政府应该向商界学习的5个地方

    撰稿：博雅全球副董事长凯伦•休斯

    我在给商界领袖做战略传播顾问时，经常将政界经验应用到当今的商界环境中。政界最基本的规则（候选人必须进行自我定义，否则，就会被对手定义）越来越适用于公司，从维权团体到客户、再到竞争对手的任何人都可能半道插进来用各种故事来定义或损害品牌。

    但在上周召开的《财富》杂志“最具影响力女性峰会”中，我发现我希望当今的政界领导人能更多听取一些商界女性领袖在这次大会上分享的经验。

    1.寻找共同的战略信仰。IBM董事长兼CEO罗睿兰说，世界变化如此之快，企业必须专注于“战略信仰”，团结所有人朝着信仰努力，而不是因循守旧矩。她解释说，必须在大方向上达成一致，然后给予人们话语权，让他们为实现目标出谋划策。

    我想如果美国两大政党的领导人把注意力放在共同的“战略信仰”上，或许能帮助他们找到更多共同点。比如，两大政党的领导人都想为未来的老年人保留联邦医疗保险计划（Medicare）。将此作为我们国家的一项根本义务，这样的“战略信仰”或许能让我们更坦诚地探讨，我们作为一个国家如何举全国之力支持Medicare，让它长远、更加强大。

    2.只争朝夕。“迫不及待是项美德，”施乐(Xerox)董事长兼CEO乌尔苏拉•伯恩斯表示。“如果上任后”只做前任做过的事，“就会被变革掀翻在地。”必须确立一个远大的目标，“迫不及待地去实现它，”伯恩斯说。

    设想一下，如果国会也“迫不及待地去实现”移民改革或更多贸易协定，或者解决财政大幅下滑的方案——甚至预算案，情况将会怎样？民意调查显示，大部分美国人对美国国会的评价都是负面的。美国国会需要加快做事速度，拿出实际行动，改变美国人对美国国会的看法还有很长的路要走。

    by Ambassador Karen Hughes, Worldwide Vice Chair, Burson-Marsteller

    In my work as a strategic communications adviser to business leaders, I frequently apply the lessons of politics to today's corporate environment. The most fundamental rule of the political process – that candidates have to define themselves or their opponents will define them – increasingly applies to companies, as everyone from activist groups to customers to competitors chime in to share stories that help define or undermine brands.

    But during last week's Fortune Most Powerful Women Summit, I found myself wishing today's political leaders would take more heed of some of the lessons shared at this conference by some of the leading women in business.

    1. Find shared strategic beliefs. With the world changing so quickly, companies have to focus on "strategic beliefs" and align everyone toward those beliefs, rather than be too prescriptive, said Ginni Rometty, chairman and CEO of IBM (IBM). You have to agree on big directional arcs, and then allow people to have a say and contribute ideas to achieve them, she explained.

    I suspect if leaders of both political parties focused on a shared set of "strategic beliefs" for our country, it might help them find more common ground. As one example, leaders in both parties want to preserve Medicare for future generations of seniors. Accepting that as a fundamental obligation of our country, a "strategic belief" might allow a more honest discussion of how we can come together as a nation to shore up Medicare's finances and make it stronger for the long run.

    2. Practice impatience. "Impatience is a virtue," said Ursula Burns, chairman and CEO, Xerox (XRX). "If you settle in" and do only what previous leaders did, "you'll be run over by change." You have to set an aspirational path and be "impatient to achieve it," Burns said.

    Imagine if Congress were "impatient to achieve" immigration reform, or more trade agreements, or a solution to the fiscal cliff--or even a budget? Polls show people have overwhelmingly negative opinions about Congress. Greater urgency and actual action might go a long way toward making the American people improve their view of Congress.