Bill George, Fmr. Medtronic CEO, on His Latest Book and Authentic Leadership

November 28, 2022

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About the Guest

Bill George

Harvard Business School Professor, former CEO of Medtronic, & Bestselling Author

Bill George is best known for his remarkably successful tenure as Chief Executive Officer at Medtronic, where he helped lead the company through a period of remarkable growth from a mid-size company to one with more than $10 billion in annual revenue. He retired after 13 years with the company in 2002 and has spent much of his time since as a professor at Harvard Business School and as a coach and mentor to other leaders. He's written multiple books including Authentic Leadership, Discover Your True North, and his latest True North: Leading Authentically in Today's Workplace.

Episode Overview

719: Bill discusses his latest book True North: Leading Authentically in Today’s Workplace and why authentic leadership is crucial for success. Bill reflects on his upbringing, his time at Honeywell, and why he felt that joining Medtronic was the perfect move for him. He then talks about insights from his book including the importance of building strong relationships based on trust as a leader, why EQ is as important if not more than IQ, and the COACH framework he developed on organizing people. Bill then talks about the men’s group he has been a part of, how it helped orient and support him through his life, and why everyone should find an equally supportive group. Finally, Bill looks ahead at the future of hybrid work, gives advice for young leaders as we face major economic headwinds, and shares what have been the major keys to his career success.