Speeches and Interviews

October 5, 2000

Culture Management or Management Culture? The CBC's Twofold Challenge

Notes for a Speech by Guylaine Saucier, Chair of the CBC Board of Directors, Ordre des administrateurs agréés du Québec Symposium, Montreal

Good afternoon, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Here I am back home — and in very good company — after an inspiring stay in Sydney. We are gathered today to discuss the role of the new manager and to define further the complex art of management. Having just witnessed the ultimate management of the will and the body achieved by Olympic athletes, I am inclined to broach the issue from the angle of competition, performance and commitment.

I wish to talk to you about competition since CBC managers have a unique role to play in a broadcast environment governed by fierce competition. I also wish to talk to you about performance, since the quality of our products and the strength of our reputation reflect courageous management. Finally, I wish to talk to you about commitment, since at the CBC, as elsewhere, success depends on the loyalty of the troops.

To do so, I'd like to start with a small detour and explain to you how this point of view closely matches my personal experience in management, which began in the private sector. In fact, in this demanding and competitive environment, success depends above all on the ardour of the adversaries, the talent of the leaders and the loyalty of the personnel. This is a reality I discovered quite early in life.

Actually, I had to face my first challenge in 1975, when the unexpected death of my father threw me unceremoniously into the business arena. A recent graduate from the école des hautes études commerciales, I found myself, at the age of 29, at the helm of a rather "male" company in the lumber industry. This family business then had 329 employees and sales of $17 million. Fourteen years later, I was still there, now managing the second largest company of its kind in Quebec. When I decided to sell the company in 1989, 1,200 employees were working for the Groupe Gérard Saucier and sales had risen to $85 million.

This is the context in which I learned the value of commitment, the necessity of logic and the importance of enlightened vision. These are personal lessons I have never forgotten.

Following the sale of the family business, I decided to apply my knowledge to the governing of other businesses by sitting on several boards of directors, including those of Nortel, Petro-Canada, the Bank of Montreal and the Bank of Canada. As a businesswoman, I was keenly interested in taking part in the management of prestigious corporations and discovering other aspects of the administrative game. I also know that my skills and my commitment to sound and transparent practices would help me further the development of these corporations. Having grown up within a business subject to market whims, I was convinced that success was always achieved through the pursuit of excellence… and that excellence always depended on effort.

I must confess, however, that chairing the CBC Board of Directors was not one of my career goals. While I was surprised by the offer, I was also flattered because it was a highly visible position and rather innovative. It was also a unique opportunity to apply my own effective management recipe to one of the most important cultural institutions in the country.

First Challenge: Culture Management

As you know, the CBC was created in an era very similar to our present one, at the very time the arrival of new technologies was going to push back the frontiers of knowledge forever. Like the Internet and the multi-channel universe, this phenomenon would have a radical effect on communications, leisure activities and collective culture, and profoundly alter the lifestyle and way of thinking of Canadians. In fact, the creation of a truly Canadian broadcasting system in 1936 would enable us to define ourselves more as a people and to establish on our airwaves a genuine oral tradition permeated with local and linguistic values.

Over the decades, the CBC became a mirror of Canadian culture and a stage on which Canadians could express themselves. The CBC also became a springboard and mentor for numerous generations of creators, journalists and artists. In both English and French, its visual and audio products set universal standards of excellence for programming, journalism and quality of language on the air. CBC personnel have always taken a group approach designed to promote and foster Canadian identity in all its aspects, to enable Canadians coast to coast to get to know one another better and to celebrate national diversity, perceived as a unifying element.

Traditionally, CBC managers have been mainly journalists, producers and intellectuals whose work reflected values that were sometimes personal, sometimes shared, acquired from their experience in production. These are the ones who defined and anchored the chief CBC values: journalistic integrity, diversity, creativity and excellence.

The first serious budget cuts, in 1985, strongly rocked the boat and forced the first reconsideration of basic assumptions. In successive waves, the cuts overwhelmed the Corporation and gradually undermined the employees' morale, especially the managers'. Who else could have survived the fierce assault we withstood: budget cuts of some 30 per cent and the elimination of 3,000 jobs in three years?

In spite of this, the great values of the Corporation remained. Despite the cuts, the lay-offs and station closings, the CBC continued to provide radio, television and electronic services, in English, French and eight Aboriginal languages, to over 30 million Canadians.

We have pushed back the frontiers of the new media with Galaxie, the first pay audio service, which since 1997 has been broadcasting 30 music channels, free of advertising, by satellite and cable. Our specialty channels, such as Newsworld and RDI, have taken all-news programming to new heights in popularity. Our explorations in digital radio, like the vigour and popularity of our Web sites, clearly demonstrate that we have not lose our sense of innovation and adventure.

Second Challenge: Management Culture

It was therefore in a mixed climate of creativity and low morale that I joined the CBC in March 1995. At that time, there was a real turnaround taking place in Canada's management styles, within both public and private institutions. Everywhere, managers and boards of directors were more concerned with issues of transparency, accountability and responsibility. The deep meaning of good governance was being sought. This is the context in which I found my place at the CBC.

I immediately observed some visible differences between the ways of managing a "public" agency and managing a "private" company. Here business planning seemed to be more reactive than proactive. It was focused chiefly on the immediate future and seemed to depend on the cultural and fiscal policies of the day.

I had to begin by understanding the mindset of the managers currently overseeing the destinies of the public broadcaster. As you know, the CBC is in a unique situation since its managers are not generally business graduates. Above all, they are creators, particularly producers, who have climbed the administrative ladder on the strength of their merits to occupy positions of high responsibility.

This situation presents both advantages and disadvantages. Unlike most major corporations, a great many CBC managers are extremely familiar with their products. They subscribe and contribute fully to the CBC's cultural mission. Their management decisions are therefore based on criteria other than mere cost-effectiveness. Producing a television series on the history of Canada or commissioning a play from some young playwrights is not handled the same way as manufacturing electronic chips or selling insurance policies.

This phenomenon has an intrinsic difficulty which we have not yet solved and which is linked to the measurement of success. While it may be easy and concrete to measure the rate of sales of electronic chips or insurance policies, CBC managers do not always agree on the performance evaluation criteria to be applied. How do we check whether results have been achieved if we are not even unanimous in our definition of success?

In an average company, managers' effectiveness is measured according to the upward profit curve, the speed of expansion and favourable positioning in the market. These are measurable, quantifiable elements which can be readily lined up on paper. Things occur differently in a cultural undertaking. What do we base CBC successes on? On our ratings? On the number of Gemini Awards and other major prizes won by our programs and craftspeople? On CRTC orders and statements? What products should we evaluate first? Radio, television, English or French productions, news channels, specialty channels, new media broadcasts? Should an upscale production that wins several international prizes but turns out not to be cost-effective be regarded as a success or a failure in the eyes of managers?

Since the CBC's primary mission does not consist of making profits but in reflecting the various aspects of Canadian reality, we may wonder whether budget efficiency weighs as heavily as artistic excellence in the balance. My accountant's instinct and my years of management experience tell me that a balance has to be found, but at the cost of what compromises? It is especially hard to manage creation when financial resources are greatly limited — and creative resources almost unlimited! When managers calculate with their head, but manage with their heart. Just as we know that the years of prosperity are over for good, we trust that the creativity and innovative spirit of our managers will continue to be renewed.

In this hybrid context, you will agree with me that the role of manager is not an easy one to play. While the CBC has a solid business culture anchored in a tradition and reputation of excellence, its managers are not always able to subscribe to a consistent corporate management culture. While the large majority are highly educated, their management training is sometimes lacking. Furthermore, the employees they manage are also very diversified. They are highly creative and knowledgeable people, journalists, producers, authors and technicians, whose job experience and career path are often unique. Harnessing the talent, making creation cost-effective, creating a management atmosphere based on accountability and innovation, motivating managers, these are major management challenges facing the CBC.

How to Deal With This Twofold Challenge?

Despite this dichotomy, the CBC has managed to survive the successive cuts because its creator-managers have been able to come up with innovative solutions for the urgent problems. They have received support in their job from highly motivated boards of directors and dedicated presidents who have done everything, at all times, to keep the ship afloat. There too, the quality of the individuals and the range of skills are a good reflection of the fascinating creation/management dilemma confronted by the CBC.

The very makeup of the CBC Board of Directors reflects this reality, since it combines many types of expertise, namely of lawyers, communicators, actors, politicians, physicians and of course a few "genuine" managers and accountants.

A year ago, the CBC, with its managers, undertook a meticulous exercise in order to identify the major attributes of the ideal manager. Seven basic qualities to which all administrators should aspire were identified. These qualities would maximize all CBC human, cultural and financial resources and anchor them in a new management culture. I'd like to tell you about them, because I am confident in the ability of our managers to achieve their full potential.

Our managers must begin by becoming strategic thinkers. This means they must know how to go beyond today in their thinking, and have a clear vision of what the CBC may and should be. To get there, they must be able to establish links between the past and the future, and among all the major trends that may affect us. They must closely monitor the latest trends and be on the lookout for any opportunities that arise. In an ideal context, strategic thinkers should themselves be creating opportunities and establishing the necessary strategies to support them, enrich them and extend them.

The future of the CBC also rests in the hands of innovators. Our new generation of managers must instigate change and be able to adjust its vision to the whims of an uncertain future. Such an undertaking implies collaboration and consultation for this vision to materialize and become a collective destiny. In an ideal context, innovators acknowledge the inspiration of others and manage to combine good ideas and visionary thoughts to create great collective projects.

It is the task of motivators to discover and foster the development of our best talent. Whether it involves recruiting the right person or matching them to the right position, managers must be closely acquainted with the employer's needs and the employees' job aspirations. They must be able to clear the way, find select candidates and promote winning behaviours to guarantee a stimulating and suitable working environment for those who work for the CBC. In an ideal context, motivators enable all their employees to surpass themselves, to broaden their horizons and be fulfilled in professional and human terms.

The CBC must also rely on partners to build its future. Our managers must see themselves as full-fledged partners who pool their assets for the greatest collective good. They must maintain productive and special relations with a variety of groups and individuals. Their actions must aim at precise results and be attractive enough to influence the course of thoughts and actions. In an ideal context, partners adopt a circular vision that combines all CBC angles and extends beyond a program, a project or a service to encompass all CBC activities.

In addition, the CBC must be able to count on problem solvers able to examine research and glean the information necessary to identify problems and find solutions for them. Far from being a solitary act, problem-solving is a community activity in which every possible solution is examined with the fine-tooth comb of experience. In an ideal context, problem solvers are outstanding organizers and clever controllers who take a logical look at reality, using a highly method ical approach.

As an organization dedicated to communications, the CBC values communicators, who define and acquaint people with its directions, strategies and vision. Effective communication implies an attentive ear, open-mindedness and a firm commitment to integrity and transparency. It aims to develop clear performance objectives and effective feedback systems. In an ideal context, communicators are constantly surveying others' opinions and applying the results to the strategic development of persons and programs.

Finally, CBC managers must be genuine rallying points able to build teams and generate enthusiasm for group objectives and projects. They must be able to manage real or virtual teams and produce impressive results in a difficult and impersonal work context. They must also be able to take a close look at any work disputes that arise and insist that team members find shared solutions. In an ideal context, rallying points are architects of interaction, natural pivots, the focal point of skilled teams and daring managers who know how to make difficult decisions and manage the consequences.

As you can see, the list is long and ambitious. It is anything but unrealistic, however. A number of our managers already have lots of these qualities and many others: ingeniousness, open-mindedness, self-confidence, versatility, generosity.

For the past year, the CBC has been making special efforts to help its managers complete their training in various areas: budget techniques, conflict resolution, change man agement and so on. Thus some 300 managers were able to attend intensive five-day workshops offered under the renowned Niagara Institute Leadership Development Program. This innovative program relies on feedback from colleagues, supervisors and employees to identify the strengths and weaknesses of each manager taking part and to outline a concrete and detailed plan of action. We are also increasing the number of specialized workshops and course selections, not to mention access, by Intranet, to management tools and solutions for our managers to teach themselves. I like to think that with this abundance of resources they will earn an MBA from the CBC in record time!

Since our managers are a source of pride, we encourage them increasingly to demonstrate their skills in the public arena. In fact, a management function I am particularly partial to is the social responsibility of managers.

I'm convinced of the crucial role administrators can plan in their social environment. Since this role is a personal choice, we have to convince our managers to go beyond the corporate walls and become involved in their community. The CBC is a rich source of expertise. Our managers and personnel create products that reflect all the major trends in thought, stimulate discussion and promote exchange. Whether they sit on boards of directors, give talks, support noble causes, participate in commitees or educate young people, our managers are equipped to enrich the debate.

However they develop, good managers demonstrate unusual adaptability, whether in business, education, culture or another area. Their knowledge and experience can be transmitted and adapted. They must thus be generous and sensitive in their social capacity. It is this sort of openness and commitment that I strongly encourage within the CBC and that I ask you, you too, to display. Beyond our routine management duties, we all have something to say and to offer.

Conclusion

The era of the super-specialized manager operating in a vacuum is no more. To bring ourselves up to date, we have to rework the traditional assumptions, broaden our fields of action and restore our managers' feeling of confidence and pride by entrusting them with new challenges. This means visionary leadership and advanced tools. CBC management must be on the lookout for promising techniques to sharpen skills, provide motivation and increase production. We have to consolidate our approach to training and development, and bank more on doing jobs together and inter-level participation.

You know, the CBC has always positioned itself at the limits of modernity. Where production is concerned, our firsts have become innumerable. Being in the forefront of the latest technologies has become a natural position — and that's great. Now our managers have to do likewise. Encourage innovation, stimulate creativity, take risks, learn from our mistakes, offer people opportunities to succeed and excel themselves. It sounds like a list from a business school textbook!

In my case, these are themes that have sustained me throughout my career in all environments. Whether managing a lumber company in the North or establishing a business culture in the CBC, they have always proved to be relevant. I expect to find this expertise at every management level of the CBC. Managers in full command of their resources will be able to establish a positive, dynamic working atmosphere conducive to success. And since nothing succeeds like success, we will be able to count on a high-calibre succession, as experienced leaders make way for new blood.

As in Sydney, there is no shortage of challenges. In spite of the obstacles and a few detours, the CBC always ranks first. Our unique role in nation building remains unchallenged. With our news and information, culture, variety and sports products, we are the country's collective memory, and its main witness. This is a heritage that our managers and leaders must safeguard at any price. Furthermore, this is a responsibility that has inspired us and motivated us for over 60 years. And that, in my opinion, is certainly worth a gold medal!

Thank you very much, and enjoy the rest of your meeting.