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Youthful misbehavior in public school may have been the catalyst for Lawrence Jackson's success.
"My grades were good," he recalls, "but I got bored when there wasn't enough to do, and I'd start fooling around."
So Jackson's parents arranged for their son to take the entrance exams at an excellent — and strict — Catholic school that was a two-hour bus ride across town from their home in southeast Washington, D.C.
The academically rigorous curriculum at his new school kept Jackson productively busy, and he excelled in his studies, and at sports. Exposure to Ivy League college recruiters soon followed, and he chose to attend Harvard University from among the many schools that accepted him. Throughout the years ahead, this self-described maverick would continue to seek out, and thrive on, tough assignments in challenging environments.
Jackson graduated from HBS in 1979, and after two years with McKinsey & Co., he began a successful 16-year career at PepsiCo. He chose to work for the number-two soft-drink maker, he says, because he thought they would welcome his drive and competitive instincts.
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Lawrence V. Jackson (HBS MBA '79) |
"You can only excel in an organization that's a good fit with your personality and style," he explains.
Armed with both an MBA and street smarts, Jackson proved early that he was a top performer by turning around the operations at a large Pepsi-Cola plant in New York. His first step was working the night shift with a production crew to learn the business from the ground up. The experience also taught him a valuable lesson about motivating employees.
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| Be willing to take some risks and let your actions be inspired by a sense of history and pride, and the conviction that what others have done should not be for naught. | |
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| — Lawrence V. Jackson |
"You need to be a keen observer and try to figure out what makes people tick," Jackson says. "A manager's role is to hire good people and help them become extraordinary in what they achieve. I think you can do that, in part, by giving them the freedom to be themselves."
That freedom should extend to making some mistakes, Jackson believes.
"If it's not a bet-the-business situation, I generally let people run with ideas they are passionate about. They often deliver results just because they want it so much, and sometimes because a 'wrong' idea turns out to be right.
"Whatever the outcome, you will have demonstrated your trust in them. People who believe you have their best interests at heart will be more willing to listen and follow your advice in the future."
Through the years, Jackson discovered that his own greatest interest and strength lie in "leading large numbers of people to accomplish difficult tasks." Unafraid to challenge the status quo, he excelled at taking organizations to a higher level of achievement and success, and earned the loyalty and respect of employees for whom he helped create greater economic prosperity.
His assignments as a Pepsi vice president took Jackson and his family to California and Texas before he was named general manager of the company's $700+ million business in the southeastern U.S. Headquartered in Atlanta, he was once again able to stimulate growth and dramatically increase profits for the company.
"We did it by making people believe in what they could do, and by encouraging them to think creatively about goals and solutions," he declares, crediting his employees with the outcome.
"In the end, your results will be based on the performance of your entire team, not just on what you do. If they are successful, then you will be, too."
Between 1995 and 1997, Jackson was the chief operating officer of Pepsi's $3.5-billion food and supply business, which was subsequently sold. He then joined Safeway, Inc. in San Francisco, where he is responsible for the food and drug retailing giant's $5-billion in-house store brand.
He oversees 43 manufacturing facilities, procurement and outsourcing operations, and distribution logistics, and occupies a "seat at the table" with Safeway's top executive team.
Lawrence Jackson believes in the power of motivating others, but he also advocates developing deep self-knowledge. Then, he says, "Don't ever let anyone talk you out of being who you are."
Knowing yourself, he adds, should include recognizing when you need help, and asking for it.
"A good reputation, and the demonstrated ability to deliver results on the business side will give you the license to speak up effectively on the social side. A broad base of support established through relationships you build over time will further enhance your standing as an advocate for change."
While he states that "the currency of credibility is economic performance," Jackson emphasizes that young people shouldn't wait until a later stage in their careers to take stands and begin giving back.
"If you're not helping others now, you won't help when you get to the top," he concludes.
"There will always be a reason why now is not a good time. But now is the time. Be willing to take some risks and let your actions be inspired by a sense of history and pride, and the conviction that what others have done should not be for naught."
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