Are you a troublemaker? Here's why you should be

(And why your company should be encouraging you)

I had the most amazing meeting with Gib Bulloch recently (joined virtually by Danielle Van Den Broek, our VP HR). Gib is the author of “The Intrapreneur: Confessions of a Corporate Insurgent”, a book that shares his experience of founding and scaling Accenture’s global "not-for-loss" consulting business, ADP.

Gib and his team were able to make a meaningful difference by offering management consultancy services to companies that normally couldn’t afford them. So it will come as no surprise that Gib is a big advocate for purpose-driven insurgencies within corporations.

He’s a firm believer that businesses can change the world for the better. But, that means starting with us, the people. Because, while businesses have the power to change the world, it is the power of the individual that can change the world of business. 

But that begs a big question, doesn’t it? How do you create an environment and a culture that allows intrapreneurs to thrive? Because “corporate insurgents,” with the vision to change business, can make a huge impact.

So how do large corporations like Unilever make space for these Corporate Insurgents? 

Business must redefine success

Allowing your people the space to build a better business and a better world means changing your company mindset. And the first thing that has to change is reimagining what success looks like:

Shareholder value cannot be the only definition of success.

Many of you will know that our outgoing CEO, Paul Polman, and new CEO Alan Jope both have long held the view that focusing on short-term profit simply pushes the many problems we are all facing onto future generations, leaving us vulnerable in the long-term.

At Unilever, we have been allowed to imagine a different kind of success – one where Purpose drives Profit. It’s a vision we all share on the Unilever Leadership Executive.

Because we know that you cannot have a healthy, sustainable business in an unhealthy, unsustainable world. 

Individuals must make a difference. 

Businesses who employ people who believe that profit will be achieved by making a positive difference will have a greater impact on the world.

These change-makers are the ones who have the potential to rewire the thinking within our large corporations. Yes, even the trouble-makers! They can make a difference from the bottom up.

Allowing people to discover their purpose, to develop and mould their own roles, can lead to leaps of imagination. Gib often mentions one of our own Unilever change-makers – the awesome Myriam Sidibe – a doctor of public health who created her own role as Lifebuoy's Global Social Mission Director. Myriam has spearheaded a campaign to teach handwashing habits that has reached over a billion people since 2010. 

 Gib Bulloch has been on the most inspiring journey. Listening to him speak, it is impossible not to want to build a better business and a better world.

His book covers more than just his experiences as an intrapreneur and management consultant, it also explores his personal story. His mental health challenges are shared with candour and generosity of spirit. It’s a truly remarkable story, and one I urge you to discover.

Thanks for joining me on my Year of Learning adventure. Your feedback, support and enthusiasm has been wonderful. As always, please do leave me comments – I love hearing from you! And if you want to share this article and help spread the word, please do!

See you next time for #LearnWithLeena!