Richard Bynum

Richard Bynum
EVP, Head of Business Banking, PNC Financial Services Group

How do you motivate others?

I believe the greatest motivation comes from within. So when I’m trying to inspire or motivate others, my first question is, “What’s in this for you?” It’s important, because if I can understand what your needs are, I can better shape the incentives that will encourage productive behaviors, connect your individual needs to the needs of the business, and create an emotional tie that ensures engagement rather than compliance. In this way, my partnership with the people I’m motivating becomes much greater than the sum of its parts and puts me in a position to guarantee success—and share the recognition for a job well done.

What advice would you give to someone just beginning his or her career?

Be five things—self-aware, ethical, smart, a performer, be humble.

Self-awareness can be a great tool at every stage of your career. It gives you the required perspective to make the right asks to fill your gaps, and to better connect with and understand the advice and counsel you receive from peers and managers.

Ethics are table stakes. If anyone has concerns about your ethics, the question of your talent is irrelevant.

Smart doesn’t mean “smarter than everybody else in the room.” It means asking good questions, learning from your successes and your mistakes, and focusing on becoming better as a result of your experiences.

Nothing can help you have a great career if you don’t perform. Find out what is expected, make a commitment to execute and be your own worst critic when it comes to comparing the expectation with the actual result.

Finally, be humble. In my view, being humble will allow you to experience guidance, advice and growth opportunities that are simply unavailable to others. Remember, perception is reality and part of your journey should be about shaping your own perception or brand versus having others define it for you.

What is your favorite quote, and why?

“Culture eats strategy for breakfast … every day.” – Peter Drucker

I’m a fan of this quote because in my experience it’s just true. Thousands of business strategies and models are drawn up every day; many of them are smart, thoughtful, and reasonable in terms of a business approach. The problem is that all of them require the execution of people to deliver their intended results. If the environment and the people in your organization aren’t aligned and engaged in executing the strategy, it is simply destined to fail.