The CEO Shortlist: A CEO’s guide to being human

Curated by Alex Panas, global leader of industries, & Axel Karlsson, global leader of functional practices and growth platforms

Welcome to the latest edition of the CEO Shortlist, a biweekly newsletter of our best ideas for the C-suite. This week, we feature the latest book from McKinsey. We appreciate the opportunity to connect and hope you find our perspectives novel and insightful. Please let us know what you think! You can reach us at [email protected] and [email protected]. Thank you.

—Alex and Axel

An image linking to the web page “How CEOs learn to lead from the inside out” on McKinsey.com.

Today, more than ever, exceptional leadership extends beyond strategy—it requires empathy, humility, authenticity, and ultimately, a very human approach. McKinsey’s latest book, The Journey of Leadership: How CEOs Learn to Lead from the Inside Out, helps leaders at all levels unlearn management and relearn how to be human. This USA Today national bestseller features never-before-heard reflections from leaders including Ed Bastian (CEO of Delta Air Lines), Makoto Uchida (CEO of Nissan Motor Corporation), Mark Fields (former CEO of Ford), Reeta Roy (CEO of Mastercard Foundation), and Stéphane Bancel (CEO of Moderna).

Among the ideas the book covers:

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A more open, collaborative style of leadership. Today’s complex issues such as digital transformation, inflation, disrupted global supply chains, scarce talent, a lack of diversity, cybersecurity, and climate change are beyond the ability of any one person to master.

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The imperative for personal growth. Leadership is about more than those seemingly endless business-related tasks. It’s just as important to be aware of your values and shortcomings—so that you can first live up to your own standards and then lead others.

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A hidden benefit of technology. Generative AI tools can free up time for leaders to spend on human-centric leadership. They can also give constant feedback on the effectiveness of executives’ leadership styles.

Read a short excerpt, watch the authors discuss the book, or order a copy. We hope you find these ideas inspiring and helpful. See you next time with more McKinsey ideas for the CEO and others in the C-suite.

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