Leadership is hard to define and good leadership even harder. But if you can get people to follow you to the ends of the earth, you are a great leader.
Indra NooyiRead
As a leader, I am tough on myself and I raise the standard for everybody; however, I am very caring because I want people to excel at what they are doing so that they can aspire to be me in the future.
Interpretation
What this quote means
A good leader holds high standards for themselves and others while also showing care and support to help people succeed.
Indra Nooyi's quote highlights the dual role of effective leadership: setting high expectations and standards for oneself, while also nurturing and supporting team members. Leadership is not merely about demanding excellence; it also involves fostering an environment where individuals feel valued and encouraged to reach their potential. By being tough on herself and caring for others, Nooyi exemplifies a balanced approach that motivates people to aspire to greatness.
Themes
LeadershipStandardsCareExcellenceMotivation
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech to inspire young leaders, Indra Nooyi's quote can serve as a reminder to balance expectations with empathy.
More from Indra Nooyi
All quotes →The distance between number one and number two is always a constant. If you want to improve the organization, you have to improve yourself and the organization gets pulled up with you. That is a big lesson. I cannot just expect the organization to improve if I don't improve myself and lift the organization, because that distance is a constant.
Indra NooyiRead
An important attribute of success is to be yourself. Never hide what makes you, you.
Indra NooyiRead
When you assume negative intent, you're angry. If you take away that anger and assume positive intent, you will be amazed. Your emotional quotient goes up because you are no longer almost random in your response.
Indra NooyiRead
I pick up the details that drive the organization insane. But sweating the details is more important than anything else
Indra NooyiRead
Just because you are CEO, don't think you have landed. You must continually increase your learning, the way you think, and the way you approach the organization. I've never forgotten that.
Indra NooyiRead
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