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Commentary

How CST Brands’ CEO overcomes resistance to change

By
Kim Lubel
Kim Lubel
and
Bethany Cianciolo
Down Arrow Button Icon
September 21, 2015, 12:00 PM ET
www.joshhuskin.com
www.joshhuskin.comCourtesy of CST Brands

MPW Insider is an online community where the biggest names in business and beyond answer timely career and leadership questions. Today’s answer for: What is the biggest leadership lesson you’ve learned in the past year? is written by Kim Lubel, CEO, chairman and president of CST Brands.

Driving cultural change at an organization with more than 14,000 employees requires focused communication and relentless storytelling. This past year, we rolled out our four core values to the entire organization: innovation, entrepreneurial spirit, strategic thinking and servant leadership.

Without continued communication on what these core values mean and how they impact everyday decisions across the organization, we run the risk of relegating them to wall art displayed in back rooms throughout the company. As a leader, I have to talk the talk and walk that talk — that means demonstrating these core values in my actions and decisions while holding leaders accountable for doing the same — to overcome the natural organizational resistance to change and prevent our expressed values from being just another poster.

 

Read all responses to the MPW Insider question: What is the biggest leadership lesson you’ve learned in the past year?

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Mondelez CEO says this is why managers need to be more transparent with employees by Irene Rosenfeld, CEO of Mondelez.

About the Authors
By Kim Lubel
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
By Bethany Cianciolo
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