Pfizer CEO Ian Read Joins LinkedIn Influencers Program

Ian Read's inaugural contribution to LinkedIn's Influencers program, "You Gain Respect in Drops, But Can Lose It in Gallons," addresses the importance of reputation and respect.

In the piece, Ian draws parallels between the importance of and the ways in which an individual builds a reputation and earns respect in career and life and how companies meet the challenge of building reputation and respect. He notes that “earning greater respect from society” is one of Pfizer’s four business imperatives determined shortly after he was named CEO in late 2010.

"Few things in one's professional life are as important as building and protecting a good reputation," he writes. "It determines recommendations we receive, or not, for jobs and work of all kinds. It helps define our place in our chosen field and in the organizations where we work. It's central to any assistance or consideration we might seek when we find ourselves in a difficult situation. The same is true for your company, no matter how big or small.

"Indeed, our virtual license to operate depends on this [reputation and respect]. It depends on earning the respect of our regulators, legislators, health care professionals, patients, R&D partners and of our employees, current and future."

Through the Influencers program, LinkedIn publishes insights from leaders from around the world covering a variety of fields on topics ranging from leadership and management to careers to "what inspires me." Ian is one of the first pharmaceutical company CEOs to join.

To follow Ian, sign in to LinkedIn and go to www.linkedin.com/in/iancread. Ian will provide new pieces on roughly a monthly basis.

View the full post on LinkedIn