Senior Vice President
Galaxe Pride At Work Corporate Champion
When Bill Steenburgh, Senior Vice President, rejoined Xerox in October of 2001, he recognized that the world of services delivery was evolving. He also recognized that Xerox Services’ business model would no longer be sufficient to compete. After several years of tough actions to reshape the organization, customer satisfaction levels and financial performance have improved and Xerox Services is on the path to becoming the benchmark in the services delivery industry. However, Steenburgh knows that getting there took a toll on the employees.
"We’ve made progress in our customer and financial metrics," Steenburgh said, "and while there’s still opportunity for improvement in both of these areas, this year and next, we have to start rebalancing the employee end of the equation. Our long term success is dependent on regaining the hearts and minds of our people."
When asked how he plans on doing that, his energy level ratchets up a notch and he relays his nine-point practice to leading change. In fact, watching the intensity of his body language, you would think this was more of a crusade than an organizational mission.
"It begins and ends with people," says Steenburgh. (1) Get the right people in the right positions - providing strong leadership. (2) Paint a compelling vision, one that is integrated in strategy, then (3) create or foster the sense of urgency to achieve that vision. (4) Recognize and acknowledge the impact of cultural issues (feelings, values, group history and norms). (5) Facilitate the stages of the change process yet expedite the phases of transition. (6) Build credibility by doing what you say you are going to do. (7) Get quick hits early and remove barriers. (8) Reinforce desired behaviors and positive results with reward and recognition. Finally, (9) build emotional and intellectual connections with people – touch their hearts and reach their minds. Steenburgh said that Xerox Services is in the last two years of a five-year plan to rebuild, rejuvenate and take the organization to the next level, which is to be the best in the services delivery industry, maybe in all of business. He does not sugarcoat the challenges the organization faces in getting there –growth in post-sale revenue, implementing a flexible workforce strategy, investing in new technologies and training.
"We need to develop and retain the very best people. If we do that and not take our eye off the promise to make the company stronger, different and better there is no competitor out there that can beat us," he said.
For Steenburgh, getting to be the best is all about leading change, but more importantly, how you do it. He believes that "the most successful change occurs in an evolutionary, not a revolutionary manner." And, he remains grounded by his leadership philosophy which consists of three guiding principles: 1) find balance among financial, customer and employees goals, 2) prioritize to keep pace with the rate and amount of change, and 3) embrace the future while focusing on the basics of today.
Steenburgh is driven toward delivering short- and long-term balanced performance results that include achieving financial goals, higher job satisfaction scores and greater productivity through better use of technology and work process. In his view, there is no end to this journey, but he will know success when Xerox Services is recognized by its customers as a trusted partner, a thought leader within industry, a respected force by the competition and a great workplace by its proud employees.
Steenburgh, 48, spent 18 years at Kodak, two years at Danka. He is the youngest of seven children.
"My mother, who is 89, instilled passion and drive for whatever her children chose to do with their lives. She still exudes a youthful passion for everything (particularly her 24 grandchildren and 14 great grand children). Our dad, who is deceased, was logical, calm and laid-back." Steenburgh said, adding, "You don’t have to have much of an imagination to know the breadth and span of conversations at family gatherings."
After describing his background, it is easy to understand his approach to business and focus on people. He sees Xerox Services people as extended family.
Steenburgh keeps a long list of inspirational quotes from a variety of people, including the famous, not so famous and some of his friends. There is one in the list of 243 that jumps out, one that captures the essence of Steenburgh’s passion for achievement and leadership style. It’s also a reminder:
"Yes we can."