FUTURISTIC GROOVES

Check out the speech (Real Player) given at the Standford Graduate School of Business, View from the Top Speaker series, by Mike White, chairman and chief executive officer at PepsiCo International’s.

Surprisingly, White, does not hold a MBA degree but degrees in Russian and English literature and international relations. I really like the international perspective he takes on in his talk. In my view he’s a truly global minded leader.

In addition, the advice he gave for youngsters appeals to me “Seek out different experiences and to go wide and deep. Develop a depth of expertise in something, a pocket skill that will open doors at companies and organisations. Once inside, let curiosity take you on a path of lifelong learning.” Great advice right? Learn & Grow!

Furthermore, he also shared six critical characteristics of a good leader according to his opinion. Off course this list of six character traits are widely debatable but you will come quite far if you have fostered these.

• All good leaders have perspective. They simplify problems, ask the right questions, and balance long- and short-term interests. They listen more than they talk. Good leaders “need to be able to cut through the clutter and come up with a solution.”
• Successful leaders turn strategy into results. They face reality and adjust plans to achieve their goals. They motivate people and are decisive, adhering to the 70-30 rule: If you have 70 percent of the information it’s time to make a decision because “if you hold out for the last 30 percent you’re probably toast.”
• Great leaders are effective change agents. Great leaders have the courage to make changes, even when things are good.
• Effective leaders are self aware and savvy. They know how to read people and organisations, and they flex their style to achieve results.
• True leaders have unshakeable integrity. They set the moral tone and ethical standard of an organisation. They ask for help and seek the council of others.
• Proven leaders know how to build strong teams. A leader’s ability to recognise potential in others and foster it builds successful organisations.

Let me make an addition to the last bullet point on “building strong teams”. In my opinion you can identify great leaders by measuring the loyalty and willingness of the people that are working for the leader. So in this respect its not purely a matter of the ability of building great teams. Its the ability to earn the respect from your team in such a way that everyone is willing to give 100% and blindly goes the extra mile for you.