JOHN PAUL AUSTIN

Leadership: John Paul Austin (Former CEO of Coca Cola)

Table of Contents

Introduction1

Discussion1

John Paul Austin1

Biography2

Leadership Qualities of J. Paul Austin2

Man of Vision2

Values3

Source of Motivation3

Developing People4

Organizational Climate5

Problem Solving Attributes5

Austin as a Leader5

Effectiveness of Austin6

Conclusion6

References8

Leadership: John Paul Austin (Former CEO of Coca Cola)

Introduction

Leadership is the basic requirement for the success of every company, irrespective of the field, location, and background. A leader is a person who leads the team of workers in order to generate profits by the help of certain organizational processes. A good leader is the one with a clear vision of the future and should know the ways to achieve the goals and objectives in order to achieve the overall vision of the organization. John Paul Austin, the former CEO and Chairman of Coca Cola, has been a source of inspiration for many in the organization (Oliver, 2007). His successes are linked to his leadership qualities and his vision for the organization. His policies and procedures were helpful for the Coca Cola Corporation in improvising the status of the corporation. The study of his strengths and qualities in the field can be helpful for the leaders that are either currently in the field, or have a plan to enter the business arena.

Discussion

John Paul Austin

John Paul Austin joined the Coca Cola Company in 1949; served as president of the company from 1962-1966; as Chief Executive Officer from 1966-1970; and remained the Chairman of the Board from 1970 till his retirement on the 1st of March, 2001 (Oliver, 2007). During his tenure, Coca Cola reached the peaks of success accompanied with several strategic decisions that were beneficial for the future of Coca Cola. He provided significant profits and expansions to the company that helped Coke to achieve a class among the other beverage companies around the globe.

Biography

John Paul Austin was born on the 14th of February, 1915 in the US state of Georgia (search.proquest.com). He was the son of Samuel Y. Austin Sr., an executive of Callaway Mills, and Mrs. Maude Jernigan Austin. At the age of 10, he moved to New York with his family, where he spent his high school years at Culver Military Academy in Culver. In 1936, Austin went for Olympic trials along with four other Harvard athletes. Austin won a spot during trials for the game of Rowing, but failed to gain a single Olympic medal in Berlin. In 1937, he received his bachelor's degree in liberal arts from Harvard, and his law degree in the year 1940. Austin worked for a New York Law firm before joining Coca Cola.

Austin joined Coke in 1949, and, due to his absolute performance, was named President of the firm in the year 1962. After four years, in 1966, Austin was promoted to the post of company's chief executive officer, and finally named Chairman of the board of directors from 1970 till his retirement in 2001. During his tenure, the company had a number of accomplishments that enabled the firm to prosper, including expansion projects, product modification, and diversification in ...