My Word Is My Bond — Loving Life Conversation With Neal Zuckerman, Senior Partner and Head, Global Media Practice, BCG
“My word is my bond.” Neal said to me.
Neal Zuckerman, a graduate of West Point and Harvard Business School, having spent a decade in the military in his early career, is currently Senior Partner and Head of Global Media Practice at Boston Consulting Group (BCG).
I had the pleasure of shooting an interview with him at BCG New York office, which felt like homecoming having worked at BCG myself 8 years ago. Neal is inarguably the face of BCG media, with his enthusiasm, charisma, expertise and values.
When asked what are the most important values to him, Neal said, “My ultimate belief is the truth. My word is my bond. Without it, we would have nothing to stand on.” Neal is a man of his words. He says what he means and means what he says. To me, to be able to align words with action is not only a reflection of values, but also a constant act of self-reflection. What are the macro goals, what are the first priorities, and how one decides what to spend time and energy on.
With an exceptional memory, well read, always choosing his words with precision, Neal would quote managerial philosophy “one-minute-manager” or draw from a 1974 Harvard Business Review article “Who’s got the monkey” to make his points on leadership. Neal also argues from multiple sides of an issue, to illustrate the complexity of certain topics while clearly communicating where he stands.
“You should always take on more than you think you can, “ he said, when I asked how he became so efficient in life and work. “Because one may surprise oneself at how much he or she can do… The worst thing is to have regrets in life. You should always try. Be proactive.”
After our interview, I shared with Neal the hard parts of being an entrepreneur including the fear of running out of money. “Oh maybe you could come back,” he said with a friendly smile. I smiled back, imagining in a parallel metaverse me working with him learning a ton in business and in life.
Afterthought
“Fei, you should read more. Look how much Neal reads,” my husband and videographer said to me after the shoot.
Now an entrepreneur with two young kids, I constantly feel I’m short on time, and no doubt reading has fallen off a cliff. One of the founding ideas behind Loving Life is to show what is possible in life, to showcase people who have experienced life in a big audacious way. The many possibilities of how one may conduct one’s life with more purpose and meaning.
The conversation with Neal has inspired me: look, here is someone who has built a meaningful career with discipline and hard work; look, here is a leader who delivers what he promises to his clients, who truly cares about creating a good experience for his team, and who constantly re-invents himself through an open-mind to learning new things, regular self-reflection, with truth firmly planted in his thoughts, words and deeds.
I hope this conversation with Neal Zuckerman will in some way contribute to your way of living and loving life.
Watch the highlights from our conversation:
Watch the full interview:
Loving Life is an education and media platform, empowering everyone to be the best version of ourselves.
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I’m based in New York and am planning my travels for 2023. If you are pursuing your passion, reach out to me HERE. I would love to hear about your story. Together, let’s empower each other to live with more meaning and purpose.
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