Photo by Camilla Carvalho on Unsplash
Adidas CEO Makes Unconventional Leadership Move
January 16, 2024
It’s reasonable to maintain a certain level of privacy as the leader of a major corporation. However, the CEO of Adidas, Bjørn Gulden, chose a different path — he gave his personal cell number to all 60,000 Adidas employees. A bit unconventional, you might think, but it was a strategic move on his part to increase transparency within the company.
Gulden took over Adidas in January 2023 during a challenging phase. The company was undergoing major changes, including ending its partnership with rapper Kanye West (now known as Ye) and recovering from a massive financial hit of a 724-million-euro operating loss in the last quarter of 2022.
True to his character, Gulden decided to tackle the issue head-on. One of his first steps in turning the tide was addressing the company’s transparency issues. By giving out his cell number, he opened a direct line of communication with the staff, sparking conversations, and, in some instances, receiving around 200 weekly calls from employees proposing changes to the company.
This brave move stirred mixed reactions, with some questioning his sanity, but Gulden remained steadfast in his belief that open leaders were the best leaders. His aim was to tackle the existing culture in Adidas, which, according to him, was too focused on finding reasons not to execute crucial changes. He felt this was holding the company back and needed to be addressed.
Drawing from his nine-year tenure at Puma, where his leadership led to a significant sales turnaround, Gulden began implementing changes at Adidas. He ditched consultants whose decisions didn’t resonate with industry veterans, and he revived sports like cricket, which enjoy a dedicated fanbase in large markets like India. He also streamlined communication processes, ensuring he received more direct reports from department leads. Another considerable change was eliminating a burdensome evaluation practice.
Gulden’s unconventional approach seems to be giving Adidas the shake-up it desperately needed after a year marred by controversies, declining sales, and worker dissatisfaction. These transformations are a breath of fresh air, and Gulden is confident that they are key to steering the company back into profitability.
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