Karl W. Alleman: US Midwest Firms Need New Business Culture

US Midwest firms have failed to adapt to international competition and face ongoing disruption driven by globalization and technological change, writes Egon Zehnder’s Karl W. Alleman. In his view, firms need to, “revisit the time-honored business culture of the Midwest — hardworking, loyal, humble and nice — and figure out how to foster a more innovative, disruptive and ambitious spirit.” That means cultivating problem-solving, risk-taking leaders via accelerated job rotations and by hiring outside talent. “Midwestern companies' long-term success in the new economy will boil down to transforming their culture to make room for diverse thinkers, encourage employees to debate and disagree, and empower them to push the limits and take bold actions,” concludes Alleman.

Full story: Karl W. Alleman: “Midwestern CEOs are too nice” in Crain’s Chicago Business (11 January 2017).