Leadership Lessons from Around the World

When Did You Realize You Had the Right Stuff to Lead?

HBR’s editors put that question to a group of business leaders representing different industries, nationalities, executive tenures, and company sizes. The answers were as diverse as the group itself.

Lessons in Humility

Nokia CEO Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo recounts a lesson in humility, learned when he was a young CFO and it wasn’t clear each month that the company would be able to pay salaries the next.

Preserving High-Energy Culture

Gary Jackson describes the challenge of preserving his military-training company’s high-energy culture, largely through his own example.

Vision and Innovation

Arthur Gensler’s story highlights the importance of vision in growing his architectural firm and refusing to be constrained by the traditions of a hidebound industry.

Withstanding Pressure

A world away, Alexander Cummings tells the harrowing tale of withstanding quarter after quarter of declining margins and market share—and intense pressure from his boss, and his boss’s boss—because he had conviction that a controversial decision he made at Coca-Cola Africa would prove right in the end.

Trusting Intuition

Roche CEO Franz Humer recounts how he learned to trust his intuition, particularly when the rest of his organization was inclined to see only the downside risk in a deal.

Leadership Qualities

Other leaders’ moments of truth involved tests of still different qualities. Duleep Aluwihare of Ernst & Young in Poland learned from painful encounters with a mentor in his old firm, Arthur Andersen, that he must change his leadership style. Sergey Petrov, the founder of Russia’s largest car importer, developed the perspective required of a leader when he was a young dissident held for questioning by the KGB. Finally, Alan Klapmeier of private-aircraft manufacturer Cirrus Design tells of the passion required to bring something truly innovative to market despite recalcitrant board members and the catastrophic loss of a prototype.

Conclusion

These stories illustrate that leadership is not about a single trait or characteristic, but rather a complex blend of skills, experiences, and qualities. Whether it’s humility, vision, or intuition, leaders must develop and draw upon these strengths to succeed.

FAQs

Q: What qualities are essential for a leader to possess?
A: The article highlights a range of qualities, including humility, vision, intuition, and passion.

Q: How do leaders develop these qualities?
A: Leaders develop these qualities through experiences, challenges, and lessons learned throughout their careers.

Q: What is the most important lesson for leaders to learn?
A: The article suggests that leaders must be adaptable and willing to change their approach as circumstances dictate.