Long Life Learning Fred Crawford on Embracing Executive Leadership with Balance, Vulnerability, and Trust
This week, Kavitha sits down with Senior Vice Chairman and former CEO of AlixPartners Fred Crawford to discuss his early rise to a C-suite position, and what advice he has for other aspiring executives on the same path. Fred speaks to the importance of not letting the job “run you,” managing time to prioritize the most important “pizza pie” slices of your life, and knowing when to engage in smart, graceful, and smooth succession planning.
Fred explains to Kavitha why, despite thriving as CEO, he chose to transition to opportunities that have allowed him to embrace his passion for philanthropy, non-profit work, board service, and startup mentorship. He also shares the fascinating story of his succession at AlixPartners, which involved developing an innovative co-CEO system so successful that it endures to this day. Fred urges today's leaders to embrace the kind of vulnerability that allows them to seek advice about decision-making, and speaks to the state of a global marketplace evolving so rapidly that the landscape of change management instruction is unrecognizable from a few years ago.
Finally, Fred shares why his teaching for YGELP continues to inspire him by providing opportunities for international executives to grow their “global quality networks” face-to-face in an increasingly virtual world, and how his work today energizes him to instill values of leadership and giving back around his own dinner table.
Transcript
Links and Resources
Information on YGELP and Yale SOM Executive Education:
Resources Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
- True North by Bill George
- Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman
- The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch
Where to Find Fred:
About Today’s Guest Fred was the CEO of AlixPartners from 2008 – 2015, and Senior Vice Chair until his retirement from the Firm in 2021. He remains an advisor to the Firm and a member of the Board of Directors. Fred serves on the Board of 5 other Companies and is Chairman of two. He is also a senior advisor to two Private Equity Firms. Fred is an internationally recognized strategist and operations restructuring specialist who has been involved in many of AlixPartners' most-high-profile situations. He is the architect, board sponsor, and senior mentor of AlixPartners’ global leadership program. Prior to joining the firm, he held senior positions at other major consulting firms and worked in operations and brand management in industry. Fred has an MBA from the Kelley School at Indiana University. He is coauthor of "The Myth of Excellence," a BusinessWeek and New York Times best seller that details his research on consumer motivation and corporate strategic response. Frequently involved with the media, he is a sought-after presenter.