Jack and Suzy Welch on Destiny and Authenticity
I asked Jack and Suzy Welch about getting ahead in business and leadership at the World LEADERS Conference.
Getting ahead:
Suzy:
If you want to get ahead in business and leadership…
“Find your area of destiny.” Suzy Welch
Suzy explains destiny in practical, not theoretical, terms. “Destiny is the intersection of what you are uniquely good at and what you love doing.”
“Once you find your area of destiny, the sky’s the limit.” Suzy Welch
(Don’t miss Suzy talking about destiny.)
Jack:
If you want to get ahead as a leader, “You want a passion for what you’re doing and you want to be authentic.” Jack Welch
Suzy and Jack in their own words (1:15):
**The book Suzy mentioned on the recording is, “The Real-Life MBA.”
Authenticity and Candor:
Suzy:
“If you lose your authenticity, you’re cooked.” Suzy Welch
Suzy finds authenticity in reflection with God. “Prayer would be the answer (to finding authenticity). I don’t know another way.”
Jack:
Jack jumped in and said, “I was very fortunate to have a mother who made me very comfortable being authentic.”
Real candor depends on authenticity.
Jack said that candor was the result of a mother who convinced him that, even though he had frailties, he should bring his “good stuff” to the world. (Don’t miss Jack talking about his mother.)
Jack and Suzy on authenticity and candor (1:29):
How might leaders get ahead in business and leadership?
What are your thoughts on destiny and authenticity?
it’s good to be authentic, but we can strive to be better and improve ourselves, often by modeling after what we admire in others.
Thanks Bill. You bring up an important issue. The idea that authenticity is an excuse to NOT improve ourselves is offensive.
Dan,
Great stuff!
Probably why they say ” Be all you can be” that statement is always in my mind when I have doubts, seems like that reflection pushes me the extra mile (just my 2 cents) for me! Kind of like” this is your brain and this is your Brain on drugs” commercial showing the fried eggs! It just stays in the back of your mind for me anyway especially when we doubt and need reminding for making good compared to bad choices!
Thanks Tim. It’s those catchy phrases that help us. Some like to laugh off cliche’s. But, they are cliche’s for a reason.
Dear Dan,
I appreciate the two words- authenticity and candor that are absolutely essential to get successful in business and leadership. I view this success as long term and sustainable. Other tricks may promise quick success but how long they will sustain remains question. If we just compare authenticity with today’s context in organisations, we need to understand how much organisations care for such authenticity. How organisations view authenticity plays major role. There may be possibilities that organisation define authenticity in different way that could be different from individual authenticity. In such cases, it may be challenging to carry forward authenticity for long time.It may pose lot of threats. Though it needs lot of examinations and observations. I also feel that it depends upon individual capacity in the organisations. Higher capacity provide better option and vice versa. In case of business, it seems much easier to be authentic than organisations. Even though businesses have its own limitations. I think we need to understand and draw our definition of authenticity.
I think destiny is not one thing that is preset by anyone.It is created and shaped during various phases of life especially during ups and downs. Our experiences teach us more than anything else. These experience makes us authentic towards destiny. And this is the constructive cycle of shaping destiny and being authentic.
Thanks Dr. Gupta. The way you combine destiny and authenticity stimulates my thinking. “Authentic toward destiny.” 🙂
Thank you for sharing this. Rarely do Leadership commentators touch on this deeper, and almost spiritual element (i.e. Destiny), of successful leadership.
Thanks Ade. I was glad to experience Suzy’s candor.
Thank you for this note. Please note the video links for Suzy and Jack Welsh are not working.
LA
Hi Lesley-Ann. Thanks for the heads up. They are audio. I’ve heard that people using mobile devices need to give time for the file to load. Not sure if that’s the issue?
Hi Lesley-Ann. Thanks again for the heads up. I found that if my phone is on vibrate, the sound doesn’t play.
Thank you for sharing! Being authentic, thanking mother for that and clubbing that with interest is the destiny!!! Wonderful.
“Destiny is the intersection of what you are uniquely good at and what you love doing.”
I love this. I tend to be fairly practical, so this resonates with me.