I'm still not sure if it was true or not, but the legendary story that most clearly demonstrated to me the Intel executives' commitment to "walk the talk" was when (then) COO Craig Barrett flew to, I believe, Chicago to negotiate the "Alpha chip deal", an acquisition of part of Digital Equipment Corporation's semiconductor manufacturing operations.
Other generic findings from investigation at the main phase revealed executive management commitment to quality as a strength of the programme according to ratings from both senior management and frontline staff.
It is interesting that many of these same principles – independent directors, a chair who is not the chief executive, a strong commitment to the oversight role of the board, transparency of action, and a strong commitment to ethics – are at the core of a structure combining effective public management with a system of representative democracy.
A protracted struggle this year and last over control of the Cato Institute's board of directors resolved with the "retirement" of Ed Crane, who had presided over Cato since its earliest days, and his replacement as president by John Allison, an incredibly wealthy former bank executive with a commitment to the philosophy of Ayn Rand.
The Fifth Amendment's protection against the taking of life "without due process" does not mandate the use of judicial process in all circumstances; in the conduct of military operations, the relevant procedural protection is the executive branch's commitment to taking all reasonable steps to ensure that the use of deadly force is warranted and necessary in the given case.
From the corporate executive level down, commitment to the Lean Transformation and to long-term Lean Thinking must be firm, communicated and visible.
Apple CEO Tim Cook is the subject of a new profile in the New York Times today, and the profile includes plenty of background information about the executive and his commitment to human rights and environmental issues.
Iovine's new role at the company will likely see a lot less day-to-day input with the company, and the consultant role could certainly be just an act of good faith, with the executive showing a commitment to the brand even after his shares have vested.
