Masters of Scale

Prioritize principles in crisis, w/Upwork’s Hayden Brown and Merck’s Ken Frazier

Jun 29, 2023

In a compelling discussion, Ken Frazier, former CEO of Merck, known for his equitable leadership, and Hayden Brown, CEO of Upwork, share insights on navigating crises with core principles. They discuss the importance of trusting values amidst social upheavals like the Ukraine war and the pandemic. Brown highlights opportunities for diversity and productivity growth during chaos, while Frazier stresses the role of socially conscious leadership. The conversation emphasizes empathetic, adaptive strategies over traditional top-down approaches, urging leaders to engage with pressing social issues.

25:23

Episode guests

Hayden Brown

Ken Frazier

Highlights

AI Chapters

Episode notes

The Responsibility of Business Leaders in Addressing Social Issues

02:03

Transparency and openness in management

01:28

Intro

2min

Navigating Crisis with Core Principles

3min

Leadership in Crisis: A New Paradigm

12min

Leadership Lessons in Crisis

4min

Resilience and Leadership in Crisis

8min

From Setback to Success: Embracing the Entrepreneurial Journey

4min

Navigate today’s uncertain climate with a steadfast resolve. Recorded live at the Masters of Scale Summit in San Francisco, former Merck CEO Ken Frazier and Upwork CEO Hayden Brown talk with host Bob Safian about how leaders should trust their values when faced with social, political, and economic challenges. Brown shares how leading through the chaos of the pandemic brought new opportunities to increase diversity and productivity. Frazier details Merck’s reactionary strategy to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and offers clear advice to socially conscious leaders.

Read a transcript of this episode: https://mastersofscale.com/

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