From 600+ conversations with the world’s leading thinkers.
Firstly, it's crucial to adopt a bold mindset right from the start. I advocate for setting almost unrealistic targets. This approach might seem counterintuitive, but it's essential for enabling substantial change. If we only aim for realistic targets, our efforts will be limited to minor tweaks rather than significant transformations.
Fundamentally you build trust with people by giving them trust.
He approached me, asking what he should do, to which I responded, 'You're the boss. Why are you asking me?' My conviction has always been that it's crucial to operate this business as an institution; I don't have to always be glued to my chair.
The skills that get them to one point won't carry them the rest of the way. We talk about the ticking time bomb. The ticking time bomb is these very characteristics — when you're trying to scale, and things are getting more complex, and you have to work through other people — they blow up.
When we open a new show, it started with about 20 creators at the table, and I will say to the rest of the company, 'leave them alone. I don't want them to be bugged by HR or finance or administrative stuff. I want them to breathe and eat and sleep only about the artistic content of the next show'.
Establishing a culture of truth and trust is absolutely critical to being a great leader, and that takes effort and energy every day. You have to ceaselessly reach for truth and trust every day, and you have to be relentless in your pursuit of trust, and show your people that you have their back.
Performance, in my eyes, hinges on the consistent delivery of high results by individuals. However, what truly elevates a performance culture beyond mere output is effective communication. A common shortfall in many performance-driven environments is the prevalence of talking without listening, a significant issue.
I give all of you permission whereby, if I change the way I behave, my beliefs, the way we are going, I give you permission to hit me in my face, you need to bring me back to reality.
We need companies to play by a different set of accountabilities, not just those that are related to performance. It's about creating legal accountability around the creation of value for stakeholders, not just shareholders. That's what changes the conversation in the boardroom.
Our theory of change is that you need credible, authentic leaders to drive systems change. Certified B Corporations are these leaders. They're setting the example by prioritizing people and the planet over profits. They're playing by a different set of rules! And they are doing so successfully.
The greatest leaders have humility. A good leader is a humble leader. A good leader listens to people, gets other inputs, admits when they're wrong… and that boils down to humility; it's the single most important characteristic that I see in leaders.
Speed and pace are important – the circumstances that brought people to the table can change over time, nothing is forever, nothing is static.