Career News 24/7: INSTANT MBA: Soldiers Can Handle Change, But They Can't Deal With Uncertainty

View this email online | Add newsletter@businessinsider.com to your address book

Tech

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Today's advice comes from James J. Schiro, CEO of Zurich Financial Services:

I don’t think any one individual is so brilliant that they know all of the answers. So you’ve got to have a sense of inclusiveness.

The other most important thing is making people understand the strategy and the message, and be out in front of the people so that they actually understand the mission.

I remember I had just been elected senior partner of PriceWaterhouse, and we had our new partners meeting, and Colin Powell came to speak. I was talking to him before the meeting, and I said, “Well, what do you think is the most important thing?”

He said, 'The most important thing is the troops have to understand where they are going.' People don’t like change, but they can manage change. They can’t handle uncertainty. I think it is the job of leaders to eliminate uncertainty."

Want your business advice featured in Instant MBA? Submit your tips to tipoftheday@businessinsider.com. Be sure to include your name, your job title, and a photo of yourself in your email.

For the latest career news, visit War Room. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.