You might already know the names of some of these famous business leaders, but I’m willing to bet that you’ll still learn a thing or two here. These are the most successful people around the world. Their thoughts on leadership and business topics, as well as life, learning and work, are amazing.
(*7*)Famous Business LeadersTheir Thoughts
Herb Kelleher – Southwest Airlines Founder
Southwest Airlines began as a simple cocktail napkin. The napkin was shared with John Parker, Rollin Kings, and Herb Kelleher in a San Antonio restaurant. Herb is known for his bright personality. He has maintained a fun culture in the company throughout his tenure as CEO. These are his thoughts on leadership, business, and employees.
“You must be very patient, very persistent. The world isn’t going to shower gold coins on you just because you have a good idea. You’re going to have to work like crazy to bring that idea to the attention of people.”
“Power should be reserved for weightlifting and boats, and leadership really involves responsibility.”
“Your employees come first. If you treat your staff well, then guess what? Your customers will come back and that will make your shareholders happy. Start with employees and all the rest will follow from that.”
Mary Barra – General Motors Chairperson & CEO
Mary Barra is General Motors’ current CEO and in 2015 was listed as the number one in Fortune’s Most Powerful Women list.
“If we win the hearts and minds of employees, we’re going to have better business success.”
“What I always say is, ‘Do every job you’re in like you’re going to do it for the rest of your life, and demonstrate that ownership of it.’”
Warren Buffett – Berkshire Hathaway Chairperson & CEO
You probably know his name. Warren Buffett, an American investor, business magnate and philanthropist, is known. Some consider him to the be most successful investor in the world but he’s notoriously thrifty as well. These are his thoughts on success.
“It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently.”
“I insist on a lot of time being spent, almost every day, to just sit and think. It is not common in American business. I read and think. I think and read more than most business people. I do it because I like this kind of life.”
“The most important thing to do if you find yourself in a hole is to stop digging.”
Indra Nooyi, CEO and Chairperson of PepsiCo
Indra has shown immense leadership skills in her role at PepsiCo. Her personal slogan is, “Performance with purpose.” These are a few of her quotes on leadership.
“To be a CEO is a calling. It is not a job. This is a calling. It requires you to be fully involved in the job with your head and heart. You have to feel passionate about the job. It has to consume you. And if you are not willing to get into the CEO job that way, there is no point getting into it.”
“Just because you are a CEO, don’t think you have landed. It is important to continue learning and improving your thinking, as well as the way that you approach the company. I’ve never forgotten that.”
Ursula Burns – Xerox Chairperson & CEO
Ursula was CEO of Xerox fromHe was Chairman from July 2009 to December 2016. She was the daughter of a single mother, and she became the first black woman to lead a Fortune 500 company.
“This old notion that work is drudgery is nonsense. Most days, even back when Xerox was under siege, I could not wait to get to the office.”
“Find something that you love to do, and find a place that you really like to do it in. I found what I enjoyed doing. I’m a mechanical engineer by training, and I loved it. I still do. My son is a junior nuclear engineer at MIT and I feel the same vibe. fromHis name is he. Your work must be captivating. You spend a lot of time doing it.”
Satya Nadella – Microsoft CEO
Satya is a senior business executive who has been the CEO of Microsoft since 2014. He’s mentioned that he’s learned a thing or two about leadership and teamwork fromCricket is a great sport for young people.
“The one thing that I would say defines me is I love to learn. I love learning new things. I buy more books than I read or finish.”
“Longevity in this business is about being able to reinvent yourself or invent the future.”
“Be passionate and bold. Never stop learning. You stop doing useful things if you don’t learn. This is why I believe the final part of the equation is crucial, especially if there has been some success. It becomes even more critical that you have the learning ‘bit’ always switched on.”
Reed Hastings – Netflix CEO and Co-Founder
Reed is an entrepreneur, philanthropist, and co-founder of Netflix. Reed is the cofounder and CEO the popular video streaming site Netflix.
“Most entrepreneurial ideas will sound crazy, stupid and uneconomic, and then they’ll turn out to be right.”
“Most companies that are great at something – like AOL dialup or Borders bookstores – do not become great at new things people want (streaming for us) because they are afraid to hurt their initial business.”
“I’ve worked very hard, but my life’s always been fun.”
That’s what it’s all about isn’t it? A dream is what you start with as a business owner. Perhaps your dream is to be able to work hard and take control of the business, while having fun. We hope so.
