A diverse, equal and inclusive culture, and the way we live our values, is what will keep us on top.
Bill McDermott is optimistic about the future for business leaders. For him, investing in the future is the one thing CEOs must do right now. Despite the global business community facing economic pressures, geopolitical conflicts and other challenges, he believes there is plenty for the leaders of today to be excited about.
As CEO of ServiceNow, a digital workflow market leader with over 19,000 employees worldwide, Bill McDermott is clear that digital transformation is “the opportunity of this generation.”
He says innovation is one of the most important determinants for ServiceNow’s ongoing success. “The key to our success is to keep innovating and stay focused. To make sure that we don’t lose touch with what is most important — helping make the world work better for everyone. I believe this gives ServiceNow a competitive advantage.”
Bill McDermott’s positivity isn’t without substance. ServiceNow has repeatedly been commended for its employee satisfaction rates, and Fortune named the business one of the world’s most admired companies in its annual report in 2021 and 2022. Against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Great Resignation, supply chain disruptions and all the subsequent uncertainties and anxieties, he’s rightfully proud of the company’s employee satisfaction and retention rates.
Nonetheless he is clear that company culture mustn’t be taken for granted, noting it is something that must be continuously worked on. “We are a work in progress. We are much better than the company we once were — and we were always good — but we are not yet the company we want to be. That hunger to always be better, and to be humble and grateful for our successes, has enabled us to execute [our strategy] extremely well.”
For Bill McDermott, ensuring that corporate purpose is both an effective and symbiotic method for business growth means making sure employees’ personal values align with those of the company. “You must focus on recruiting properly to make sure there is a great match with the individual values of a person coming into your culture. Having that match also impacts diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI).”
Much like everything else ServiceNow wants to tackle, he states that the company’s goal is to be the most diverse, equitable and inclusive in the industry. “We have a company that looks like the world we serve, and has a culture that is second to none.” For him, fulfilling DEI objectives is not just the right thing to do; it brings many distinct advantages. “A diverse, equal and inclusive culture, and the way we live our values, is what will keep us on top.”
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