608: Harvard Professor and former CEO of Medtronic, Bill George, on How Leaders Should Manage Challenging Times
The Strategy Skills Podcast: Strategy | Leadership | Critical Thinking | Problem-Solving8 Joulu

608: Harvard Professor and former CEO of Medtronic, Bill George, on How Leaders Should Manage Challenging Times

Bill George, former CEO of Medtronic and Harvard Business School Executive Fellow, explains how leaders can stay grounded, principled, and effective in chaotic times.

"It's a world of chaos and it requires a very different kind of leader than in more stable times." The skills that once mattered (process control, long-term plans) are now secondary to courage, self-awareness, and moral clarity.

George says most executives still lead comfortably "inside the walls" but fear the external world (media, public scrutiny, and rapid change). "Today, if you're a leader, you are a public figure. You have to face that reality."

Leadership now starts with knowing your True North, your values and principles. "When everything's going your way, you start to think you're better than you are. When you lose, you learn your weaknesses."

He warns: "The people who will struggle are those faking it to make it. They're trying to impress the outside world but aren't grounded inside."

Purpose, not position, defines identity. "A CEO once said, 'Without a title, I'm nothing.' You won't hold that title forever. Who are you then?"

True fulfillment comes from alignment between personal purpose and work. "Every business has a deep sense of purpose if it's well run. The ones that only make money, like GE, go away."

He lists five traits of leaders who thrive in crisis:

  • Face reality.
  • Stay true to values.
  • Adapt strategies fast.
  • Engage your team.
  • Go on offense when others retreat.

Each requires courage. "You can't teach courage in a classroom. It has to come from within."

He urges humility: "Leadership is all about relationships, it's a two-way street." His turning point came when he stopped "building a résumé" and started building people.

He defines authentic leadership as growth through feedback: "I never walk into a classroom unless I'm going to learn from everyone there."

And he closes with the core message: "You don't have to be CEO. If you can do great work and help others, you'll feel fulfilled. Leaders make the difference between success and failure."

Key Insights (Verbatim Quotes)

1. Chaos demands a new kind of leader.

"It's a world of chaos and it requires a very different kind of leader than in more stable times."

2. Authenticity starts with grounding.

"Our true north is our principles, our beliefs, and our values all rolled into one."

3. Titles are temporary.

"I am not the CEO of Best Buy. …That's the title I hold. I won't hold that forever."

4. Courage separates real leaders.

"You can't teach courage in a classroom. It has to come from within."

5. Purpose drives resilience.

"Every business has a deep sense of purpose if it's well run."

6. Leadership is relational.

"I was building a résumé, not relationships. Leadership is all about relationships."

7. Fear destroys authenticity.

"A lot of people are living in fear. That's no way to live your life."

8. Great leaders empower others.

"You want everyone on your team to be better than you are at what they do."

9. Growth never ends.

"Anyone who's authentic knows they have to continue to grow as a human being."

10. True success is internal.

"You'll never have enough power, fame, or money. You find fulfillment within."

Action Items

  • "Face reality, starting with yourself." Look in the mirror and ask, "Maybe I'm creating this negative culture. What did I do wrong?"

  • "Stay true to your purpose and your values." Never abandon principles when pressure rises.

  • "Adapt your strategies and tactics." What worked yesterday may not work today.

  • "Get your team involved." Say, "Hey guys, we've got a real problem. What ideas do you have to keep it going?"

  • "Go on offense when everyone else is pulling back." Make bold moves when others retreat.

  • "Have the courage to look yourself in the mirror." Courage starts with self-reflection.

  • Ask, "What's the worst case? What do I have to lose?" and move forward without fear.

  • "If one door closes, maybe another one's going to open that I never even saw."

  • "Know who you are." Reflect on your life story, relationships, and crucibles that shaped you.

  • "Don't get caught up in titles or money." Remember, "Without a title I'm nothing" leads nowhere.

  • "Find a congruence between your purpose and the organization's purpose."

  • "Every business has a deep sense of purpose if it's well run." Identify how yours helps people.

  • "Get away from toxic leaders." If they drive you down, take credit for your work, or never support you, move on.

  • "Work for people you feel really good about working with."

  • "Learn all aspects of the business and how to integrate them creatively."

  • "Pull together a cross-disciplinary team" and act as the integrator.

  • "Have everyone on your team be better than you are at what they do."

  • "Be the glue." Integrate experts to solve tough problems.

  • "Care about your people first." They must know you care before they'll perform.

  • "Get everyone into their sweet spot" — where they use all their skills and are highly motivated.

  • "Align everyone around purpose and goals."

  • "Challenge people to reach their full potential." Say, "I know you can do better. Let's take your game to the next level."

  • "Get out there and be with the people." Don't hide behind PowerPoints.

  • "Help your people do better." Work beside them.

  • "Believe in someone who doesn't believe in themselves." Tell them, "You have this potential. Go for it."

  • "Find someone who believes in you." A mentor, boss, or spouse who sees your potential.

  • "As a leader, be that person who believes in others."

  • "Face your blind spots." Ask people who care about you for honest feedback.

  • "If you get feedback from people that care about you, take it in."

  • "Stop building a résumé and start building relationships."

  • "Take time for people. Ask, 'How are you doing today? What challenges are you facing?'"

  • "Leadership is all about relationships — it's a two-way street."

  • "Tell the truth — the good, the bad, and the ugly."

  • "Stay away from blame." Take responsibility instead of pointing fingers.

  • "Be transparent." Don't hide problems; fix them.

  • "Never fake it to make it."

  • "Keep growing as a human being."

  • "Take feedback and adapt." Growth requires awareness of impact on others.

  • "Believe in yourself even if you fail." Failure is learning.

  • "Spend time reflecting on your purpose and the person you are becoming."

  • "Help other people reach their full potential."

  • "Measure success by how many people you help every day."

  • "Remember: leadership is about who you are, not what title you hold."

Get Bills book, True North, here: https://shorturl.at/bRXsK

Claim your free gift:

Free gift #1
McKinsey & BCG winning resume
www.FIRMSconsulting.com/resumePDF

Free gift #2
Breakthrough Decisions Guide with 25 AI Prompts
www.FIRMSconsulting.com/decisions

Free gift #3
Five Reasons Why People Ignore Somebody
www.FIRMSconsulting.com/owntheroom

Free gift #4
Access episode 1 from Build a Consulting Firm, Level 1
www.FIRMSconsulting.com/build

Free gift #5
The Overall Approach used in well-managed strategy studies
www.FIRMSconsulting.com/OverallApproach

Free gift #6
Get a copy of Nine Leaders in Action, a book we co-authored with some of our clients:
www.FIRMSconsulting.com/gift

Jaksot(499)

603: A $3.6B CEO on the "Poverty of Dignity" in Corporate America

603: A $3.6B CEO on the "Poverty of Dignity" in Corporate America

Bob Chapman, CEO of Barry-Wehmiller, explains how he built a $3.6 billion company by placing human dignity at the center of leadership. He describes the moment he recognized that "our history does not give us the future that we deserve," and how this led to a disciplined focus on balance, diversifying customers, industries, and technologies to create a stable enterprise.   Bob recounts the insight that reshaped his philosophy: every team member is "somebody's precious child," and leadership is stewardship, not control. Caring, in his view, is an economic principle: "The greatest act of charity is how you treat the people you have the privilege of leading."   Key insights include: The role of business-model design in protecting people, Why pricing should reflect market value rather than internal cost, How trust and relationships outperform transactional approaches, and Why growth often emerges from navigating adversity   Chapman argues that today's crisis is not financial but a "poverty of dignity," and calls for leaders to build organizations where people know they matter.   Get Bob Chapman's new book, Everybody Matters, here: https://shorturl.at/rYqlx   Claim your free gift: Free gift #1 McKinsey & BCG winning resume www.FIRMSconsulting.com/resumePDF   Free gift #2 Breakthrough Decisions Guide with 25 AI Prompts www.FIRMSconsulting.com/decisions   Free gift #3 Five Reasons Why People Ignore Somebody www.FIRMSconsulting.com/owntheroom   Free gift #4 Access episode 1 from Build a Consulting Firm, Level 1 www.FIRMSconsulting.com/build   Free gift #5 The Overall Approach used in well-managed strategy studies www.FIRMSconsulting.com/OverallApproach   Free gift #6 Get a copy of Nine Leaders in Acton, a book we co-authored with some of our clients: www.FIRMSconsulting.com/gift

19 Marras 1h 1min

602: Harvard's Scott Levy on His Path from Investment Banking to Public Education and Leading in Uncertain Times

602: Harvard's Scott Levy on His Path from Investment Banking to Public Education and Leading in Uncertain Times

Scott Levy spent two decades as an investment banker at firms like J.P. Morgan, advising corporate boards and senior executives on risk, growth, and capital decisions. Then he pivoted, serving on a public school board, teaching at Harvard, and writing Why School Boards Matter.   In this episode, we discuss: How Levy broke into investment banking and the lessons that carried him through twenty years on Wall Street What he learned about resilience, risk-taking, and long-term thinking at the highest levels of finance Why he left a successful career to focus on public education and democracy How business principles can, and cannot, be applied productively to education What executives misunderstand about AI, and the questions they should be asking   Get Scott's book, Why School Boards Matter, here: https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262552721/why-school-boards-matter/   Claim your free gift: Free gift #1 McKinsey & BCG winning resume www.FIRMSconsulting.com/resumePDF   Free gift #2 Breakthrough Decisions Guide with 25 AI Prompts www.FIRMSconsulting.com/decisions   Free gift #3 Five Reasons Why People Ignore Somebody www.FIRMSconsulting.com/owntheroom   Free gift #4 Access episode 1 from Build a Consulting Firm, Level 1 www.FIRMSconsulting.com/build   Free gift #5 The Overall Approach used in well-managed strategy studies www.FIRMSconsulting.com/OverallApproach   Free gift #6 Get a copy of Nine Leaders in Acton, a book we co-authored with some of our clients: www.FIRMSconsulting.com/gift

17 Marras 53min

601: Former CNN and NBC News Anchor Lynn Smith on Building Authentic Presence and Excellent Communication

601: Former CNN and NBC News Anchor Lynn Smith on Building Authentic Presence and Excellent Communication

Lynn Smith, former national news anchor for NBC News, MSNBC, and CNN Headline New, and now executive communication coach, reframes public speaking as an internal leadership skill, not a performance. She identifies the recurring obstacle as the "brain bully", the inner critic that turns preparation into paralysis, and shows leaders how to retrain it so that clarity, calm, and connection become repeatable outcomes.   This episode translates decades of live television experience into actionable communication tools for high-stakes settings—from boardrooms to keynotes to broadcast media.   Key takeaways: Name and neutralize the "brain bully." "It's that inner saboteur saying, 'You're not good enough' or 'What if you say the wrong thing?'" Smith explains. She traces these patterns back to early experiences and teaches clients to "control–alt–delete our prehistoric code" so fear no longer drives performance. People don't want perfection, they want resiliency. Recalling a keynote where she froze on stage, Smith says, "I had to stop and tell the audience, 'I'm so sorry, I'm failing at this.'" That failure became the basis for her coaching framework. "People don't want perfection, they want resiliency. They want to see people overcome." Replace over-scripting with intentional structure. "Executives spend hours memorizing, but the result is robotic. The big revelation is… it has nothing to do with your prep; it has everything to do with your mental game." Instead, she recommends bullet-pointing key ideas for authenticity and flow. Drill down, don't dumb down. Smith's "Goldilocks effect" balances preparation, "not too much, not too little", so communication stays sharp and digestible: "If you communicate everything, you communicate nothing." Make voice and presence technical. Drawing from broadcast training, Smith advises projecting "from your diaphragm, not your chest," and using "the power of enunciation" and pauses to improve recall and connection. Manage energy deliberately. "Everything is energy," she notes. High-frequency energy, calm, clear, positive, creates magnetism. "When you're vibrating at the level you want others to meet you at, people lean in." Model resilience for the next generation. Her children's book Just Keep Going distills the same mindset for young readers: that fear and failure are not endpoints, but steps toward growth. For executives preparing keynotes, investor meetings, or media appearances, this conversation provides a research-informed playbook to quiet the inner critic, align mindset and message, and lead with authentic, repeatable presence.   Get Lynn's book, Just Keep Going, here: https://tinyurl.com/ymt4jvtv   Claim your free gift: Free gift #1 McKinsey & BCG winning resume www.FIRMSconsulting.com/resumePDF   Free gift #2 Breakthrough Decisions Guide with 25 AI Prompts www.FIRMSconsulting.com/decisions   Free gift #3 Five Reasons Why People Ignore Somebody www.FIRMSconsulting.com/owntheroom   Free gift #4 Access episode 1 from Build a Consulting Firm, Level 1 www.FIRMSconsulting.com/build   Free gift #5 The Overall Approach used in well-managed strategy studies www.FIRMSconsulting.com/OverallApproach   Free gift #6 Get a copy of Nine Leaders in Acton, a book we co-authored with some of our clients: www.FIRMSconsulting.com/gift

12 Marras 53min

600: Jamie Dimon & CEOs Are Rethinking Capitalism – Here's What That Means for You

600: Jamie Dimon & CEOs Are Rethinking Capitalism – Here's What That Means for You

Is capitalism still working, or is it due for an upgrade?   In this must-watch episode, authors Seth Levine and Elizabeth McBride discuss insights from their book Capital Evolution, sharing what they learned from interviewing top CEOs, including Jamie Dimon, Dan Schulman (PayPal), Peter Stavros (KKR), and others who are helping to reshape the social contract of business.   They explore: Why Jamie Dimon led 200 top CEOs to declare that companies should serve more than just shareholders. "If you ask Jamie Dimon, are you a capitalist? Because we asked him that, he said, I'm a rapacious capitalist." – Seth Levine Why the old model of shareholder primacy is failing How economic mobility has collapsed: "50 years ago, if you were born in the bottom 25th percentile of wealth, you had about a 25% chance of dying in the top 25th... Today, it's about 5%." Why ownership, not just wages, is key to the next phase of capitalism: "Ownership is a key to this new future that we see." How businesses, not just governments, must now lead on economic reform: "We believe in this current environment that businesses have the largest power and some responsibility to reshape the norms."   🎙️ Featuring stories from PayPal, KKR, Apollo, and others, this conversation is packed with ideas for business leaders, investors, and citizens alike.   📘 Pre-order the book: https://thecapitalevolution.com 🎥 Hosted by Kris Safarova at StrategyTraining.com   Claim your free gift: Free gift #1 McKinsey & BCG winning resume www.FIRMSconsulting.com/resumePDF   Free gift #2 Breakthrough Decisions Guide with 25 AI Prompts www.FIRMSconsulting.com/decisions   Free gift #3 Five Reasons Why People Ignore Somebody www.FIRMSconsulting.com/owntheroom   Free gift #4 Access episode 1 from Build a Consulting Firm, Level 1 www.FIRMSconsulting.com/build   Free gift #5 The Overall Approach used in well-managed strategy studies www.FIRMSconsulting.com/OverallApproach   Free gift #6 Get a copy of Nine Leaders in Acton, a book we co-authored with some of our clients: www.FIRMSconsulting.com/gift

10 Marras 54min

599: Joy at Work in the Age of AI: The Pain Is Optional (with Bree Groff)

599: Joy at Work in the Age of AI: The Pain Is Optional (with Bree Groff)

"Most people can't remember the last time they went to bed and thought: today was fun."   In this conversation with Bree Groff, author of Today Was Fun, we recenter the conversation on joy, pleasure, and meaning at work. Bree shares why her mom always said, "I have the best days," what it taught her about how we spend our lives, and why fun is not frivolous, it's the driver of creativity, performance, and belonging.   We also dive into the future of work and AI: "If the AI is a train speeding up behind you, don't try to outrun it. Step off the tracks. Be the most human version of yourself." Why we should measure success not only in revenue and customers, but in whether our companies create good days. Why Mondays are not a renewable resource and how leaders can treat each day as a responsibility.   As Bree says: "The pain is optional, and the fun is free." 📘 Bree's book: Today Was Fun 🎧 More Strategy Skills Podcast episodes, click here. 📩 Free resources for leaders:   Free gift #1 McKinsey & BCG winning resume www.FIRMSconsulting.com/resumePDF   Free gift #2 Breakthrough Decisions Guide with 25 AI Prompts www.FIRMSconsulting.com/decisions   Free gift #3 Five Reasons Why People Ignore Somebody www.FIRMSconsulting.com/owntheroom   Free gift #4 Access episode 1 from Build a Consulting Firm, Level 1 www.FIRMSconsulting.com/build   Free gift #5 The Overall Approach used in well-managed strategy studies www.FIRMSconsulting.com/OverallApproach   Free gift #6 Get a copy of Nine Leaders in Acton, a book we co-authored with some of our clients:  www.FIRMSconsulting.com/gift

5 Marras 46min

598: From Gas Station Cashier to Billion-Dollar CEO with Shirin Behzadi

598: From Gas Station Cashier to Billion-Dollar CEO with Shirin Behzadi

What does it really take to go from working as a gas station cashier to leading a billion-dollar company?   In this Strategy Skills Podcast episode, host Kris Safarova speaks with Shirin Behzadi, author of The Unexpected CEO and former CEO of Home Franchise Concepts, where she scaled the business to nearly $1B in sales across 12,000 cities.   This is a remarkable entrepreneurship journey and CEO story filled with powerful leadership lessons, proof that resilience in leadership is a superpower, and insights into how to do well despite adversity.   You'll learn: How to define a vision and reverse-engineer your career growth Why asking for opportunities (even when it feels risky) can change your life The "secret sauce" of scaling a company to nearly $1B How to build personal growth through adversity What the future of leadership looks like with AI in business   📖 Get Shirin's book: The Unexpected CEO 🌐 Connect with Shirin: shirinbehzadi.com | LinkedIn | Instagram   🎁 Free Strategy Resources for Listeners: If you want to strengthen your strategy, leadership, and problem-solving skills, visit StrategyTraining.com — the advanced training platform trusted by consultants, executives, business owners and leaders worldwide.   Overall Approach Used in Well-Managed Strategy Studies free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/OverallApproach   McKinsey & BCG winning resume free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/resumepdf   Get Exclusive Episode 1 Access of How to Build a Consulting Practice: www.firmsconsulting.com/build   Enjoying this episode? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

3 Marras 54min

597: McKinsey Senior Partner, Vik Malhotra, on What Distinguishes the Best Leaders

597: McKinsey Senior Partner, Vik Malhotra, on What Distinguishes the Best Leaders

Vik Malhotra, McKinsey senior partner and coauthor of CEO Excellence and A CEO for All Seasons, examines the strategic pressures that now define the CEO role: a "30- to 40-year tech revolution," intensifying geopolitics, shifting consumer behavior, and demographic change. As he notes, "every business at some level is a tech business," and this multipolar, fast-changing environment places a premium on leaders who can "thread the needle" between paradoxes, short-term delivery versus long-term reinvention, legacy versus disruption, and analysis versus decisiveness. The conversation connects these macrotrends to practical leadership mechanics, how to set direction, allocate scarce resources, and design institutions that can learn, adapt, and scale without losing their core. Key strategic insights and takeaways Set an audacious, persistent north star. "The very best leaders set bold, some might say audacious, aspirations early in their tenure," Malhotra explains. Through downturns and market noise, they "persevere" and repeat a few priorities "until the organization internalizes them." Consistency, not novelty, creates credibility and followership. Treat resource allocation as a hard choice. "Capital, expense, and talent, it's a zero-sum game," he recalls from his interview with Jamie Dimon. Great CEOs "starve something" to fund their boldest bets and resist spreading resources "like peanut butter." Make culture operational and selective. Effective leaders focus on one or two levers that reinforce strategy, Satya Nadella's emphasis on a growth mindset at Microsoft being a prime example. They design rituals, incentives, and role modeling that embed new behavior. Build a star team, not a team of stars. As one CEO told Malhotra, "This is not about a team of stars, it's about a star team." Complementary strengths, mutual accountability, and candor matter more than individual brilliance. Institutionalize continuous learning and reinvention. Exceptional leaders avoid the "sophomore slump." They systematize learning—internally by seeking dissent and externally by "looking around corners." "You can never be complacent," Jamie Dimon told him. "You've got to keep pushing forward." Operate as a technology-native company. "Every company is a tech company," Malhotra insists. Technology must be business-led, embedded in cross-functional product teams, and scaled deliberately beyond experimentation, especially in AI. Anticipate nonmarket shocks. Leading teams now run geopolitical and demographic scenarios "to understand how the company might have to pivot." This preparedness extends to smaller firms "thrust into geopolitics" for the first time. Distinguish between experimentation and bet-the-company decisions. Leaders should allow "rapid, cheap failure" to learn quickly, but apply exhaustive risk management to the few "truly consequential, bet-the-company" decisions. Here are some free gifts for you: Overall Approach Used in Well-Managed Strategy Studies free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/OverallApproach McKinsey & BCG winning resume free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/resumepdf Get Exclusive Episode 1 Access of How to Build a Consulting Practice: www.firmsconsulting.com/build Enjoying this episode? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

27 Loka 47min

596: Ex-Siemens & Alcoa CEO Klaus Kleinfeld on AI, Energy & Leading at the Highest Level

596: Ex-Siemens & Alcoa CEO Klaus Kleinfeld on AI, Energy & Leading at the Highest Level

Few leaders have run Fortune 500 giants on different continents. Dr. Klaus Kleinfeld has. As CEO of Siemens (Germany) and Alcoa (U.S.), he has led global transformations across industries and advised presidents and heads of state. In this interview, Klaus shares: Why time management is a myth and energy is the real driver of performance How leaders must "AI-ize" their organizations or risk irrelevance What skills will still matter when AI automates analysts, lawyers, and even screenwriters How purpose condenses energy "like a laser beam" The universal leadership lessons from four decades across Europe, the U.S., and the Middle East His book, Leading to Thrive, combines the inner game (energy, resilience, purpose) and the outer game (leadership, strategy, boards, and competition). Listen now and learn what it takes to lead at the very top and to stay there in the age of AI. Here are some free gifts for you: Overall Approach Used in Well-Managed Strategy Studies free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/OverallApproach McKinsey & BCG winning resume free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/resumepdf Get Exclusive Episode 1 Access of How to Build a Consulting Practice: www.firmsconsulting.com/build Enjoying this episode? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

22 Loka 1h 1min

Suosittua kategoriassa Liike-elämä ja talous

sijotuskasti
psykopodiaa-podcast
rss-rahapodi
mimmit-sijoittaa
ostan-asuntoja-podcast
rss-lahtijat
oppimisen-psykologia
rss-sisalto-kuntoon
rss-neuvottelija-sami-miettinen
rss-laakispodi
pomojen-suusta
lakicast
asuntoasiaa-paivakirjat
rss-uskalla-yrittaa
rss-sensuroimaton-kukkonen-kausi-3
rss-bisnesta-bebeja
rss-lentopaivakirjat
rss-juurisyy-johtamisesta-kilpailuetua
rss-seuraava-potilas
rss-paasipodi