Leadership Profile

James Burke was the chief executive officer of Johnson & Johnson from 1976 to 1989 and modeled the way to confront critical corporate incidents. These types of events present an opportunity for leaders to set an example for others on how to think, act, and link their actions and decisions to the core values of the organization. In 1982, when seven people died from cyanide-laced Tylenol capsules, Burke took unprecedented measures to uphold the solid reputation of his company, he stayed true to their credo of putting customers before profits. In the days following the deaths, Burke immediately recalled 31 million bottles of Tylenol with the promise of formative reintroduction of the product (Burke, 2012). When addressing the saga in the media, Burke “spoke the truth, and that was astonishingly liberating for everyone who heard it because we had all become so accustomed to public figures telling less than the truth or lying” (Burke, 2012).

“Nothing good happens without trust; with it you can overcome all sorts of obstacles. You can build companies that everyone can be proud of” (Burke, 2012). Burke was successful in teaching others how to model the values of the organization by constantly affirming his value of honesty and commitment to put the needs of customers before those of the organization. In aligning his words and deeds, Tylenol back on the market with tamper resistant packaging regaining customers trust in Johnson & Johnson as a result, Tylenol reclaimed full market share by 1985 (Burke, 2012). Burke’s actions during the crisis, helped to begin a shift in the paradigm of corporate ethical behavior and the incident has become the textbook model for organizations on appropriately managing a corporate crisis.

In order for a leader to inspire a shared vision, it is essential for a leader to be looking forward to the possibilities of the future. These opportunities provide a common purpose for leaders to enlist others who can breathe life into their...