Princeton, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in politics and political theory.

“Seeing Stephen lead a debate or workshop about client strategy is a thing to witness and never gets old – his brilliance and love for solving complex challenges is on full display, and every client and colleague he works with is better because of it. His leadership of our new Strategic Planning group, and now as a firm partner, is an acknowledgement of the value he has added to our firm since its very beginning.” – Steve McMahon

About Ashley Gibaldi

Ashley serves as an indispensable senior counselor at Purple Strategies helping the world’s leading companies across industries build and protect reputational equity ahead of and during issues or crises.

She excels in transforming multifaceted data into actionable insights, grounding everything we do from strategic planning to identifying persuasive messaging to highly targeted activations. Prior to joining Purple in 2010, Ashley worked at Edison Research on the highly visible National Exit Polls for a consortium of major news networks like CNN, NBC and ABC.

Ashley’s work has allowed companies to navigate unique and challenging environments to achieve business and desired outcomes. She has experience leading engagements with companies navigating relationships with unionized workforces. Ashley’s impact goes beyond leading client solutions as she’s equally dedicated to leading and growing Purple’s talent.

“There’s a big difference between saying you are insights-driven and actually putting insights at the heart of your work, and Ashley does that as well as anyone. Her unwavering commitment to being led by insights and her role in developing that skill in others have made her a valued and trusted partner to clients and colleagues alike. She has a unique ability to ask the right questions and challenge assumptions in ways that make the work and those around her better. For years, Ashley has brought so much to our firm and to her clients, and that’s why we are so proud to elevate her to partner. She is an incredibly valuable new addition to our partnership group.” – Steve McMahon

About Nate Byer

Nate leads the planning and execution of complex reputation management and renewal programs for a wide range of Purple clients. As the head of the firm’s Client & Campaign Expertise Group, Nate also works to build high-performing teams that generate value for clients as they seek novel ways to drive their businesses forward.

Prior to joining the firm, Nate pushed the limits of digital stakeholder engagement and led major advocacy and organizational change campaigns while at Blue State, an issue-focused agency specializing in grassroots mobilization. Before that he worked on numerous other campaign efforts including as a consultant to President Obama’s first presidential campaign while at GMMB, a campaign manager on environmentally focused legislative efforts, and as Press Secretary on a winning U.S. Senate race. He also spent two years working in and out of Afghanistan as part of President Obama’s stabilization efforts in the country with USAID’s Office of Transition Initiatives.

Nate graduated from Wesleyan University’s College of Social Studies and holds an MBA from Johns Hopkins University. He joined Purple Strategies in 2017.

“Nate’s impact on Purple’s success runs the full spectrum, from leading and managing critical client engagements, to mentoring and developing rising Purple talent, and now, as the new leader of our largest expertise group. The skill and rapport he’s built with client executives as a strategist and coach for reputation-building efforts has not just impacted their organizations but also enhanced their professional and personal brands as executive leaders within those companies. This is yet another way that Nate and Purple support our clients—as individuals—to become among their most trusted advisors. We’re delighted to now include Nate among our partnership group.” – Steve McMahon

 

“Becoming a partner at Purple doesn’t mean you’ve run a great race and you’ve come to the end but rather that you’ve accepted a great responsibility to give even more than you have before to uplift this enterprise and support the people in it,” said Alex Castellanos, Purple co-founder and Chairman. “Ashley, Nate and Stephen have done tremendous work in their many years at Purple and we are privileged to have them with us now as partners.”

In addition to Steve McMahon and Alex Castellanos, the three new partners join a partnership that includes Kristen Morgante, the firm’s Managing Partner and Chief Operating Officer; Jillayne Smyth Rogers, Chief Creative Officer; John Gatti; Chris Durlak; and Rory Cooper.

Five Insights from CEOs at the Third Annual Transformative CEO Summit

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Purple Strategies is the thought leadership partner of The CEO Forum Group and Transformative CEO Summit series, featuring CEOs of leading companies discussing creative ways to solve today’s most pressing challenges. 

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Millennials and Gen Z are increasingly choosing to buy from companies that align with their values, just as employees seek meaning in their professions. These ideas both connect to the idea of companies’ purpose – and they are not new. But the new era of capitalism, in which companies prioritize many stakeholders (and not just shareholders), was on the minds of several top executives and CEOs at The CEO Forum Group’s third Annual Transformative CEO Summit in March.

Their conclusion? Prioritizing their purpose to serve multiple stakeholders in addition to making profits enables companies to survive challenging circumstances and thrive in changing conditions.

In our role as thought leadership and polling partner of the CEO Forum and the Summits, Purple Strategies identified five insights from CEO discussions during the Summit that explain how purpose plays a more vital role than ever in how executives lead their businesses.

1) Purpose is about more than creating a good—it’s about delivering stakeholders a greater good.

In a Summit poll, CEOs universally (97%) agreed that changes are needed to make capitalism work for all stakeholders.

Companies want to find ways to add value to all their stakeholders, including communities, Genpact CEO Tiger Tyagarajan said, adding that this stakeholder mindset attracts employees and adds long-term value to shareholders. Genpact helps global companies undergo transformation.

For shareholders, the primary purpose of a company certainly is profit. But to maintain long-term profitability and build an organization for the future, transformative CEOs maintain that companies must create a mission-driven culture, be empathetic and authentic with their employees, maintain open communication with suppliers, help communities through philanthropic initiatives, and communicate the intangible value of the goods and services they provide to customers.

For Ravi Saligram, CEO of Newell Brands, the company’s purpose isn’t just about manufacturing a new Sharpie color or Yankee Candle scent. It’s about bringing joy, confidence and peace of mind to customers. The purpose of GE Aviation Services is to invent the future of flight, lift people up and bring them home safely, its CEO Russell Stokes said. For business magnate Lynn Tilton, former CEO of MD Helicopters, the military helicopter manufacturing company’s purpose is to serve those who served for the love of country.

2) Purpose unlocks employees’ passion so that they become the company’s “secret sauce.”

When employees feel that they are going to more than a job and that they have a stake in the business, they will perform miracles and create long-term shareholder value. To affect this result, leaders must treat employees like they are the company’s “secret sauce,” Saligram said. Others agree on the need to prioritize employee belonging.

“I’d rather have B players that drive the right culture, the right attitude and the right leadership than a team of A players with their own selfish attitudes,” Xerox CEO Steven Bandrowczak said.

A simple but unifying purpose can galvanize these needle-movers within the company, which in turn turbocharges productivity and innovation.

3) Purpose is the “North Star” that guides leadership through change.

CEOs agree that they need to lean into the company’s “North Star” when external factors force them to change. For example, companies have been grappling with the benefits and drawbacks of artificial intelligence and machine learning. While it allows them to simplify their supply chains and processes, thereby reaching their goals faster, there are potential pitfalls such as losing human connection. When thinking about how to reckon with those tradeoffs, CEOs look to their purpose to guide them.

When leaders face issues, from the COVID-19 pandemic to inflation to the Russia-Ukraine War, companies must rely on their “North Star.”

4) To further the company’s purpose, leaders need to communicate with empathy, transparency and authenticity.

Empathy is understanding how people see the world, not just how they feel. That has widespread effects on how CEOs run their businesses. CEOs must keep this in mind when communicating, for example, the impact technology has on employees in their organizations and communities at large. While technology pushes organizations to operate more efficiently, human relationships keep them running like well-oiled machines.

To that end, leaders must communicate with empathy when explaining not only the purpose and goals of technological changes, but also how those changes will personally affect employees and benefit the team (and not create winners and losers). And because thinking about goals as opposed to thinking about people activates a different part of the brain, leaders must mindfully communicate their vision with understanding.

“CEOs must be real and not appear artificial because people respond to realness, which is underused in a time of crisis,” Dr. Stephen Klasko, former CEO of Jefferson Health, said.

5) Leaders must leave their ivory towers to understand how the public views their purpose.

Purpose weaves through the fabric of an organization, not just in the C-Suite. To understand how purpose is perceived and acted upon within companies, transformative CEOs say leaders need to seek out the view beyond the corner office.

In addition to reviewing numbers and spreadsheets, leaders must walk the halls and get out in communities to fully grasp how their business is doing. This qualitative information will help their businesses better align with their customers’ values and needs.

Often, executives will hear things on the ground that might not show up in reports. CEOs can gather feedback to see if they are fulfilling their purpose, and if there are any discrepancies or omissions, they can alter the company’s course. Xerox, for example, hosts small town halls to understand how they are doing. Bigelow Tea has a State of the Union with employees every three to four months where CEO Cindi Bigelow shares her appreciation for her employees, conveys the importance of community over self, and talks about the company’s success.

 

A company’s purpose affects how it operates: from hiring and retaining the best talent, to motivating younger employees, to fostering a hustle culture, to propelling through uncertainty. Prioritizing customers, unlocking employees’ passion, maintaining principles, communicating with empathy, and leaning into purpose during times of change will help companies be successful in the new era of stakeholder capitalism.

 

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Explore more from Purple Strategies in the Transformative CEO Summit series:

CEOs Pivot From Health Crisis To Human Connection | 2021 (Read)

CEOs Strive To Build A Better Workplace Post-Pandemic | 2021 (Read)

CEOs Share Views On ESG Challenges And Opportunities | 2021 (Read)

CEOs Embrace Expectation To Go Beyond Corporate Into Societal Leadership | 2022 (Read)

CEOs Foster The Dynamic Pull At The Heart Of Breakthrough Innovation | 2022 (Read)

CEOs Unleash The Power Of The Individual | 2022 (Read)

The firm has tapped experienced Purple leaders and executive-level additions for key appointments and new roles in support of its people, clients and continued growth.

Solidifying the structure of the organization to support continued dynamic growth has been a key priority for Purple Strategies in recent years. The firm announced today several key appointments and new roles to help Purple efficiently grow and develop during its next chapter.

“As we approach our 15^th year as Purple, having grown from a small startup to a firm of 150 and growing, we’re intently focused on maintaining the density of talent and the collaborative culture that has been the foundation of the deep client partnerships we’ve built,” said Kristen Morgante, Purple Strategies Managing Partner and COO. “Over the past two years we’ve been thoughtful in working through how we can scale what makes Purple so special to fit not just the size we are now but also the firm we’ll be three, five and even 10 years into the future. The new structure we’ve created, organized around expertise, will allow us that freedom to scale. And we are exceedingly fortunate to have a cohort of talented leaders who are passionate about Purple stepping into new roles and helping to bring this reimagined Purple to life.”

Leading the firm’s new expertise groups are some of Purple’s most gifted and seasoned strategic leaders: Nate Byer, Client & Campaign; Crystal Benton, Communications; Jillayne Smyth-Rogers, Creative, Content & Production; Bradley Engle, Paid & Audience Solutions; Denise Brien, Research; and Stephen Smith, Strategic Planning. These leaders will guide development of Purple team members and Purple thinking alongside their client leadership roles.

“CEOs and other executives turn to Purple as partners in navigating growth, change and challenges, knowing our unique approach and deep bench of reputation strategists will help them and their companies be their best selves,” said Steve McMahon, Purple Strategies CEO. “Our newly defined expertise groups, with the guidance of these Purple leaders, will help ensure our unique Purple thinking continues to drive our work and client offerings as we grow.”

Purple’s leadership is also being strengthened with key appointments in operations, including three new additions to the firm. Colleen Connors, who comes to Purple most recently from The ONE Campaign where she was Chief Talent Officer, and prior to that was Executive Vice President, Global Talent, for Porter Novelli, has joined the firm as its first Chief People Officer. Ben Seto, most recently CFO of the American Petroleum Institute and before that CFO of Ankura Consulting Group, joins the firm as Chief Financial Officer. Jackie Le, joining Purple from accounting roles in an AM Law 100 firm, is the firm’s new Controller. In an internal move, Purple managing director Rebecca Ballard, who has led communications, marketing and engagement for the firm, has been named Purple’s first Chief of Staff. These appointments build on the firm’s recent announcement of veteran media and marketing executive Angela R. Bundrant as head of brand and business development.

“As part of our reimagining of Purple’s structure, we worked to build out the operations side of the organization to a level of talent and experience that could match the dynamic growth of our client work and expertise, and I’m so pleased we’ve been able to achieve that,” Morgante said.

Purple Strategies has welcomed Ben Seto, most recently Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of the American Petroleum Institute (API), as CFO.

“As Purple continues to navigate a chapter of dynamic growth, having the guidance and partnership of a financial leader of Ben’s caliber is a tremendous asset,” said Kristen Morgante, Purple Managing Partner and COO. “The other partners and I are pleased to have him with us as we chart the course ahead for Purple.”

At API Seto was responsible for financial operations, budget management, and aligning financial performance with strategy. Prior to Seto was CFO of Ankura Consulting Group, a management consulting company that has grown rapidly organically and thru acquisitions. During his tenure at Ankura, Seto integrated the finance team, implemented new systems, and standardized financial and business processes to position the firm for further acquisitions. Seto also oversaw the IT function.

Prior to Ankura, Seto was CFO for Avendra, a procurement services company. Seto oversaw the finance function, and collaborated on growth strategies and M&A. Earlier in his career, Seto served in senior financial leadership roles in publicly traded and privately held companies in the professional services, energy, technology, financial services and consumer products industries.

Seto holds an MBA in Finance & Accounting from the William E. Simon Graduate School of Business Administration, and a BA in Economics from the University of Rochester.

“Between the impressive team Purple has assembled and the unique work the firm is doing in the corporate reputation space, it’s easy to understand why Purple is on such a growth trajectory,” Seto said. “That road from startup to scale offers real opportunity to make an impact from a finance perspective and I’m excited to join the Purple team on that journey.”

Purple Strategies has tapped Rebecca Ballard, who has been leading communications, marketing and engagement for the firm since joining Purple as a managing director in 2020, to be Purple’s first Chief of Staff. The appointment comes as Purple expands its leadership structure in support of its people, clients and continued growth.

“Rebecca seems like she has always been Purple, for the many ways she works in partnership with me and the other partners, leads our operations team, and supports and encourages Purple as a whole,” said Kristen Morgante, Purple Managing Partner and COO. “This new chief of staff role is a natural extension for her and for Purple and will be incredibly beneficial to the firm as we grow and transform within our new structure.”

Before coming to Purple, Ballard was a communications and operations executive at Hill+Knowlton Strategies, a global communications consultancy and public relations network. During her time with the firm she served in a series of roles that included leading the firm’s Washington, D.C., office, leading communication and culture for the firm’s U.S. operation, and partnering with the firm’s top leaders on culture, growth and transformation priorities. Ballard began her career at Public Strategies, a business advisory firm specializing in public affairs, crisis management and public opinion research. Her work with the firm for nearly a decade covered a broad spectrum of industry sectors, including automotive, retail, manufacturing, health care, energy, and financial and professional services.

“Purple has been such an exciting and dynamic place to be since my day one, and I’m grateful to have been working alongside some truly talented people through a period of extensive change and growth for our clients and for our firm,” Ballard said. “That story for Purple continues. And with Colleen [Connors], Ben [Seto], Angela [Bundrant] and others joining the Purple team, and the persistent brilliance of the team I joined three years ago, there’s never been a better time to be Purple.”

Three ways the COVID-19 pandemic has brought a renaissance in healthcare

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Purple Strategies is the thought leadership partner of The CEO Forum Group and Transformative CEO Summit series, featuring CEOs of leading companies discussing creative ways to solve today’s most pressing challenges. The Transformative CEO Healthcare Summit brought together CEOs in the healthcare industry to explore how technology is transforming healthcare and wellness, the healthcare supply chain, fighting human trafficking, and the future of care delivery.

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Robert Reiss, founder and CEO of The CEO Forum Group, opened December’s Transformative CEO Summit with a hopeful possibility for our future: that our collective recovery from this devastating global pandemic will bring the emergence of a new renaissance in healthcare.

Just as Europe emerged from the devastation of the bubonic plague to embrace wide-ranging cultural, economic, and social changes, the world has responded to the pandemic in profound ways, including, notably, rapid transformations within our healthcare industry that are likely to leave a lasting positive impact for generations to come.

Summit participants discussed three ways the COVID-19 pandemic has ushered in a healthcare renaissance – one that puts us on a path to better health outcomes and greater efficiency.

(1) Accelerated healthcare innovation

The Renaissance era saw a rapid advancement of new technologies – from the invention of the printing press and telescope to the widespread adoption of eyeglasses – that put humanity on a new path forward. Similarly, today’s healthcare environment has seen disruptive new health technologies emerge and accelerate under the conditions created by the pandemic.

An obvious example is the COVID-19 vaccine, an unprecedented achievement not just for the creation of revolutionary new mRNA technology, but also for its rapid development and deployment to billions around the world. However, Summit participants pointed to potentially an even greater technological triumph – the development and adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) in the healthcare space. Throughout the pandemic, healthcare organizations embraced these tools to identify inefficiencies in processes and resource allocation, forecast disease outbreaks, predict health risks, and more. The ability of AI and ML to harness data in new ways – by unlocking insights and making data more useful – has already had a big impact on preventative medicine that will only continue to grow.

(2) New norms for patient care

Telemedicine has been growing for some time, but social distancing and the restrictions on in-person visits during the pandemic hastened widespread adoption. The considerable benefits of telemedicine experienced during the pandemic – from helping reduce the burden on overwhelmed hospitals and other healthcare facilities, to allowing healthcare providers to triage patients more effectively to ensure those in need of in-person care are seen more quickly – have helped make the case that telemedicine is here to stay. This trend toward remote care delivery could define the future of healthcare, although Summit participants acknowledged short-term headwinds as government and insurance industry support have decreased as pandemic conditions have improved.

(3) Uncommon healthcare partnerships and widespread sharing of ideas

Summit participants agreed that the pandemic highlighted the importance of collaboration in the healthcare industry. The need for rapid solutions to the crisis led to a surge in research and development that required unprecedented cooperation between pharmaceutical companies, government, and academic institutions to develop vaccines and treatments. Participants also noted the value of sharing data and medical information across organizations and borders to make new learning accessible quickly and optimize delivery of care to patients. Moreover, partnerships between technology companies and healthcare organizations have enabled numerous developments in the healthcare space – from the development of telemedicine platforms for hospitals, to technology startups focused on rapid test kit development. Maintaining this extraordinary level of collaboration between healthcare organizations, technology companies, academia and government will continue to be critical.

Is this health renaissance already coming to an end, or is it just beginning?

Summit participants expressed a shared optimism that a revival in healthcare may be emerging, but we can’t be certain it will endure. Even the immense progress we made with telemedicine during the pandemic may regress as government restrictions are lifted and insurance companies drop coverage. While the COVID-19 pandemic was a powerful catalyst for rapid technological innovation, deep social and cultural shifts, and a renewed spirit of collaboration within the healthcare industry, leaders within the healthcare space must keep up the momentum in order to achieve long-lasting, meaningful impact for humanity and the future of our health.

Corporate lessons inspired by this year’s congressional speaker vote

People across the United States were captivated at the start of the new year by the spectacle in Washington around the election of Kevin McCarthy as Speaker of the House. Throughout the high-profile vote, onlookers saw everything from elected officials taking steps to govern on behalf of the American people, poking fun at their colleagues, and certainly, taking opportunities to raise their own political profiles.

By and large, the operations of corporate board rooms are much more purposeful than what was on display in the Congressional Chamber. But even this hyper-politicized event can teach business executives about how to lead through high-pressure situations.

There are clear parallels between the roles of elected officials and CEOs, showing why the two can borrow from each other’s playbook. For starters, both need to navigate the interests of a broad range of stakeholders. For politicians, it may be political opponents, members of their own party, constituents, or community partners. Executives in turn are managing the needs and expectations of their investors, customers, business partners, employees, and government officials. The public has always entrusted politicians to serve society writ large, and increasingly, that’s been an expectation of business leaders, too.

Both sets of leaders are also doing their jobs under a microscope. Whether their every move is being cast via C-SPAN and analyzed on Twitter or dissected on Squawk Box, leaders are forced to manage issues much more publicly than ever.

Purple Strategies was born of this idea that companies were finding themselves in more dynamic and campaign-like environments and that by bringing perspective and campaign-inspired strategies from the blue and red sides of the political aisle, we could help them navigate that new world order. Today, we help companies and executives every day doing just that, applying diverse perspectives and the principles of politics to help solve complex issues and drive businesses forward.

Here are five actions CEOs can take to prepare for their own high-pressure moments:

(1) Codify your party platform.

High-functioning political operations have a clear party platform that guides candidates’ policy priorities and campaigns. The same principle is true for companies. Building consensus and working through thorny challenges relies on having a solid foundation of the mission, values, and goals that undergird an organization and are greater than any one individual.

(2) Be authentic and purposeful.

Strong leaders can adapt when situations require but are steadfast when it comes to their priorities and core identity. At Purple, we work with leaders to build an executive framework that helps them stay true to these qualities, regardless of the situation. Central to each framework is an executive identity or persona that’s based on a thorough landscape review and becomes an authentic, differentiating, and aspirational characterization of that leader’s style. The framework also includes pillars outlining the themes and topics that the leader wants to keep in-focus. Especially in high-pressure situations, executives turn to their frameworks to ensure they act in a way that’s on-strategy and true to their leadership.

(3) Execute a campaign-inspired activation plan.

Much like being a member of Congress, advancing priorities, building coalitions, and getting ahead of issues before they become a problem all come with the job of CEO. What’s different is corporations don’t have an election day, which can lead to no or slow action by companies on emerging issues. That’s why crafting a plan to consistently engage important stakeholders, credibly act on priorities, and respond to headwinds is so important. Advance planning around these factors becomes an antidote to inaction and helps executives get ahead of roadblocks to their agenda.

(4) Conduct scenario planning.

Scenario plans are an essential part of any political campaign and business plan, and they should be part of every CEO thought leadership plan too. Taking time well in advance to anticipate scenarios the leader could face and planning the messaging and contingencies to use, if needed, helps streamline decision-making and avoid costly missteps.

(5) Prioritize communications training.

Across the public and private sector, the most effective persuasive speakers are so compelling because they practice. Beyond regular traditional media trainings, politicians also spend hours in debate practice and receiving coaching on how to clearly drive a message across formats. Applying these same tactics with executives works seamlessly to help them also communicate in a way that’s engaging, memorable, and in support of their business goals. Amazon Board Member and Former PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi said, “You cannot overinvest in communication skills…If you cannot simplify a message and communicate it compellingly, believe me, you cannot get the masses to follow you.” CEOs’ schedules are notoriously busy, but making time to sharpen how they communicate is worth it given the stakes.

As much of a circus that politics can be, there’s a great deal CEOs can learn from it. Read more about how Purple Strategies helps companies and their leaders manage these new political realities.

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By Diana Muggeridge  |  Director

 

This article first appeared in The Leadership Issue (page 36-37) of The CEO Forum Group quarterly magazine.

The AI arms race is on. Microsoft’s release of ChatGPT-powered Bing and Google’s rushed preview of Bard is evidence that Pandora’s box is fully open when it comes to bringing generative artificial intelligence (AI) to the masses.

The repercussions of generative AI on business could be staggering. These technologies promise to transform everything from how business gets done to the way we interact with the world. This is the next technology frontier, one with great promise and, as with any frontier, great peril.

And whether you believe in more government regulation of technology or not, we’ve repeatedly seen elected officials struggle to establish rules that govern how we navigate the perils of fast-moving technological advances. Tech leaders are increasingly calling for government action to ensure the responsible evolution of AI.

In this leadership vacuum, companies that use and deploy AI will be held just as accountable for issues as the companies creating the technology. A recent Purple Strategies survey found that expectations for corporate leaders are high:

• 91% of respondents said it was important for leaders to be transparent about their AI strategy and how investments may impact employees, customers and society.
• 90% said it was important for leaders to solve for potential bias and misinformation in their use of AI.
• 90% said it’s as important for leaders to adopt an ethical framework for implementing AI within their corporations.¹

So how can companies protect their reputations while capitalizing on AI’s potential?

There are three key elements that will influence your company’s reputation with critical stakeholders ranging from employees and consumers to investors and policy makers.

(1) Aligning on “rules of the road”

One of the most important considerations for corporate leaders when developing AI strategy isn’t what they will set out to accomplish – because the future is so uncertain – but instead, what lines they won’t cross. Establishing clear guardrails to guide decisions about investment, development, implementation and outcomes of AI can give organizations a language through which they can convey their values and create alignment with skeptical audiences, even in the absence of ethical standards and strong governance models.

Start by setting guidelines that are agreed upon at the highest levels of your organization: leadership and your board of directors. From there, the rules can be communicated out to managers and employees through dedicated updates and trainings. Strong organizational alignment is critical to ensuring that anyone in a position to develop or use AI is clear on when and when not to use it, what the standard operating procedures are for piloting and reviewing AI programs, and how the guidelines will adapt as the technology continues to advance and be adopted more widely.

Vanderbilt University recently found itself in hot water over its use of ChatGPT to compose an email responding to the deadly shooting at Michigan State University. The email, sent by the office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI), was criticized for being generic and impersonal. In the absence of “rules of the road” for how to use AI, people will take the technology into their own hands – with potential negative consequences to follow.

(2) Scenario planning to get ahead of negative consequences

The potential risks of AI are immense. Many of these are known: the spread of misinformation, the proliferation of bias and the potential for human jobs to be replaced by computers. Even more are unknown, or are unique to specific groups or industries. Companies need broad, flexible scenario plans that can serve as a guide when something inevitably goes wrong, as well as proactive and reactive issues-management capabilities to manage through negative consequences and crises.

To get started, think about how your organization plans to invest in and use AI. Based on that vision, identify any negative outcomes that could expose the company to risk. How will the risks impact the business? Stakeholder perceptions? Talent? Based on those scenarios, develop action plans for how to address them.

Using the example above, Vanderbilt found itself in a reactive position, facing negative press and angry students and faculty. It issued an apology and temporarily placed two associate deans on leave while they investigated. They found themselves on the back foot in a media firestorm – a cautionary tale for any company or institution starting to embrace the technology.

(3) Engaging leadership with stakeholders who hold your license to operate

Communications best practice advises us to dialogue with influential audiences to understand where they’re coming from and manage perceptions and expectations. It’s no different with AI. Defining your AI story and messages based on your “rules of the road,” talking to critical stakeholders about what you’re doing, understanding shared concerns, and agreeing on how you can partner together will be critical to managing change with your core audiences. To manage stakeholders effectively, begin coaching executives on how to deliver AI-focused messages so they can bring internal and external audiences along on the journey and create confidence in the vision.

When it comes to AI, everyone is building the proverbial bike as they ride it. Engaging with audiences early will show a willingness to engage and put your company in a better position to manage the AI transition as it’s happening.

 

Marissa Piette is a Senior Director at Purple Strategies.

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¹Purple Omnibus Survey (US Informed Public, N=1,000), February 2023

Three Ideals of Evolving People-First Leadership from The CEO Forum’s Leadership Summit

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Purple Strategies is the thought leadership partner of The CEO Forum Group and Transformative CEO Summit series, featuring CEOs of leading companies discussing creative ways to solve today’s most pressing challenges.

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When CEOs started coming together in early 2021 for quarterly Transformative CEO Summits, they were at an inflection point in the voyage of pandemic-era leadership.

Forward momentum for many corporate priorities had largely taken a back seat to navigating an unprecedented global crisis for a year, at which point leaders were ready to pivot from health crisis to human connection: their focus, to steady the ship for their employees and communities in the violent wake of the pandemic’s upheaval of everyday and work life.

The next inflection point came several months later, when gathered CEOs discussed their collective efforts to build better workplaces post-pandemic: the ship was now mostly steady and needed to be strengthened and fortified for the new course that had been set based on the experiences of the crisis.

When CEOs met at the end of 2022, it became clear through their dialogue that a new inflection point has been reached: the expectation that business is once again full-speed ahead, and that achieving this pace will require each and every person to pull in the same direction. And it’s up to CEOs to harness the power and potential of each of those team members.

The following ideals are top of mind for CEOs as their organizations seek to unleash the power of the individuals within them as they continue to chart their course over the coming months.

Ideal #1: Hierarchy gives way to humanity.

Transformative CEOs are flattening their organizations, not necessarily by removing levels needed to manage and function but rather by fostering a culture that allows for the democratization of ideas. They are leaving titles at the door of meetings, allowing for more junior team members to speak up and push ideas forward in a way that fosters innovation and ensures consideration of a diversity of perspectives. They see that when unhelpful or unnecessary structure falls away, individual contributions can expand and decision-making can happen more quickly. In place of that hierarchy, CEOs say, it’s going to require more thought on the part of executives to create the optimal experience to benefit both employees and company productivity.

Ideal #2: Purpose is planful and personal.

Transformative CEOs are looking at purpose through a newer lens as they seek to motivate their teams to stay, to align and to push forward. Historically the company purpose held employees from the same communities together around some shared experiences and frames of reference and to the local employer. In today’s environment more than ever before, the world – and the work experience – are completely portable. With working from home and employer-switching the norm, affinity and loyalty to organizations no longer exists as an anchor in the way it once did. So CEOs must articulate the company’s purpose in such a way that each employee is able to see clearly their own personal alignment with it and contribution to it. This demands that CEOs be more purpose-driven and has the capability of energizing their workforce in the face of continuous change.

Ideal #3: Executive access fosters authenticity and accountability.

As they look at unlocking the power of individuals on their teams, Transformative CEOs are learning the limits and lanes for using their own influence as chief executives, as well. The direct connection they can make with internal and external audiences by leveraging technology is powerful. New tools for communicating and connecting give CEOs an opportunity to have more impact and personal connections at scale and 1:1, but that comes with additional risk that must be managed. One repeated message is no longer enough — today, it feels scripted. CEO communications must be both localized and personalized, and given to others to cascade and further localize and personalize. Authentic, real-time communication can create more meaning and connection between an executive and key audiences, but also more opportunities to depart from planned messaging and into unplanned topic areas. The greater window available today into the leadership of CEOs makes all things visible and calls for high-character leadership. On today’s CEO stage, Transformative CEOs speak truth with compassion, surround themselves with people of high character, take responsibility for their actions and decisions, and are transparent when they fall short.

While it’s unclear what the next inflection point will be for CEOs at the helm of corporations during this time of continued rapid change, it’s unlikely the power of the individual will wane anytime soon, if ever. Transformative CEOs are watching closely and evolving their approaches to be sure that the individuals they work so hard to attract, retain, develop and grow are given every opportunity to unleash their full potential.

Purple co-founder and CEO Steve McMahon and Kim English, head coach of George Mason University men’s basketball, have teamed up for the American Cancer Society’s “Set the Screen” effort to encourage a return to recommended cancer screening.

“The fact that cancer screenings dropped by more than 90% during the pandemic was a sobering statistic for Kim [English] and me to learn,” Steve McMahon said. “Every one of us at Purple has a personal connection to cancer, as do Kim and his team and everyone in our community. We all know decreased and delayed cancer diagnoses and treatments will result in far too many negative outcomes for far too many people and families. I’m honored that Kim asked me and our Purple team to join him in this effort to encourage screenings, and we’re proud to be with him, George Mason, the American Cancer Society and all those on this mission to end cancer.”

Coaches vs. Cancer (CvC) is a nationwide movement created 30 years ago that unites coaches across the country, along with partner CEOs in their communities, to raise funds and awareness about the fight against cancer and promote the American Cancer Society as a source of inspiration and hope for those facing cancer. This year during CvC’s Suits and Sneakers® Week (Jan. 23-29), coaches, companies, CEOs and health providers are joining together for a Set the Screen campaign, designed to call attention to the critical importance of cancer screening.

For more information on cancer screenings, and to join coaches and their partner CEOs in the fight against cancer, visit coaches.cancer.org.