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Campbell CEO Doug Conant Shares Leadership Lessons in New Book TOUCHPOINTS

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  Published in House and Home on Wednesday, May 25th 2011 at 13:40 GMT by Market Wire
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CAMDEN, N.J.--([ BUSINESS WIRE ])--Campbell Soup Company (NYSE: CPB) today announced that its President and CEO Douglas R. Conant has written a new book sharing his views on how to be a highly effective leader in the interruption age.

"The beauty of TouchPoints is that it is both approachable and aspirational"

In TOUCHPOINTS: Creating Powerful Leadership Connections in the Smallest of Moments (Jossey-Bass; hardcover; May 17, 2011), Conant and leadership consultant Mette Norgaard suggest that every planned and spontaneous interaction is an opportunity to build engagement and promote an organizationa™s values, purpose and agenda.

Conant said, aIn our overloaded age, the most common complaint is certainly about interruptions. And no one feels it more than those called to lead and manage companies. These so-called interruptions are actually important interactions that if handled properly are the key to becoming a great leader and creating a highly engaged and productive workplace.a

When Conant joined Campbell in 2001, the company had some of the lowest employee engagement scores ever measured by the Gallup Organization. Under Conanta™s leadership, Campbell has consistently improved its employee engagement and developed a world-class culture. Today, Campbell has an employee engagement ratio of 17 to 1, well above the world-class ratio of 12 to 1.

Conant and Norgaard have distilled the approach into a method that everyonea"from top executives to new managersa"can master with repeated practice. The authors believe the approach means improving listening skills and understanding that leadership is not about youa"ita™s about the people you are leading.

Conant said, aThe TouchPoints process is to listen intently, frame the issue and advance it. To better frame the problem and address it really begins with the magic question: aHow can I help?a™ The answer will allow you to understand the issue, frame it and then move toward a solution.a

aThe beauty of TouchPoints is that it is both approachable and aspirational,a said Norgaard. aIf you pick just three TouchPoints a daya"that adds up to more than 1,000 interactions a year. Each of these moments is a chance to remind those on your team about the mission and to listen to the issues and ideas they may have.a

The results of these connections speak for themselvesa"higher employee engagement, improved growth, increased revenue and better relationships. In short, TouchPoints produce a better and more productive organization. And, each TouchPoint, no matter how small, can build a successful organization. To learn more about Conanta™s views on leadership at [ www.conantleadership.com ].

About Campbell Soup Company

Campbell Soup Company is a global manufacturer and marketer of high-quality foods and simple meals, including soup and sauces, baked snacks and healthy beverages. Founded in 1869, the company has a portfolio of market-leading brands, including aCampbella™s,a aPepperidge Farm,a aArnotta™sa and aV8.a Through its corporate social responsibility program, the company strives to make a positive impact in the workplace, in the marketplace and in the communities in which it operates. Campbell is a member of the Standard & Poor's 500 and the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes. For more information, visit [ www.campbellsoup.com ].

About Mette Norgaard

Norgaard is an expert on strategic leadership and learning. She works with executive teams around the world to create distinct learning solutions that advance their companiesa™ strategies. She has worked senior-level leaders from Microsoft, Proctor & Gamble, GE Capital, Nucor Corp., Est©e Lauder, Harley-Davidson, The US Navy and Pfizer. Norgaard is the author of the international bestseller The Ugly Duckling Goes to Work (2005), published by the American Management Association. [ www.mettenorgaard.com ]