Professor Randall Peterson spoke to the EurOUT Conference about Authentic Leadership, on 9 November 2013. He addressed some key questions about being a successful LGBT leader in the workplace. The event was organised by London Business School's Out in Business Club. Find out more about the Club: Website: https://clubs.london.edu/oib/about/ EurOUT conference website: http://www.eurout.biz/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EurOUT Twitter: https://twitter.com/EurOutLBS

1. Randall S. Peterson
Professor of Organisational Behaviour
Former Deputy Dean (Faculty)
London Business School
EurOUT Conference
8-10 November 2013 | London Business School

2.  London Business School is one of the world’s best business schools.
 It is consistently ranked as one of the top 2 business schools in Europe and as one of the
top 10 business schools in the world.
• In 2011, London Business School was ranked number one in the world for its MBA
programme by the Financial Times for the third year in a row.
• It was also ranked #1 international MBA program by Bloomberg Business Week in
2012.
 London Business School offers a variety of business education programs ranging from
Masters In Management for recent graduates to its Sloan programme for senior managers
and caters for a full range of executive education.
 Being located in one of the world’s most diverse and dynamic cities, London Business
School is truly international with more than 60 nationalities represented in the 406 students
of the MBA class graduating in 2014.
 London Business School is also an inclusive place for LGBT people.
Welcome to London Business School

3. How can I be LGBT and be a
successful business leader?
First, we need to talk about what it means to be a successful business leader….
Authenticity in the Workplace

4. Long Term Success in Business is…
 Equally well predicted by technical skills (finance, accounting, etc.) and social influence
skills (e.g., self-awareness about how others perceive you, networking, etc.);
 Depends on your ability to work well with a broad variety of people, including those you
who may not be ‘your type’ of people; and
 Usually made or lost when luck goes against you and you are vulnerable – will the people
around you support you, or watch you drown?!?
Long Term Success in Business

5. Long Term Success in Business starts with being
noticed early on and identified as a “high
potential” executive… (A.K.A. what organisations are looking
for)





A good track record
Technical or business brilliance
Commitment or “Sacrifice”
Outgoing and Charming
Ambition (in a culturally appropriate way)
Long Term Success in Business

6. What is leadership success to you?
What makes for successful global leadership?
What is leadership as defined by your group?
What is Leadership?

7. Frames for understanding Leadership
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Personal or Trait Frame (e.g., Great Man theory of leadership)
Situational Frame (e.g., One Minute Manager)
Positional or Hierarchical Frame
Political or Power Frame (e.g., Machiavelli)
Vision Frame
Ethical Frame (e.g., Servant Leadership)
Courage or Authenticity Frame
What is Leadership?

8. Leadership is about having…
 the courage to be yourself
 the willingness to put yourself at risk when you are needed by your
group
 the ability to harness your position and power in order to take your group
to a better place
What is Leadership?

9. Who are you?
Where do you want to take others?
Why should your group be lead by you?
What is Leadership?

10. On the one hand being LGBT is an important part
of our identity…
On the other hand…
 we sometimes face outright discrimination (i.e., so should we hide or “pass” as straight?!?)
 it is not all that we are (i.e., we do not want it to dominate and limit us as whole human beings)
 So, how do we do this? The answers are personal...
For LGBT People, Authenticity in the Workplace is Tricky

11. How important is your LGBT identity?
 …to your comfort level at work?
 …to how you do your work?
 …to your choice of work?
This will determine…
 …how ‘out’ you want to be at work (‘don’t ask, don’t tell’, or ‘out and proud’)
 …your priorities at work (will you be a diversity champion)
 …whether you want to take a job that specifically supports LGBT people
(work for Stonewall)
For LGBT People, Authenticity in the Workplace is Tricky

12. Chris Smith
Chris Smith (first openly out UK MP), during a rally in 1984 in Rugby,
England against a possible ban on gay employees by the town council, he
began his speech: "Good afternoon, I'm Chris Smith, I'm the Labour MP for
Islington South and Finsbury. I'm gay, and so for that matter are about a
hundred other members of the House of Commons, but they won't tell you
openly.“
He received a standing ovation from most of the audience.
Some Inspiring Role Models

13. David Norris
David Norris (the first openly gay person to be elected to public office in
the Republic of Ireland) is internationally credited with having "managed,
almost single-handedly, to overthrow the anti-homosexuality law which
brought about the downfall of Oscar Wilde", a feat he achieved in 1988
after a fourteen-year campaign.
He has also been credited with being "almost single-handedly responsible
for rehabilitating James Joyce in once disapproving Irish eyes".
Some Inspiring Role Models

14. Ellen Marie Barrett
Ellen Marie Barrett is an Episcopal (USA) priest and was the first openly
lesbian priest to be properly ordained. Her ordainment took place shortly
after the General Convention approved the ordination of women in 1977.
Barrett's candor about her homosexuality caused great controversy within
the church. Even prior to her entry into the priesthood, she was a
prominent spokesperson for the rights of gays and lesbians in the church,
especially in regards to ordination. "I remember Mrs. Rosa Parks' answer
about why she sat down that day on that bus: 'I don't know, just tired I
guess.' Yes, tired.... Tired of being second-class, good girl, virgin-whore,
defective by nature. Tired of being told that the omnipotent God can't call
me to the priesthood."
Some Inspiring Role Models

15. Antonio Simoes
Antonio Simoes leads the OUTstanding in Business Top 50, published by the
Financial Times. He is Deputy Chief Executive of HSBC Bank and Head of the UK
Bank, responsible for HSBC's retail and commercial banking business in the United
Kingdom. Before joining HSBC, Simoes was a Partner at McKinsey & Company's
London office and worked at Goldman Sachs in London. He holds an MBA with
honours from Columbia University.
Suki Sandhu, founder and chief executive of OUTstanding in Business says of him:
“He’s a chief executive, out in financial services, has driven the diversity agenda in
HSBC, challenges stereotypes and won a diversity leader of the year award.”
Two of our other speakers in the conference today are also on that list. So we have
successful experience in the room today.
Some Inspiring Role Models

16.  “The will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to reach your full potential...
these are the keys that will unlock the door to personal excellence.” - Confucius
 “It is better to conquer yourself than to win a thousand battles. Then the victory
is yours. It cannot be taken from you, not by angels or by demons, heaven or
hell.” - Buddha
 “Excellence is not a specific skill. It is an attitude.” - Ralph Marston
 “Many roads open pathways to authenticity. For some it is disciplined practice,
for others revelation, for others service. Regardless of how we get in touch with
authenticity, or how authenticity gets in touch with us, the engagement is
ongoing and forever challenging.” - Dr Robert L. Terry
Authentic Leadership: Some Thoughts….

17. “Our ambition should be to rule ourselves, the true
kingdom for each one of us; and true progress is to know
more, and be more, and to do more.”
- Oscar Wilde
A Final Thought on Authentic Leadership

18. Good Luck in Your Own
Authentic Leadership Journey
Enjoy
and London!