What do US Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, Jr., pop star Taylor Swift, religious figurehead Pope Francis, and Apple CEO Tim Cook have in common? They all made the top ten on Fortune magazine’s second annual list of The World’s 50 Greatest Leaders. Each of the 50 was chosen for his or her exceptional accomplishments as a leader over the past 12 months, and each can teach us a lesson or two about truly great leadership.
As Geoff Colvin states in his introduction to the list, the vetting team “set out to find singular leaders with vision who moved others to act.” They based their decisions on each nominee’s demonstrated effectiveness, commitment, and “courage to pioneer.” Let’s look at the top ten, in brief:
1. Tim Cook (CEO, Apple) filled the shoes of a legend and made changes in the world’s biggest company.
2. Mario Draghi (President, European Central Bank) made the list for performing a delicate international financial balancing act.
3. Xi Jinping (President, People’s Republic of China) received credit for literally changing the way business is done in China.
4. Pope Francis (Pontiff, Catholic Church) introduced change in an organization with global reach across multiple cultures.
5. Narendra Modi (Prime Minister, India) cleared away long-standing barriers to growth for businesses in his country.
6. Taylor Swift (Pop Icon) set a precedent for other young artists in the digital age and inspired girls around the world.
7. JoAnne Liu (International President, Médecins Sans Frontières) pulled together a scattered international band of volunteers to quell the Ebola outbreak.
8. John Roberts, Jr. (US Supreme Court Chief Justice) demonstrated that he can lead from the bench, with a track record of historic votes.
9. Mary Barra (CEO, General Motors) handled a highly visible crisis and embraced transparency to drive transformation.
10. Joshua Wong (Activist, Hong Kong Pro-Democracy Movement), spurred protesters to shut down Hong Kong, armed only with a smartphone and his convictions.
Each of these leaders shouldered massive responsibilities that required them to forge ahead with courage and dedication. They ultimately trusted themselves, understood what they value, and had a powerful impact on their organizations, the people they serve, and the lives they touch.
What qualities and characteristics do you share with the leaders on this list? How can you tap into your strengths to achieve your greatest results? If you could make changes for yourself or your organization, where would you start? Marquis Leadership is here to help you answer these questions. We’ll guide you through the process of identifying your greatest strengths and opportunities for change, and accelerate your ability to achieve what you want most.
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