Leading with Conviction: Mastering the Nine Critical Pillars of Integrated Leadership

8

The Pillar of Collaboration

Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.

—Helen Keller

Collaborating in self-managed teams is a complex but rewarding goal, particularly for global companies with a multitude of overlapping and interdependent operations spanning the landscape. This proved true for the venerable producer of paper and wood products Champion International in the late 1980s after industry veteran Richard E. Olsen took on the challenge of making the company more efficient following their merger with the St. Regis Corporation.

Established in 1883, Champion was a family-owned business until 1960. After the St. Regis merger, Champion became a leader in several prominent segments of the paper market and one of the largest private ...