Grit

#120 Chairman & CEO ServiceNow, Bill McDermott: Full Speed Ahead

Jan 9, 2023

01:04:21

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ServiceNow CEO Bill McDermott shares stories of resilience, optimism, and personal growth. From running a deli to leading SAP and ServiceNow, he discusses family, challenges, and making a positive impact. Reflecting on career transitions, personal adversity, and the importance of 'grit' in achieving success.

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Quick takeaways

Embracing diverse experiences for personal growth and learning fosters trust in the purpose of each encounter.

Seizing opportunities and resiliently handling setbacks instills a growth-focused mindset for navigating life's challenges.

Balancing personal adversities with professional accomplishments demonstrates effective problem-solving and commitment in facing life's complexities.

Deep dives

Embracing Every Experience

Embracing every experience, whether successful or challenging, provides opportunities for growth and learning, instilling trust and faith that each encounter serves a purpose for personal development. Reflecting on experiences with gratitude and optimism leads to evolving problem-solving abilities, resilience, and deeper self-awareness.

Introduction

2min

Exploring Enthusiasm, Past Experiences, and Family Dynamics

2min

From Deli to Corporate: A Journey of Resilience

8min

Unwavering Optimism and Resilience

21min

Navigating Career Transitions Amid Personal Challenges

12min

Embracing Change and Maximizing Impact

6min

Overcoming Adversity with Resilience

10min

Reflections on Personal and Professional Life, Hiring at ServiceNow, and 'Grit'

3min

“When you create something,” says ServiceNow CEO Bill McDermott, “that gives you the ability to help and do good and achieve for the most people possible.” Bill left his first corporate job at Xerox for a short stint at Gartner, then served as CEO of SAP for nearly a decade. He made one more transition three years ago because he saw a great opportunity to help make ServiceNow a defining enterprise software company. “I knew it could happen,” he says. “What I didn’t know is just how unbelievably right I was.”

In this episode, Bill and Joubin discuss fist-pumps, shoplifting teens, Bill’s superpowers, needing to be needed, marriage as a partnership, why every relationship matters, difficult relocations, breast cancer, the FDNY’s chaplain, and the Medal of Honor.

In this episode, we cover:

Why Bill bought a deli when he was in high school — and how he competed against 7-Eleven (04:00)
Interviewing at Xerox and wanting it more than anyone else (08:17)
Unwavering optimism and being a source of strength for others (12:34)
How a love of work has shaped Bill as a person (16:44)
Facing challenges and keeping a promise to his father (22:00)
Enjoying the present and keeping an eye on the future (30:01)
Leaving Xerox for Gartner and learning from a tough experience (33:29)
Sloan Kettering and Father Michael Judge (39:22)
Following the “original dream” vs. building something new at ServiceNow (44:59)
Losing an eye and getting a pep talk from two Medal of Honor winners (51:15)
Why Bill started and ended his book with quotes from two Kennedys (01:01:21)

Links:

Connect with Bill
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
Connect with Joubin
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

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