In 2007, CEO Michael Lewis, ILD Corp., knew about social-networking sites but he didn’t participate in any of them. The wake-up call came when an em­­ployee googled ILD Corp. and the result was ugly: dozens of customer complaints about charges and billing. Thus began Lewis’ migration from the back pew to the pulpit, where social media is concerned.

For more than 150 years, Bausch & Lomb led eye health innovation. But in recent years, the company began to stagnate. To shake things up, Bausch & Lomb hired Brent Saunders as CEO. Beginning with his first day, Saunders recognized that actions speak volumes. Here’s how he walks the talk:

Proclaiming he’s “not a car guy,” Daniel Akerson is the outsider who became CEO of General Motors Co. in 2010. And an outsider’s approach is what’s needed, say many, in running a company scarred by financial trauma and too attached to old ways. Here’s how the veteran of Nextel, MCI and Carlyle Group is turning his newcomer’s perspective into an advantage:

People have one of four communication styles, and if you’d like them to join you in bringing about change, you need to talk in a way they’ll understand. Here’s a gloss on the four styles and how to frame your thoughts when working with them: