The a16z Show14 Helmi 2020

Tough Love, Global Diplomacy, and Lessons on Leadership

Susan shares how she learned to leverage the characteristics of her personality early in her career as assistant secretary of state [2:05]

One of the important conversations Susan had with a mentor that changed the trajectory of her career [4:50]

Her parent’s commitment to education, their personal backgrounds, and the legacies they created [8:10]

The result of instilling self-belief into children and mastering “psychological jiu jitsu” [10:22]

What the early lessons of family diplomacy taught her [14:00]

The importance of strategic compartmentalization [16:48]

How to approach crisis during high stakes situations [18:29]

How to practice compassionate leadership while maintaining effectiveness [20:10]

Hacking the concept of “work-life balance” [21:10]

The required characteristics of powerful leaders [28:14]

The hard things about leadership and the idea of being liked [31:20]

The “middle finger story”/the time Susan stood up for herself in an important meeting [33:23]

Susan talks about China’s intelligence collection in the US [39:45]

A call for unity between the private, public, and academic sectors [42:54]

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Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

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