Former Siemens CEO on Building an $80B Business While Avoiding Burnout | Klaus Kleinfeld | E123

Klaus Kleinfeld’s journey from a difficult childhood in Germany to leading two Fortune 500 companies, Siemens and Alcoa, was anything but easy. He experienced  the true cost of leadership: the loneliness of making impossible decisions and the grit to push forward when every alternative seems bleak. In this episode, Klaus joins Ilana to share how resilience and freedom shaped his leadership philosophy. They dive into his shift from time management to energy management, exploring lessons from sports, breathing techniques, and mindset practices that helped him lead various multi-billion dollar businesses without burnout. 

Dr. Klaus Kleinfeld is a German entrepreneur, investor, and former CEO of Siemens AG, Alcoa Inc., and ARconic. He is also the founder and CEO of the investment firm K2Elevation and was named director of Saudi Arabia's Neom initiative, later becoming an advisor to the Crown Prince.

In this episode, Ilana and Klaus will discuss:

(00:00) Introduction

(02:01) Early Life and Family Tragedy

(07:31) East vs. West Germany and Freedom

(12:01) His Love for Problem-Solving

(18:01) Creating a Strong Feedback Culture

(23:31) Becoming the CEO of Siemens

(30:01) The Loneliness of Leadership

(35:31) Letting People Go with Respect

(40:01) Facing Fear and Regret

(45:31) Energy Over Time Management

(50:01) Building a Passionate and High-Performance Team

Dr. Klaus Kleinfeld is a German entrepreneur, investor, and former CEO of Siemens AG, Alcoa Inc., and ARconic. He is also the founder and CEO of the investment firm K2Elevation and was named director of Saudi Arabia's Neom initiative, later becoming an advisor to the Crown Prince. As the author of Leading to Thrive, Klaus offers a framework for blending personal well-being with strategic leadership. 

Connect with Klaus:

Klaus’s LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/klauskleinfeld

Resources Mentioned:

Klaus’s Book, Leading to Thrive: Mastering Strategies for Sustainable Success in Business and Life: https://www.amazon.com/Leading-Thrive-Mastering-Strategies-Sustainable/dp/1544546718

The Power of Regret: How Looking Backward Moves Us Forward by Daniel Pink: https://www.amazon.com/Power-Regret-Looking-Backward-Forward/dp/0735210659

Open: An Autobiography by Andre Agassi: https://www.amazon.com/Open-Autobiography-Andre-Agassi/dp/0307388409

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