Top 10 Best Companies for Leadership

Top 10 Best Companies for Leadership

Management is doing things right, leadership is doing the right things. – Peter F. Drucker

Leadership quality is vital for the success of any organization. Good leaders help companies to stand firm in the times of turbulence and stay calm during happier times. They bring new ideas on the table along with a framework to implement them. They motivate team members by their words and lead from the front with their actions.

Another quality of a good leader is that they love to work in a team. They love to be part of an organization which is conducive to innovations. So which companies are the most conducive for leaders? Here’s the list of 10 best companies for leadership, according to a study carried out by Hay Group and BusinessWeek.

1. General Electric

 GE is a global infrastructure, finance and media company taking on the world’s toughest challenges. From everyday light bulbs to fuel cell technology, to cleaner, more efficient jet engines, GE has continuously been shaping the world with groundbreaking innovations for over hundred years.

The company spends a large chunk of money on leadership, research and development. At the forefront of leadership is the company’s CEO Jeff Immelt himself.

The company spends approximately $400 million annually on leadership development.

2. Southwest Airlines

Southwest Airlines, the American airline is one of the largest airlines in the world in terms of number of passengers carried per year. Company’s leadership qualities reflect in its mission statement, which reads:

“We are committed to provide our Employees a stable work environment with equal opportunity for learning and personal growth. Creativity and innovation are encouraged for improving the effectiveness of Southwest Airlines. Above all, Employees will be provided the same concern, respect, and caring attitude within the organization that they are expected to share externally with every Southwest Customer.”

The company spent $3 million on leadership development.

3. 3M Company

3M is a diversified technology company serving customers and communities with innovative products and services. The Company is a primary manufacturer of products for many of the markets it serves. 3M operates in six business segments: Industrial and Transportation; Health Care; Consumer and Office; Safety, Security and Protection Services; Display and Graphics; and Electro and Communications. 3M has operations in more than 60 countries – 29 international companies with manufacturing operations, and 35 with laboratories.

4. Procter & Gamble
Procter & Gamble has strong presence around the world. Their market capitalization is greater than the GDP of many countries, and they serve consumers in more than 180 countries. P&G scores high on leadership front too. The executive team of company is led by Bob McDonald, who has 30 years of brand-building, market development, global business unit and global operations leadership experience across P&G and throughout the world.

5. Accenture

Accenture is a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company. Combining unparalleled experience, comprehensive capabilities across all industries and business functions, and extensive research on the world's most successful companies, Accenture collaborates with clients to help them become high-performance businesses and governments. Accenture has offices and operations in 52 countries.

The budget for leadership development is embedded within the training budget, which was approximately $800 million in fiscal year 2009.

6. Wal-Mart Store

Walmart serves customers and members more than 200 million times per week at more than 8,416 retail units under 53 different banners in 15 countries. With fiscal year 2009 sales of $401 billion, Walmart employs more than 2.1 million associates worldwide.
A leader in sustainability, corporate philanthropy and employment opportunity, Walmart ranked first among retailers in Fortune Magazine’s 2009 Most Admired Companies survey.

Their leadership mantra is, “Saving people money to help them live better was the goal that Sam Walton envisioned when he opened the doors to the first Walmart more than 40 years ago. Today, this mission is more important than ever to our customers and members around the world. We work hard every day in all our markets to deliver on this promise. We operate with the same level of integrity and respect that Mr. Sam put in place. It is because of these values and culture that Walmart continues to make a difference in the lives of our customers, members and associates.”

Amount Spent Annually on Leadership Development: $44 million-$55 million

7. Nestle

Nestlé is the world's leading nutrition, health and wellness company. Since Henri Nestlé developed the first milk food for infants in 1867, and saved the life of a neighbor’s child, the Nestlé Company has aimed to build a business as the world's leading nutrition, health and wellness company based on sound human values and principles.

Nestlé's business objective is to manufacture and market the Company's products in such a way as to create value that can be sustained over the long term for shareholders, employees, consumers, and business partners.
 
8. Coca-Cola

Coca-Cola is the world’s leading brand in beverage industry. The company offers hundreds of brands, including soft drinks, fruit juice, sports drinks and other. The company has more than 90, 000 employees and spends $14 million (includes salary and benefits of select people/positions dedicated to leadership development, the costs associated with major LD programs and initiatives, and executive coaching) on leadership development.

9. McDonald’s Corp.

McDonald's is the leading global foodservice retailer with more than 32,000 local restaurants serving more than 60 million people in 117 countries each day. More than 75% of McDonald's restaurants worldwide are owned and operated by independent local men and women.
The mission statement of McDonald’s says all about the company.

"McDonald's vision is to be the world's best quick service restaurant experience. Being the best means providing outstanding quality, service, cleanliness, and value, so that we make every customer in every restaurant smile."

The company spends approximately $480 million on leadership development.

10. Infosys Technologies

Infosys was founded by 7 people in India with a budget US $250 in 1981. Today, it is a global leader in the "next generation" of IT and consulting services with revenues of over US$ 4 billion. Their mission statement says a lot about their policy, which is, “to achieve our objectives in an environment of fairness, honesty, and courtesy towards our clients, employees, vendors and society at large."