Influence and Persuasion (HBR Emotional Intelligence Series)

’s what Lou Gerstner did in the 1990s, when the board at IBM brought him in to turn around the almost bankrupt company. Gerstner called his listening tour Operation Bear Hug. He gave managers three months to meet with customers and ask about issues they were grappling with and how IBM could help. Managers then had to recap the conversations in memos. Gerstner also called customers on his own every day. And he “bear-hugged” employees by touring IBM’s various sites and hosting gatherings to share updates, test ideas, and tackle concerns. He held 90-minute unscripted Q&A sessions with the staff, during which he would talk to 20,000 workers directly.

“I listened, and I tried very hard not to draw conclusions

your success depends on your ability to grasp the wants and needs of the people around you.