Former Medtronic CEO: Leadership Secrets for Achieving Success Beyond Profits | Bill George

Leap Academy with Ilana Golan

After losing seven elections in college, Bill George realized that leadership is about building relationships and helping others grow. Personal losses, including the deaths of his mother and fiancée, taught him resilience and the value of purpose. Though on track to become CEO at Honeywell, Bill chose a more fulfilling path at Medtronic, focusing on the company’s mission to restore lives. In this episode, Bill takes Ilana through his leadership philosophies and shares lessons on building relationships, leading with values, and prioritizing purpose over profits, which were pivotal in driving Medtronic's success.

Bill George is a renowned thought leader, educator, and bestselling author, best known for his transformative leadership as CEO of Medtronic. A strong advocate for values-driven leadership, Bill emphasizes leading with purpose, values, relationships, and heart.

In this episode, Ilana and Bill will discuss:

(00:00) Introduction

(04:30) Learning Leadership Lessons Through Early Failures

(06:50) Losing His Mother and Fiancée Suddenly

(09:22) Turning Tough Moments Into Learning Opportunities

(11:37) The Value of Building Relationships

(13:16) Choosing Purpose Over the CEO Path at Honeywell

(16:18) Measuring Impact by Lives Restored at Medtronic

(21:42) Mentoring Across Different Generations for Free

(24:20) Making a Risky Move to Challenge the FDA

(26:47) Leadership Beyond Just Making Profits

(33:18) Using Data and Intuition to Make Bold Decisions

(35:48) Remarkable Leaders Who Followed Their ‘True North’

(44:21) Balancing Leadership, Family, and Self-Care

(48:56) Bill's Advice for Emerging Leaders

Bill George is a renowned thought leader, educator, and bestselling author, best known for his transformative leadership as CEO of Medtronic. A strong advocate for values-driven leadership, Bill emphasizes leading with purpose, values, relationships, and heart. Earlier in his career, he held senior executive roles at Honeywell and Litton Industries. He is the author of True North and serves as an Executive Fellow at Harvard Business School, where he taught for nearly 20 years, shaping the next generation of leaders

Connect with Bill:

Bill’s Website: http://www.billgeorge.org/

Bill’s LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/williamwgeorge/

Resources Mentioned:

Bill’s Book, True North: Discover Your Authentic Leadership: https://www.amazon.com/True-North-Discover-Authentic-Leadership/dp/0787987514

Bill’s Book, True North, Emerging Leader Edition: Leading Authentically in Today's Workplace:

https://www.amazon.com/True-North-Emerging-Leader-Authentically-ebook/dp/B0BBSWCVT4

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