The Power of Choice. Michael C. Hyter

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Foreword

      I FIRST ENCOUNTERED the principles that are the core of this book as a student at Harvard University, and they immediately resonated with me. My parents had always encouraged me to believe in myself and to have the confidence to shape my own path, despite the obstacles presented by the segregated society into which I was born. I was determined to succeed, and to do it in a way that was true to myself. That mindset has had a powerful impact on my career path, my approach to leadership, and the success I've achieved along the way.

      A pivotal example came in my senior year of college. As my peers busily applied for jobs, I was unsure what direction to take. My undergraduate major—and passion—was economics, but I was also drawn to the law. My gut was telling me to follow a path that combined the two. However, I didn't know anyone who had done that, so it seemed like a “crazy idea” to my 21‐year‐old brain (an assessment readily shared by the friends who thought I would be a “natural” lawyer).

It took a great deal of self‐confidence, and the encouragement of one of my favorite professors, to follow the path that felt right to me—but that's what I did, earning both a JD and a PhD in economics. I consider it one of the best decisions I've ever made, because it laid the foundation for what has been a wholly fulfilling and meaningful career grounded in my deepest passions and interests.

      In charting my career path after graduation, I didn't have the benefit of Mike Hyter's The Power of Choice. But so much of the advice he delivers in this engaging and insightful book rings true to the experiences I've had. For example, Mike explains that although technical proficiency is foundational to career success, it's not enough. When I entered the workforce, I had solid credentials and competence in two fields, thanks to the educational path I chose. But I quickly recognized that to have the kind of impact I wanted to have, I'd need to deliberately hone the skills that Mike identifies as equally essential to technical proficiency: building relationships and influencing others.

      The value of relational proficiency was never more apparent to me than in my days at the U.S. Federal Reserve. When President Clinton appointed me to the Fed's Board of Governors, I was not well known by many in the Fed system, having spent more than a decade in the consulting world. While I never doubted that I had the capabilities and the skills to succeed, I also knew that if I wanted to make a truly meaningful contribution, I would need to develop strong relationships at all levels of the organization. I was proactive in investing the time to get to know my colleagues, and in the process, I gained a much broader and deeper understanding of the Fed—its operations, history, and culture. This in turn enabled me to be more effective in my own role and to add value to the work of my colleagues, and I believe it's an important reason I had the honor of being appointed vice chairman in 1999.

      My strong network of Fed relationships was also invaluable in helping me navigate what would be one of the greatest leadership challenges I have ever faced. When terrorists struck the U.S. on 9/11, I was the only Fed governor in Washington, D.C., so it became my responsibility to lead the Fed's initial response to the attacks. Our job was to safeguard the stability of the U.S. financial system, a task that required herculean efforts by the Fed team. I believe my colleagues were comfortable having me lead them in this vital effort because of the relationships we had established long before that day.

It's in my current role as CEO of TIAA that I've most strongly relied on the influential proficiency that I've worked to build throughout my career. A key part of my role is setting the strategic direction for our 101‐year‐old company, to ensure our continued success in helping our clients achieve lifelong financial well‐being. But CEOs don't have the luxury of devising and announcing a new plan and having everyone automatically jump on board. Getting buy‐in is a process that begins with listening to others, to gather their ideas and input. Then, once a strategic direction is set, it requires relentless communication across the organization, delivered in a way that both informs and inspires. As I have come to learn over the course of my career, leadership is very much about followership. To put it another way, you can't be out in front of the parade unless there are people willing to line up and march behind you. Successful CEOs—like professionals at all levels who want to shape their organizations—must be able to influence others, shaping opinions and inspiring action that advances the organization's objectives.

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