In it, McMillon posted a photo of the six tomes that “taught and inspired” him. They range from works about Chinese politics, how best to pay workers and how to nourish the human soul. And it looks like one piece may have been something McMillon read many times before.
Sam Walton: Made in America, by Sam Walton, details how the author (and Wal-Mart founder) went from milking cows and delivering newspapers during the Great Depression to building one of the biggest retail empires in the world.
Apparently, McMillon discovered that the Walton book, which he goes back to frequently, shared features with Team of Teams: New Rules of Engagement for a Complex World, a work on management strategy by General Stanley McChrystal.
“It seems they learned some similar things about what works when it comes to leading teams. For example, fostering a shared consciousness and empowering execution delivers results,” McMillon said.
Also among his recommendations was Chinese Politics in the Xi JingpingEra: Reassessing Collective Leadership, by Cheng Li. Wal-Mart has hundreds of stores in China and wants to add more over the coming years, so this choice makes sense.
A little more offbeat perhaps was McMillon’s selection of Soul Keeping by John Ortberg, which pledges to “help you discover your soul and take your relationship with God to the next level.”
Rounding out the six were two books on management strategy. One, Change in Design: How Design Thinking Transforms Organizations and Inspires Innovation, by Tim Brown, offers advice on how organizations can be inspired to innovate.
Meanwhile, The Good Jobs Strategy, by Zeynep Ton, argues that even in low-cost settings, leaving employees behind—with bad jobs and low wages—is a choice, not a necessity. That’s an interesting choice of reading, given that McMillon last year announced Wal-Mart would raise all employees’ wages to at least $10 per hour, above the federal minimum wage of $7.25.
Chief Executive Group exists to improve the performance of U.S. CEOs, senior executives and public-company directors, helping you grow your companies, build your communities and strengthen society. Learn more at chiefexecutivegroup.com.
0
1:00 - 5:00 pm
Over 70% of Executives Surveyed Agree: Many Strategic Planning Efforts Lack Systematic Approach Tips for Enhancing Your Strategic Planning Process
Executives expressed frustration with their current strategic planning process. Issues include:
Steve Rutan and Denise Harrison have put together an afternoon workshop that will provide the tools you need to address these concerns. They have worked with hundreds of executives to develop a systematic approach that will enable your team to make better decisions during strategic planning. Steve and Denise will walk you through exercises for prioritizing your lists and steps that will reset and reinvigorate your process. This will be a hands-on workshop that will enable you to think about your business as you use the tools that are being presented. If you are ready for a Strategic Planning tune-up, select this workshop in your registration form. The additional fee of $695 will be added to your total.
2:00 - 5:00 pm
Female leaders face the same issues all leaders do, but they often face additional challenges too. In this peer session, we will facilitate a discussion of best practices and how to overcome common barriers to help women leaders be more effective within and outside their organizations.
Limited space available.
10:30 - 5:00 pm
General’s Retreat at Hermitage Golf Course
Sponsored by UBS
General’s Retreat, built in 1986 with architect Gary Roger Baird, has been voted the “Best Golf Course in Nashville” and is a “must play” when visiting the Nashville, Tennessee area. With the beautiful setting along the Cumberland River, golfers of all capabilities will thoroughly enjoy the golf, scenery and hospitality.
The golf outing fee includes transportation to and from the hotel, greens/cart fees, use of practice facilities, and boxed lunch. The bus will leave the hotel at 10:30 am for a noon shotgun start and return to the hotel after the cocktail reception following the completion of the round.
