Season 1 Highlights

07/30/19 • 28 min

That’s a wrap! Season 1 of A Call to Lead is in the books.

We pulled together a recap episode for you this week, featuring short clips from some of the great moments in the podcast’s first season. We were fortunate to have incredible leaders from across industries, disciplines, and fields share their stories and perspectives on leadership this season – and we wanted to share them with you as we wrap up Season 1 and look ahead to the second season.

Share your feedback with us at [email protected]. We’re hard at work planning Season 2 and would benefit from your feedback and perspective.

Here are some of the guests and clips featured in this wrap-up episode:

Arianna Huffington (founder & CEO of Thrive Global) on how allowing for “brilliant jerks” on your team can create a toxic culture.” (2:10)
Gary Vaynerchuk, on how positivity is a strategy – not a delusion. (4:00)
Simon Sinek on the responsibility that businesses have to provide their customers and employees with a sense of purpose. (5:50)
Walter Isaacson (best-selling author) on one of Steve Jobs’ final insights – and why finding the right team is harder than the actual creation of an innovative product. (7:20)
Bianna Golodryga (award-winning TV journalist) on the importance of leaders setting examples within their organization and the impact it has on the rest of the company. (9:45)
Bobbi Brown (founder & cosmetics beauty icon) on going for it at any cost. (11:25)
Sukhinder Singh Cassidy (CEO of Stubhub) on her hiring strategy – and an operating principle that she calls “operating range.” (11:48)
Sir Richard Branson on why effective leaders have to be good listeners. (12:30)
Malcolm Gladwell (author, journalist & speaker) on the different kinds of leaders that exist and why it’s important to carefully define your leadership style based on the organization’s culture. (13:30)
Dr. Jill Biden (professor and former First Lady of the United States) on why teachers are the best example of lifelong learners – because they’re always open to new ideas and ways of learning. (16:10)
Jen Rubio (Co-Founder & Chief Brand Officer of Away) on remembering core values and how they should guide everything a company does. (17:10)
Laura Dern (actress) on why we need to be willing to be vulnerable – and how it’s time for us to say we’re ready to lead. (19:20)
Adam Grant (Wharton Professor, Award-Winning Author, & Psychologist) on how leaders should always be comfortable with feedback – and why power and status shouldn’t change that. (20:25)
Karlie Kloss (supermodel & philanthropist) on what drew her to coding and how she’s using Kode with Klossy to inspire young girls in STEAM. (22:45)
The Rt. Hon. Tony Blair (former UK Prime Minister) on why people love change in general – but hate it in particular. (24:45)
Sylvia Acevedo (CEO of Girl Scouts of the USA) on why your first sale always has to be to yourself. (26:20)
Julie Sweet (CEO of Accenture) on the value of staying calm in crises and how it’s the most important thing a leader can do. (26:45)

That’s a wrap! Season 1 of A Call to Lead is in the books.

Share your feedback with us at [email protected]. We’re hard at work planning Season 2 and would benefit from your feedback and perspective.

Here are some of the guests and clips featured in this wrap-up episode:

Arianna Huffington (founder & CEO of Thrive Global) on how allowing for “brilliant jerks” on your team can create a toxic culture.” (2:10)
Gary Vaynerchuk, on how positivity is a strategy – not a delusion. (4:00)
Simon Sinek on the responsibility that businesses have to provide their customers and employees with a sense of purpose. (5:50)
Walter Isaacson (best-selling author) on one of Steve Jobs’ final insights – and why finding the right team is harder than the actual creation of an innovative product. (7:20)
Bianna Golodryga (award-winning TV journalist) on the importance of leaders setting examples within their organization and the impact it has on the rest of the company. (9:45)
Bobbi Brown (founder & cosmetics beauty icon) on going for it at any cost. (11:25)
Sukhinder Singh Cassidy (CEO of Stubhub) on her hiring strategy – and an operating principle that she calls “operating range.” (11:48)
Sir Richard Branson on why effective leaders have to be good listeners. (12:30)
Malcolm Gladwell (author, journalist & speaker) on the different kinds of leaders that exist and why it’s important to carefully define your leadership style based on the organization’s culture. (13:30)
Dr. Jill Biden (professor and former First Lady of the United States) on why teachers are the best example of lifelong learners – because they’re always open to new ideas and ways of learning. (16:10)
Jen Rubio (Co-Founder & Chief Brand Officer of Away) on remembering core values and how they should guide everything a company does. (17:10)
Laura Dern (actress) on why we need to be willing to be vulnerable – and how it’s time for us to say we’re ready to lead. (19:20)
Adam Grant (Wharton Professor, Award-Winning Author, & Psychologist) on how leaders should always be comfortable with feedback – and why power and status shouldn’t change that. (20:25)
Karlie Kloss (supermodel & philanthropist) on what drew her to coding and how she’s using Kode with Klossy to inspire young girls in STEAM. (22:45)
The Rt. Hon. Tony Blair (former UK Prime Minister) on why people love change in general – but hate it in particular. (24:45)
Sylvia Acevedo (CEO of Girl Scouts of the USA) on why your first sale always has to be to yourself. (26:20)
Julie Sweet (CEO of Accenture) on the value of staying calm in crises and how it’s the most important thing a leader can do. (26:45)

Previous Episode

Michelle Yeoh

This new episode of A Call to Lead has me in Singapore, sitting down in front of a live audience with one of the world’s most respected and popular global movie stars. Michelle Yeoh grew up in Malaysia and England, gained her early fame in Hong Kong action films, and went on to star in mega-hits such as Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, Memoirs of a Geisha, Star Trek: Discovery, and Crazy Rich Asians. Michelle played family matriarch Eleanor Young in that blockbuster romantic comedy. As a master of her craft, Michelle shared great advice that applies to leadership in business and life. Here are 5 Points that my team and I found particularly valuable.

Like every good leader, Michelle fuels her work with empathy. “Empathy plays a big role for all of us. If you can't empathize, how can you lead?That is how I approach the different characters they I played, like a geisha. I don't know anything about that world. It’s one of the most beautiful cultures, from Japan, and out of respect to that culture, I have to get it right.”
Michelle speaks my language: lead with humility and vulnerability: “As a leader, a lot of the times you are personified in a certain way—be eloquent and give good advice and lead. God, that must be so tiring. Isn't it much more interesting if you can communicate and empathize and be able to have that moment of vulnerability? If I feel that you care for me—that you're vulnerable and you understand a loss of a child or a close family member—then I believe you will begin to understand me.”
Never fear failure, Michelle says: “The more you fear that you're going to fail, you've already failed. Because you're just going to conform to something that you are comfortable with and probably just do it the same old way and regurgitate the same things. And there will never be an improvement.”
Ask for help, she adds. “I'm never afraid to ask for help. I believe that I don't know enough. One of the reasons why I didn't use to come to these talks, apart from stage fright, was, ‘Oh my God, they're going to discover that I know nothing." And then I thought: It's okay to know nothing.’ If I knew everything, it's only downhill from there because then I would be so arrogant.”
Practice self-control: “I was a squash player, and I had one of the best teachers. Once, when I lost a match and threw my racket across the room, he said quietly, "What was the point of that?" I never threw another fit again. To be a really good player, learn self-control. Respect when you fail. That's when you can get better.

You can learn more by visiting: www.sap.com/acalltolead. And you can subscribe and listen to episodes on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify, and Stitcher. We welcome your feedback on the pod! Tweet me @JenniferBMorgan and use the hashtag #acalltolead or e-mail us at [email protected].

Where to Listen: Subscribe and listen to episodes on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify, and Stitcher.

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Jennifer Morgan is a member of the Executive Board of SAP SE and President of SAP’s Cloud Business Group.