Spring 1997
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Spring 1997 |
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When major corporations assess their executive leadership, one of the people they frequently turn to is Rose-Hulman alumnus Goldsmith. The 1970 mathematical economics graduate ranks as of the nation's top experts in executive development. The Wall Street Journal has named him as one of the "top ten" consultants in the field. Goldsmith is a founding director of Keilty, Goldsmith and Company, a consulting firm based in San Diego, Calif. With 16 principals and 100 associates, the firm serves clients around the world. The Keilty-Goldsmith client list includes corporations such as American Express, Andersen Consulting, AT&T, IBM, Kodak, Motorola, Netscape, Nortel, Pfizer, Sun Microsystems and Texaco. "My area of focus is increasing people's leadership effectiveness," Goldsmith explained. When Goldsmith assists a company, he develops a profile of what that company wants in its leader of the future. After an exhaustive study of perceptions of existing leadership, Goldsmith and his staff provide a strategy for leadership development. A strategy might include customized classes for business executives, teaching individuals to work in teams, teaching listening skills, and executive coaching. An executive must want to change, Goldsmith pointed out. "When I'm coaching, I can't make someone change their behavior, they have to want to improve." "Good leaders must empower people to make decisions to allow for flexibility. The world is changing too fast for a leader to dictate anymore." Goldsmith noted the leader of 30 to 40 years ago had the philosophy: "I have the answer, you don't. My job is to tell you what to do and how to do it." That doctrine will not last in today's marketplace, according to Goldsmith. "The leader of the future is a person who knows how to ask. They need to ask, listen and learn. They must continually learn and grow or just die in the market." Goldsmith provides a good model for learning and growth. After graduating from Rose-Hulman, he earned an MBA from Indiana University and a Ph.D. from UCLA. He became a college professor, rising to the rank of associate dean of the Graduate School of Business at Loyola Marymount University. He also served as a director of the Center for Leadership Studies. He branched out into his own business 18 years ago. Although he left academia, he still considers himself a teacher. "In terms of what I teach to business executives, it is even more rewarding than college. They (business executives) apply what they learn to their lives every day. Undergraduate education in my field may focus more on theory that students did not always use or pay attention to." Helping executives improve their leadership is a rewarding challenge for Goldsmith. He also enjoys getting "to have lots of experiences in life." One of those came this year when he spoke in front of 1,200 people at the Renaissance Weekend attended by President Bill Clinton. The Renaissance Weekend is a family retreat for leaders in the fields of business, arts, sports, science, politics and the media. The only down side to Goldsmith's career is travel. He has racked up 4.5 million frequent flier miles on American Airlines. A recent 16-day around-the-world stint shows the extensive travel nature of his schedule. His flight path started in San Diego, and then took him to Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), Geneva, New York, Atlanta, Phoenix and back to San Diego. Companies visited during that trip included Johnson & Johnson, Nortel, AT&T, Southern Company, and Cox Communications. Goldsmith also is an editor for the Drucker Foundation (named for and guided by management guru Peter Drucker). He has co-edited two books -- "The Leader of the Future" and "The Organization of the Future." They bring together leading authors, consultants and executives who contributed essays to each book. "The Leader of the Future" has been translated in 12 languages. All proceeds from the books go to charity. Other publication work includes serving as a regular contributor to "Leader to Leader", a journal published by the Drucker Foundation. Volunteerism does not stop in the publishing world. Goldsmith has donated his executive development services to several non-profit organizations such as the International Red Cross and the Girl Scouts of the USA. In reviewing Goldsmith's career, it's interesting to look back 30 years to his Rose-Hulman enrollment application. He wrote on that form that he "may decide to try for an executive position." Not only did he obtain one, but he has built a successful career on helping other people with executive positions. Goldsmith credits his Rose-Hulman experience for his success. "The school did a great job of preparing me for my future grad education and my career," he said. "I can't say enough about Rose-Hulman. My MBA and PHD were much easier than Rose-Hulman. If current students can do well at Rose, they can do well anyplace." by Bryan Taylor   |