1.

0 BACKGROUND OF THE COMPANY

Bain & Company, the global recognized management consultancy headquartered in Boston,

Massachusetts in the United States was established in 1973 and was founded by Bill Bain. Bain &

Company assists top executives in better decision making, implementing the decision to actions

throughout their clients organization and delivering sustainable successes (Bain & Company, n.d.).

Bill Bain started with a mission to reformulate the management consulting industry and focusing in

delivering results to client, unlike any other firms that only produces reports. The organization never

stops in improving and readjusting along with the trends, and had continued to be innovative with an

entrepreneurial culture.

According to Donahoe (2002), Bain & Company has served clients across six continents,

namely, America, Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia and Australia. The company now has up to 55

offices in over 36 countries around the world. The company advises on critical issues and

opportunities, such as, strategy, marketing, organization, operations, information technology, digital

transformation and strategy, advanced analytics, transformations, sustainability, corporate finance

and mergers & acquisitions in all industries ranging from large multinational corporations, leading

private equity firms, midsize companies, small start-ups and non-profit organizations and different

geographies.

Bain & Company summarizes their approach towards their clients in one phrase; Shared

Ambition, True Results., where they approach each and every clients business as their own business

and represent themselves more than just an ordinary advisor and the organization also focused on

results and tailored solutions regardless of boundaries raised from industries or within a businesss

departments. The organization also highlighted that True Results consist of two components,

pragmatic and action-oriented; enduring and repeatable.

Bob Bechek said in the interview with Jeff Schmitt at Poets & Quants, I think the reality of power

and influence and getting things done is overwhelmingly about informal authority nowadays.

(Schmitt, 2016). Apart from that, he also added that he exerts his leadership through informal

authority. He mentioned that If youre involved in trying to get people galvanized around a particular

course of action or to feel inspired about what were trying to do or feel appreciated, motivated and

valued that has almost nothing to do with formal authority. Hence, we can conclude that Bob

Bechek leadership style focuses on informal authority and leading by example.

2.1 Informal Authority

According to Serrat (2010), informal authority has the power and ability to influence attitudes

and behaviours rest on admiration, credibility, respect, and trust, that conduce conformity coupled

with acceptance. Hence, it is to believe this may be one of the reasons Bechek was accepted by his

employees in Bain & Company. Bechek managed to influence his subordinates with his high concern

for people characteristics. He mentioned during his interview with Oxford Union (2015) posted in

YouTube, he mentioned that: Dont treat people in groups, treat them individually. This approach

can be seen through the reviews in Glassdoor. Employees has reviewed the culture of showing

concern is applied throughout the organization from the stage in interviewing for a position at Bain

& Co (refer to Appendix A).

Informal authority has been playing the crucial part in an organization since globalization era.

A leader who can exert informal authority onto his subordinates shows that he or she has the ability

to influence one another. According to Davoren (n.d.), informal power in an organization has the

ability to lead, direct or achieve without an official leadership title. Although Bechek has a formal

leadership title, however he practices the use of informal authority while leading his subordinates.

However, a person who uses formal authorities may not necessarily get things going.
 As compared with formal authority, with most of the Bainies are classified as Theory Y

employees, hence, the Bainies may prefer a more participative leadership style than being

controlled by a dominant my-way leader. As an example, it is belief that the new generation would

like to have an approachable yet firm leader to work with. Imagine working under an organization

where employees would not be allowed to give any recommendation and suggestion towards leaders

decision yet realizing the decision made is not the best way to resolve the current issues and may

bring an organization into a collapsing economy. Moreover, Serrat (2010) also mentioned that some

best leadership styles derived from leaders who eschew formal authorities. In our daily life, it can be

seen that the charismatic of an individual plays a crucial part in influencing another person. Hence, a

leader who has good characteristics remarkably gain acceptance easily and are trusted by others.

Informal authority is also imposed in their organization culture. In fostering good relationship

between superiors and subordinates, the organization has organized few events, such as Friday

Breakfast and after-work drinks every fortnight (Bain & Company Brussels, n.d.). The organization

also organize different events in different countries to engage the staffs and as a reward system (refer

to Appendix B).

2.2 Lead by Example

Bob Becheck was ranked first in Glassdoors list of the 50 highest-rated CEOs in United

States in year 2016, putting him above others well-known leaders; such as Mark Zuckerberg,

Facebooks founder, and Sundar Pichai, Chief Executive Officer of Google (Wang, 2016). Based on

the Glassdoor (n.d.) reviews, 96% of their current employees in Bain & Company will recommend

this company to their friends, whilst the CEO, Bob Bechek had receive a 99% of approval from the

current employees. Apart from that, through the reviews from Glassdoor, one of the reviews

Management truly care about work and life balance has shown that through the leadership of Bob

Bechek, most of the employees are not tensed or stress up which results them into an unhealthy

lifestyle which leans towards heavy workloads.

factors for his success over these years in the company. Based on Bob Becheks interviews and

reviews, with reference back to The Leadership Grid, Bob Bechek plays as a Team (9,9) leader. A

high concern for people with alliances with a team leader is shown in one of the Glassdoor reviews

mentioned in Perry (2017) article, where one of the employees said that Bob Bechek holds his

subordinates accountable and never leaves them alone. Bain & Company also aims for high

performances for its employees, hence, Bob Bechek has shown the characteristics of a leader who

strives for maximum performance and employee satisfaction in the Team (9,9) leader in the leadership

grid. One of the employees in Glassdoor review also mentioned that the culture of never letting one

Bainies fail is practiced across the organization (refer to Appendix C). Johnston (n.d.) mentioned

that informal leaders motivate employees by pointing out the fate all employees will share if they

work to reach a goal. This leadership style also takes in accounts of all points of view in decision

making and gains recognition and respect from their followers as they are also to demonstrate ability

in reasoning and leads into positive result.

Bob Bechek also shows characteristics that draws towards the Path-Goal Leadership Model.

His down-to-earth characteristics by showing examples to his subordinates through his lead by

example policies explained how he gain satisfaction over his subordinates and also influence their

performance in the company through their productivity in providing a result-driven consultation to

their clients. With reference to Glassdoor review and interview with Schmitt in Poets and Quants,

Bob Bechek also exhibits supportive, participative and achievement-oriented leadership styles.

According Wang (2016), she highlighted that a number of employees of Bain & Company has written

reviews that highlighted the open-door policies and mentorship programs available at company itself.

Hence, this shows that the company was led in a supportive leadership style as it allows the managers

in a higher level of management to have an open-door policy with their subordinates to discuss about

challenges or obstacles in work.

Bob Bechek, Worldwide Managing Director for Bain & Company since 2012, graduated as a

Mechanical Engineer in Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and has completed his Master

in Business Administration in Harvard Business School (Bain & Company, 2011). Bob Bechek is

holding the responsible in the firms strategy, team and operations across Bain & Company

worldwide offices (Bob Bechek Our Team, n.d.). According to Bain & Company (2011), Bob

Bechek was the Vice President and General Manager of AKR Robotics Inc. in The United States

prior joining the firm in year 1987. Bechek was also previously the co-head of Global Telecom, Media

and Technology Practice and joined the company (Bain & Co.) in 1989 from his co-founded

consulting firm, Silicon Valley strategy (Knowledge Edge) (Consultancy.uk, 2012). Based in Boston,

Bechek has a long list of records which shows that he successfully helps the clients with strategies

and some general managing challenges. He has particular depth working with important clients at the

intersection of media and technology and across the high-tech industry, but draws upon a variety of

cross-industry experience as well.

3.1 Agreeableness

Bob Bechek is a friendly and people-oriented leader. In another word, he is a person with high

agreeableness, he believes that the true and most effective way to run a company successfully is

through developing relationship with the employees in the company. This is supported by his

interview with Poets & Quants where he claimed that power, influence and completing task are

majorly depends on informal authority nowadays and he even suggest that MBAs should focus more

on developing students communicating and socializing skills.

3.2 Conscientiousness

Bechek is a person with conscientiousness where he is entrusted with the ability to run the

company by former Worldwide Managing Director, Steve Ellis. Steve claimed that with his

leadership qualities, clients service track record, and exceptional strategy and operations skills, Bob
will successfully lead the firm through the next phase of our growth. (Consultancy.uk, 2012). This

shows that Bob Bechek has enough dependability and integrity to gain confident from a man who

once held his position.

3.3 Surgency

In addition, Bob Bechek has a high surgency. His dominance is proved when he always held

a higher position in a company where he has to in charge and lead his subordinates. For example, he

was the Vice President and General Manager of a robotic firm before joining Bain and eventually

become CEO of Bain & Co.

3.4 Adjustment

He also showed that he has good adjustment from The Big Five Model of Personality. Judging

from the interview he did that was found in Youtube, he is not afraid to stand in front of the crowds

and give his speech and idea about the positive future of company and this shows that he has good

emotional stability and self-confidence.

3.5 Openness to experience

Moreover, he is not fear about changing and love trying new things, and this shows that he

has openness to experience. This personality can be shown when he spent his youth doing a lot of

different jobs, looking towards experiencing business with a suit on, and his advice to his son who

is a first-year student in MBA program that he should not be afraid and refrain himself in one place,

instead, he should build something significant (Schmitt, 2016). Bechek is also modest and self-

deprecate, he is willing to learn like any young consultant and he recognizes how much there is needed

to master regardless of his experience and title. Besides, Bechek is a person who is passionate about

learning. He was always looking for ways to enhance his communication skills. (Schmitt, 2016).
4.0 CAPABILITY AND SKILL OF BOB BECHEK

Bob Bechek is inspiring because of his outstanding capabilities and skills. An employee needs to be

enthusiastic in having an excellent performance, while the leader needs to understand his own strength

and weakness in leading a great team. Bob Bechek realise that he likes to communicate with others

and thus he learns the way to improve his communication skills during his two years study time at

HBS. Bechek understands his own strength and develops the skills in Bain & Co. which require a lot

of communication with the clients as one of the managing and consulting agents. The ability of

communicate well which in turn results in great motivational skills, inspirational skills and team

building. Thus, from the values that can be obtained from the real-life story of Bob Bechek, we have

to develop certain capabilities and skills and understand our own advantages and disadvantages.

Develop our own strength in work will keep us enthusiastic, motivated and energetic. We do not

necessary to have the same capabilities and skills as Bob Bechek, however we must understand what

we are capable and not capable to do. Since every field and every situation may require different type

of leader, thus if our capabilities and skills are not suitable in the consulting industry, there must be a

sector which we are suitable in. Thus, identify our own interest and the sector we are strong at is the

priority.

4.1 Strategic Planning

One of Bob Becheks capabilities or skills is strategic planning. Bain & Co. is a managing

and consulting firm serving different clients for different industry or sector such as

telecommunications, technology, healthcare, chemical and supply chain management. (Bain &

Company, 1996).

Different types of clients may require a unique problem-solving method. Bob Bechek has the

principle of creating the greatest values to its clients by working hard in achieving the goals no matter

how long will it take. During the time working at Bain and Co., Bechek has successfully helped a

bank gobbling another bank during the deregulation of interstate banking in The United States even
though it has taken six years from Bob Bechek to complete the results (Schmitt, 2016). It showed the

strategic planning by Bob Bechek has brought values to the stakeholders (customers). Becheks

strategic planning skills was also recognized by former Worldwide Managing Director of Bain & Co.,

Steve Ellis.

4.2 Motivational Skills

Bob Bechek is a leader who uses motivation instead of pressure to lead all the Bainies in

creating the greatest value to both the clients and shareholders. In an interview, Bob Bechek gave

advice and motivated the new generation to have two essential elements, which are empathy and

perseverance (Schmitt, 2016). Always putting ourselves in other situation (empathy) and persistent

in doing every work (perseverance) are critical to long-term success., said Bechek. One of the

Bainies has given a review of Bob Bechek and the top management connected him, guide, support,

direct-and-redirect during an appropriate time and solving problems together with him (Fiegerman,

2016). The motivation provided by Bob Bechek is admired and accepted by his followers as Bob

Bechek has work at the company since his internship until becoming the Worldwide Managing

Director, he knows the most about the company and what will the young employees face when they

freshly enter the organization and has to adapt to new culture of working environment.

4.3 Communication Skill

During the two years program at Harvard Business School (HBS), Bob Bechek was attracted

by the courses of economics and entrepreneurship. He always finding chances to enhance and

improve his communication skills when speaking to others (Schmitt, 2016). The hardship and

initiative of Bob Bechek in enhancing and improving his communication skills has brought a positive

and significant impact in his career. Since Bain & Co. is a managing and consulting firm which its

mission is to create the maximum value to the clients, thus having a good communication with the

clients and building a long-term relationship with them is an essential element before the clients gain

confidence on Bain & Co. Bob Bechek who is known for his camaraderie with the partners and
associates has the advantages to excel in the consulting firms. Eventually, celebration is organized

for prizing the authenticity, bedrock values and meritocracy displayed by all the Bainies of the Bain

& Co. With good communication skills, Bob is able to convey messages clearly to his subordinates

and receive messages from them.

4.4 Inspirational Skill

Bob Becheks values as the top management of the company will eventually alter the whole

companys environment and culture and affect every level, from the top management to its customers,

to be better and evolved. Bob Bechek is able to inspire someone with his own philosophy and personal

experience especially to the younger generation and the fresh graduates who are going to enter the

workforce in a very soon time. Back in 2015, Bob Bechek has been invited to Oxford University by

the Oxford Union Society (the debating society in Oxford University which has the highest reputation

in the world) to give a talk (The Oxford Union, 2016). During the speech at Oxford University, Bain

has listed out 6 principles that he holds until now which are being focused, know our hunger, grab

the opportunities, defend our own boundaries, learn how to loss and life is about getting with people

(Oxford Union, 2015). Besides from inspiring the university students, Bob Bechek uses his own

working experiences to inspire the new employees of Bain & Company. Bob Bechek has been

providing his services in Bain & Co. for the past 30 years without leaving the company once. His

loyalty to the Bain & Co. has made him one of the key people in transforming the company from a

small organization become one of the three largest managing and consulting firms in the world. Thus,

Bob Bechek is using his own experiences to inspire his new Bainies never to be afraid to stay at

one place and work together with the team in achieving something great and significant.

4.5 Team Building

One great team will increase the value created and benefits the company and its stakeholders.

Team building can be done by caring and helping peers or subordinates to solve their problems, and

Bechek has clearly done so. According to a review from a Bain & Co.s Manager in Chicago
(Glassdoor Bob Bechek Review), the manager said the employees do not have to worry about the

problems because they will be provided with a Bain team. The Bain will associate and the consultants

will assist the employees and face the challenges and tasks together. Moreover, the manager describes

that the employees cannot fail, because with the company slogan which is A Bainie will never allow

another Bainie fail. The team building by Bob Bechek has results in a double-digit growth for six

consecutive years since Bob Bechek holds the position as Worldwide Managing Director of Bain &

Co. since 2012. The election of Bob Bechek is due to his unique inwards focus that is appropriate to

the managing and consulting firms. Besides, Bob Bechek has gained support and trust from the

executives all around the world and his leadership styles are well adopted and accepted by the

subordinates or followers (Bob Becheks Bain & Company).

The leadership powers performed by Bob Bechek are something that we should learn and practice

when we become a leader. The enthusiasm of every employee is significant in producing effectively

and efficiently. Understanding the needs of the followers and provide them what they desire can help

the followers to be motivated and have an outstanding performance. Every top management plans

strategically to achieve organizational goals. However, this can only be done when every employee

understands the objectives of the company and has the same value as the organization. If the messages

do not be conveyed well from the top management to the subordinates, the plan is just a plan. Bob

Bechek understands this concept as he always motivates and inspire the followers especially the new

Bainies to bring the values together between the organization and employees and to keep them to

be enthusiastic. The strategies of Bob Bechek are valued by our group as every organization is

performed by every single worker, not solely by the leaders. Keeping the employees to perform well

is a necessity to bring the success for the organization.

5.1 Personal power rather than position power

Power can be classified into two categories, which are position power and personal power.

Bob Bechek, the most favourable CEO in 2016 (Bain & Company, 2016) is a leader who exercise

personal power rather than position power. 30 years working period at Bain & Company since Bob

Bechek started his internship at the company is due to the culture of the organization which

enthusiastically works on the impact to the customer (extraordinarily people-oriented culture) rather

than reports (Schmitt, 2016).

According to an interview with Bob Bechek (Schmitt, 2016), Bob said If you are involved

in trying to get people galvanized around a particular course of action or to feel inspired about what

we are trying to do or feel appreciated, motivated and valued that has nothing to do with formal

authority. Bob Bechek believes in order to lead a team and all the subordinates to fully contribute in

a work, personal power is the leadership power that should be used instead of position power. To get
a team united and to maximize the followers commitment, leader should not exert the pressure, stress

and workload to them.

Position power may be an appropriate power in other organization but not Bain & Co. The

Bains top management however should exercise personal power to make the Bainies perform well

and feel free to giving opinion. In a customer service based, having a good cooperation with the

clients and make them feel like they are important and all the Bainies are working hard in creating

value to them are something that are getting done with informal authority (Schmitt, 2016).

5.2 Types of Leadership Power

Besides the position power and the personal power, a leadership power can be divided into

seven types, which are the legitimate, reward, coercive, connection, information, expert and referent

power (Lussier & Achua, 2013). In the leading process of Bain & Co., Bob Bechek who is also the

Worldwide Managing Director exercises referent power and expert power as his own leadership

power.

5.2.1 Referent Power

Referent Power is based on the relationship between the leaders (users of referent power) with

the others such as subordinates or followers (Lussier & Achua, 2013). Personal and inspirational

appeals are the two common strategies in exercising the referent power by any leader. A leader who

gains the subordinates or followers respect, cooperation, collaboration, loyalty and are favoured by

them is the leader who has referent power. A 99% approval from the employees to Bob Bechek which

led him to be the most favourable CEO in year 2016 (Bain & Company, 2016) has justified that

Bob Bechek being likeable or is desired by the employees which in turn proves that Bob Bechek use

referent power in his leading style.

5.2.1.1 Personal Appeal

Personal appeal occurs when we assist a person we favoured or when they like to ask for our

helps (13.3 The Power to Influence). Person with personal appeal seldom rejects people when the
people request for their helps. Personal appeal is one of the most influencing tactics used in affecting

people either for a short-term period or long-term period. Bob Bechek started as an intern 30 years

ago until he becomes the Worldwide Managing Director of Bain & Co. There is a principle that Bob

Bechek holding for the past 30 years which is always striving to create values for clients, to all the

Bainies and create long-term profitable value to the shareholders. As Bob Bechek has become an

intern at the summer 30 years ago in the same organization, he understands the hardship and problems

a new employee will face when they freshly enter the company. Thus, he always initiatively helps the

new Bainies and providing the helps they needs in every situation. Bob Bechek and the top

management are going to knock down barriers for you, connect you where you need to be connected,

guide, support, direct and re-direct, an employee wrote in an anonymous review (Fiegerman, 2016).

The positive and highly rated review from an Bainies has proven that the exercising of personal

power or referent power by using the tactic of personal appeal is favoured by the followers until Bob

Bechek became the most favourable CEO in 2016 and the tactics used is the most suitable leading

and managing style to a consulting firm.

5.2.1.2 Inspirational Appeal

Inspirational appeal is defined as we convey the information such as our values, beliefs and

objectives in order to gain support from the subordinates or followers and achieving the goals of

organization together (13.3 The Power to Influence). The characteristics of a person who has

effective inspirational appeal are ambition, visionary, enthusiasm and authentic. Bob Bechek has a

long and successful records in providing and creating values for its clients by using the appropriate

strategies. Bob Bechek faced many problems and challenges over the 30 years but he still manages

to overcome every challenge he faced until today. Every 3-year-contract signed by Bob Bechek with

Bain & Co. is another different set of mission and goals to be achieved in the coming three years. The

enthusiasm and perseverance demonstrated by Bob Bechek has made him to deserve the achievement

he gained today. His working experiences with no turnover are shared with his followers and inspire
them do not fear to stay in one place (Work at Bain & Co.) and build something great and significant.

This result in Bain & Co. has the lowest employees turnover rate (8%) compared with the other

organization (20%) in the same industry (Bain & Company, 2017).

5.2.2 Reward Power

Reward power is another leadership power own by Bob Bechek as the Worldwide Managing

Director of Bain & Co. in the past six years. Reward power is an ability of a leader by providing and

giving something that is valuable and meaningful to the followers and the subordinates. An

appropriate reward power enforced by a leader will result in a positive impact in the performances

and achievements (Lussier & Achua, 2013). In the case of Bain & Co., the employees will be provided

rewards and benefits when they done a work. These rewards and benefits provided to the employees

will increase the willingness of them to continuously stay at the company and always strive to increase

personal performances. The benefits are such as 3 months maternity and paternity leave for women

and the full coverage for medical expenses. (Bain & Company, 2016). Whether a leader is strong

or weak, it depends on the leaders ability to gives rewards or punishment, thus the capabilities of

Bob Bechek to reward the employees with benefits has shown his leadership power as the Worldwide

Managing Director of Bain & Co.

When we talk about communication, the main objective of communication is the receivers are

receiving and understanding the message from the same perspective. Worldwide Managing Director

of Bain & Co., Bob Bechek was attracted to start his career at Bain & Co because his thinking at that

time was to improve his communication skills. He was thinking that consulting would be a better

choice for him rather than keep staying as the general manager of robotics firm in Boston (Schmitt,

2016). He possesses the better problem-solving and interpersonal skills, hence it drives him to become

part of the consultancy team in Bain & Co. He thought that while drawing upon his strengths, he

offered the chance or opportunity to learn at the fastest clip possible when he tries to help his clients

in the shortest time. Throughout the brainstorming, Bains superior capabilities have helped

thousands of clients in every industry deliver and develop winning strategies for the past 40 years.

6.1 Clients

According to the Strategy of Bain & Co., Bains is offering their clients with more creative

solutions that consist of the teams experience, deep knowledge and insight that may create value into

their business. They define the word of success from the clients results. When the clients accept the

proposal from Bains, Bains will also care deeply and keep tracking about the progress, they want to

ensure their clients are satisfying and enjoying their proposals.

When Bain intends to solve their clients problems, they help them successfully by

transforming and implementing a three building blocks of customer-led-growth, which is a 3D lens

that helps clients to solve problems and identify opportunities. In communicating with their clients,

they design a customer experience which is differentiated to meet their needs. By creating an unique

value proposition, they are able to identify a companys most important clients and appeal to their

needs. Furthermore, they deliver on the promises they make by building capabilities in optimizing

clients interactions. The third step in helping the clients to solve problem is they reprogram their

DNA to put employees and customers first. They intend to build a long-term foundation for the
growth and providing those companies what they really need and they focus on generating near-term

results. As the situation changes, they want to keep track on the progress by listening to their clients,

so they are able to help them out.

6.2 Peers

To a large extent, a Chief Execution Officer (CEO)s role in executing the planning is

communication (Bain & Co., n.d.). For a CEO, communication is just about three rights: right

messages, right cadence and right stakeholders. The workers or executives may spend their times for

months just to think about the strategies and then deliver it to the clients and also the organization.

They invest a large time in co-creating key parts of the strategies with the talent that matters.

According to the Business Analyst from Bain & Co. who currently works in London, his review to

the company is long hours stress repetitive job. There are many different pros reviews from their

employees, but there is a same cons review long working hours. Due to complex client stakes, they

take a lot of times to implementing their proposals and ideas. Bob devotes significant time toward

getting their message right for every audience. They will ensure the decisions are translated and their

audiences are getting know about the true meaning.

Bob Bechek believes that it could be helpful to join a culture that values what we value. He

believes that if the subordinates are able to do so, then its enormously helpful to be inner directed

(Bechek, 2016). In succeeding the communication way, we must also be able to empathize with and

listen to other people. By possessing those qualities, the person must drive hard in order to make good

things happen for the team.

6.3 Workers

Bain & Co. is a management consultant company, hence they are prioritizing their

communication skills. The communication is not only verbal and non-verbal communication, but it

also consists of their consulting roles. Bob is looking heavily upon the consulting roles. By doing so,

he believes that it reflects the image of the company.

his communication skill. In succeeding his communication skill, it also drives him to a success

pathway. In his mind, communication is not just only socializing with others, but also the results he

received after he did a consultation. While Bains workers are consulting their clients, at the same

time they are improving their communication skill as well, same goes to the Worldwide Managing

Director, Bob Bechek.

7.1 World Economic Forum as Coaching Tool

Discussing on motivation and coaching in Bain & Company, the organization has built a close

relationship and participated actively in the World Economic Forum since 2004, and then has

cooperated to become one of the strategic partners in the forum. Through this forum, the organization

has catered numbers of project to mentor and coach the new generation of young leaders and set

improvements to leaders in various platforms by supporting several projects such as the industry

governor projects, Bains Young Global Leaders, Bains Global Future Councils, Bains World

Economic Forum Externships, Bain at WEF Regional Summits and the Annual Meeting of the New

Champions.

Bain & Company coaching approach through the Bains Young Global Leaders programme

has involved more than thousands of young individuals who share a same vision to shape the global

future. Bains Young Global Leaders program focuses on three main objectives; action and impact,

collaborative and community, and leadership and learning. Instead of using one-to-many coaching

approach, they use group-to-group coaching method as their guiding principle. Bains Young Global

Leaders programme aims to create a learning atmosphere to turn leaders through personal and

collective experiences to draw better understandings towards global related issues. To transform

leaders through personal and collective experiences that build knowledge and engender better

understandings of global, regional and industry issues. (World Economic Forum, 2015). Through

this programme, they are able to connect to professionals from all around the globe who shares the

same ideas to coach new leaders. They would support each other and build loyalty and trust, hence,

making every single one in the organization feels valued. Once an employee felt valued and

appreciated, this will further ensure team members engagements to fully dedicate their talent and

maximize their personal contribution towards the community and globally. In a decent environment,

employees will inspire each other to achieve their goals in developing excellent leadership skills,
collaboration and actions along with the guiding principle; generosity, authenticity, respect and

impact.

In Bain and Company, every successful leadership is because of the effective mentoring and

coaching. There are amazing set of mentors from the senior director and experts support in career.

said Aine (2017). Mentoring can help employees to further and deeper discover their talent and

potential in themselves. Through mentoring, employees of Bain & Company have gain improvement

in their skills and knowledges which further makes employees feels valued and increase their

satisfaction towards the company, hence, increases their input towards the organization and sacrifice

for the organization. Apart from that, mentoring process also allows employees to discover their

hidden potential and fully emerge and use their potential and ability throughout their employment in

the organization.

Another mentoring programme that Bain & Company collaborated is the Bain Externship at

the World Economic Forum. This programme is designed for graduates in providing them an

opportunity to expose themselves in the exact world. The externship appoints full-time externs to

work on with certain projects with cooperation with the World Economic Forum. Few of the projects

includes Future of Electricity, Digital Enterprise, Future of Consumption in Fast Growth

Consumer Markets. According to Xu, his participation in the Future of Consumption in Fast

Growth Consumer Markets project has gain him exposure to business leaders, innovators and policy

makers and offers him the opportunity to understand how they picture future endeavours and how

they overcome their future threats and expanding opportunities (Bain & Company).

7.2 Daily Updates

To ensure the companys employees are always updated with recent happenings all around

the globe, Bain & Company has taken the initiatives to insert daily updates in various fields in their

official webpage. This benefits their employees to stay ahead and updated from competitors from

other organizations as the Bainies will be the first to be updated with the latest happening within
each field in order to creates a more tailored solution towards clients needs. Gathering sufficient

resources is one of the ways to motivate employees as it is one of the main resources needed by

employees especially in a high-competitive world nowadays and a result-driven consulting firm.

In this era of information age, the transparency of the information related to economy, country,

business, law, technology, personal growth and many more throughout a company is very important

to the growth of a company. Bain & Co. had made all the information transparent through World

Economic Forum, the daily update in various field and the expert in a specific area shared their

experience. The transparency of information is a good method in coaching new leaders and transform

all the new leaders to the experts. Bain & Co. helps employees to further and deeper discover their

talent and potential in increase their satisfaction by mentoring. Bob Becheks mentoring skill will

help the leaders more understand the subordinates about happiness, the problems they faced in their

work, personal goals, productivity, growth opportunity and challenges in the company. This will help

leaders lead and motivate the subordinates effectively.

8.1 People Oriented

Bain & Co. practices people-oriented culture throughout their organization. As mentioned by

Bechek, during his internship while completing his M.B.A with Bain & Co, he gladly found that the

organization culture and needs are aligned with his practice of leadership style. Bechek said: What

attracted me to Bain was that I felt like I found a hot firm that focused entirely and passionately on

results or impact rather than reports (in the language of time) and did so within an extraordinarily

people-oriented culture that I thought would be very good for me, given my particular nature.

(Schmitt, 2016).

8.2 Team Leadership

The Ohio State University Leadership Model which focuses on two dimensions; consideration

and initiating structure, shows that Bechek widely uses the Team (9,9) leadership style throughout

his appointment as the World Managing Director at Bain & Company. The Team (9,9) leadership

style has a high concern for people as well as production. Bechek strives the companys culture into

a friendly atmosphere as he believes that concerning on people, inspiring people, giving motivation

and creating an atmosphere that all feels appreciated will drive and lead the employees or subordinates

to increase their productivity and rate of production automatically. Bechek also mentioned: I think

the reality of power and influence and getting things done is overwhelmingly about informal authority

nowadays. (Schmitt, 2016).

8.3 Theory Y

On the other hand, instead of forcing employees to achieve certain goal to improve the

production and increasing productivity, Bechek used an alternative way to lead his company, the

result-driven approach. Bob Bechek encourages his employees to practice Theory Ys attitude. If

Theory Y attitude is implemented among the employees, they do not have to be supervised from time

to time. Managers are also advised to practice participative leadership styles, as mentioned by Bechek
in the interview, he believes that informal authority of a leader is more effective than the formal

authority practices in achieving goals in the organization. He also mentioned that If youre involved

in trying to get people galvanized around a particular course of action or to feel inspired about what

were trying to do or feel appreciated, motivated and valued that has almost nothing to do with

formal authority. (Schmitt, 2016). Moreover, the organizations One Team attitude has

demonstrated close employees interaction, believe, respect and support in all their interactions that

extend from time to time, to direct the collective energy at winning externally.

8.4 Ethical in Bain and Company True North

One of Bechek main focuses is companys ethical practices. Bain & Co focuses in the

development of ethics by creating the good environment within the organization and setting ethical

goals. Bain & Co.s True North values were devoted to the high quality and ethical standard to the

client and the community. The organization was guided by True North, with values and culture such

as, passion, commitment, honesty, openness, practical, One Team attitude, and not take ourselves

too seriously while doing it attitude (Bain & Company). Deep intellectual honesty, and to say that

its, in a direct and straightforward language (Bain & Company, 1996) has shown how the

organization practices honesty to all their clients in what they are doing.

8.5 Corporate Social Responsibility

Corporate Social Responsibility is a core part of the Bain and company. There are more than

70% of Bain employees are involved in the social impact activities to endure social change. (Social

Impact- Bain & Company, 1996). Bain and Company provide ways out of poverty and dislocation

for the people that need help. Bain & Co. corporate social responsibility focuses on two issues,

improving education level of underserved children and youth and aids in fostering economic growth.

Bain & Co. provides education and school system to the underserved children and youth for

free. The organization focuses on transforming school that aims to develop young school leaders
with capabilities to transform their schools. This initiative is set to cultivate future transformational

leaders (Bierly, 2016).

Moreover, Bains build deep relationship with leading organizations to foster innovation and

economy growth by engaging entrepreneurs to drive social and economic change. Accelerate

entrepreneurship will help to create jobs and decrease unemployment rate, which results in fueling

income growth to improve the quality of poor peoples life. In 2007, Bain & Co has established One

Foundation, and has now become China's first nongovernmental public foundation. One Foundation

provides humanitarian support and addresses issues related to education, health, poverty and the

environment (One Foundation- Bain & Company, 1996). Bain supports the foundation start-up by

helping crystallize the mission and redesigning the business model. The foundation has encouraged

huge participation from volunteers across China in promoting social sector development.

Ethical, performance and people are three main cultures that Bain & Company focus on

Bechek. Ethic helps personal growth in a positive direction. This is the more essential value that a

company and people must have. After that, Becheks leadership culture is our role modal to become

a good leader. All work makes jack dull boy, when a company only focus on the performance, the

subordinate will feel pressured and stressful when carry out their work and their happiness level is

low. This will lead to high percentage of change job. Moreover, only focus on people will decrease

the entire groups performance because less pressure from goals and achievement. A good leader or

a follower is the people who looking for a challenge and personal improvement by setting attainable

goals which has appropriate amount of pressure. Becheks leadership is in balance between

performance and people-oriented style. People with high happiness in a company will improve his

performance on the assigned task.

Through understanding Bain & Company and researching on Bob Bechek, we found that a leader

should not only tied by one or two qualities that makes a leader to emerge or be more capable as

compared with others, but having a full package of personality including taking care of the others and

their feelings. People in these days are highly concerned about their right as a human being. They

wanted their voice to be listened and words or actions that describe or treating them as an asset are

no longer acceptable. Hence, this explains why performance-based leadership style no longer sustain

or are practiced in an organization. In contra, a people-oriented leadership style is more preferred.

Bob Bechek however, has successfully combined these two leadership styles; performance-based and

people-oriented leadership styles, and through balancing the uses of both leadership styles with

application in Bain & Company, results have proved that he has bring the company to a higher level

and thus achieving as the Best Rated CEO in the year 2016.

He possesses numerous qualities that a good leader should have such as humble, caring,

ambitious, risk-taking, and many more. What is best about Bechek is that he really cared for his

employees and emphasize on building relationship with the employee. For that, he created a balanced

environment to work in and does not stick to the clich way of doing things where all the instructions

or announcements, even the small and unimportant ones, need to be formally recorded and reported,

but gives employees a higher range of freedom and informality. He seldom uses methods that will

distance the management and the employee to boost employees performance. He understands that

the essence of a company is all on its human resource, or in other word, human being.

We chose him as a leader to be observed because unlike some popular leaders like Facebook

founder Mark Zuckerberg, we rarely heard of his name which makes him more realistic and closer to

us. He works his way up from the bottom just like us all and eventually beats all the famous CEOs

and becomes the best rated CEO of year 2016. It is very inspiring and motivates us to be great leader

like him, or even greater than him.

Appendix A
Appendix B
Appendix C
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