“ Based on my own path to leadership , I believe that a good leader should be very hands on in a broad range of roles within the company ,” Goldberg adds . “ This foundation gave me good perspective across the entirety of the business and served me well as I advanced .
“ In my experience , all people want to feel that they are respected , heard , and treated fairly ; they want to understand how their role fits into a bigger picture of the company ’ s strategy so they can know that they have an impact ; and they want to understand how they can be supported in their personal development and growth of their careers with the company .
“ By paying attention to these kinds of fundamentals of human nature while showing common sense and respect towards cultural differences , it is possible to lead successfully across a diverse mix of cultures .”
But how exactly does that work in a practical sense ?
“ I always tell my team that they can ask me anything , and I ’ ve always adopted an open-door policy ,” explains Goldberg . “ I am also proud to have built an inclusive and diverse workforce , and our hiring practices promote equal opportunity regardless of gender and background .
“ I have confidence in the team I have built and they are empowered to make decisions that impact their work . I trust that they will have the right judgement and leave them to go their own way in delivering to the objectives - supporting them simply with the resources they need .
“ A key area of focus for me has been employee development for the people at Aetna . All employees are encouraged to maintain a development plan with the support of their managers and we have also increased training and development opportunities year-over-year .
“ One of the metrics that points to success is that at least 20 % of our team members have benefitted from internal transfer or promotion opportunities within the past two years . We have numerous examples of employees transferring across international borders to take on new roles . This has allowed the talent in Aetna to advance their skills and careers and we intend to build on this going forward .”
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