How can leaders ensure that their organizations not only survive but thrive in a changing world? Kevin sits down with Willie Pietersen about the importance of self-leadership, strategic direction, and interpersonal skills, framing them as the three essential domains of effective leadership. Willie explains that true leadership begins with self-awareness and is really about service to others. They also discuss the value of asking the right questions. Kevin and Willie also about how many priorities are too many. Drawing on research, Willie argues that leaders should limit themselves to three or four key priorities to maintain focus and effectiveness.

Listen For

00:00 Introduction 02:18 Guest Introduction: Willie Pietersen 02:40 Willie Pietersen’s New Book 03:08 Willie’s Transition to Teaching 03:38 Willie’s Passion for Learning 04:06 Kodak Insolvency and Career Transition 04:56 Teaching at Columbia University 05:07 Overcoming Teaching Challenges 05:31 Writing Journey and Book Process 06:13 Strategy and Leadership 06:36 Blog Inspirations for the Book 07:14 Leadership Insights from South Africa 08:14 Lifelong Leadership Learning 08:38 Leadership Philosophy: Self, Strategy, and Interpersonal 10:14 The Role of Questions in Leadership 11:07 Socratic Approach to Learning 12:38 People and Strategy in Leadership 14:00 Leadership Priorities: Setting the Right Number 16:00 Example from the American Revolution 18:30 Creating Effective Priorities 21:07 Final Reflections on Leadership 23:00 Closing Thoughts

Meet Willie

Willie's Story: Willie Pietersen is the author of, Leadership--The Inside Story: Time-Tested Prescriptions for Those Who Seek To Lead. He was raised in South Africa and received a Rhodes Scholarship to Oxford University. After practicing law, he embarked on an international business career. Over twenty years, he served as the CEO of multibillion-dollar businesses such as Lever Brothers Foods Division, Seagram USA, Tropicana and Sterling Winthrop’s Consumer Health Group. In 1998, Pietersen was named Professor of the Practice of Management at the Columbia University Graduate School of Business. He specializes in strategy and the leadership of change. He has served as an advisor to many organizations in both the commercial and not-for-profit fields.

https://williepietersen.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/willie-pietersen-286b149/

Book Recommendations

• Leadership--The Inside Story: Time-Tested Prescriptions for Those Who Seek To Lead by Willie Pietersen 
• Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari
• 21 Lessons for the 21st Century by Yuval Noah Harari 
• Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman 

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