Klaus Kleinfeld — CEO of Siemens | Fortune 500 CEO Reveals Why Most Leaders Fail (And How To Avoid Their Mistakes)
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About The Guest
Klaus Kleinfeld is a visionary leader and the only person to serve as CEO of two Fortune 500 companies on two separate continents. As CEO of Siemens (SIEGY, market cap: $120B), he modernized the 170-year-old German conglomerate, driving revenues past $100B, streamlining operations, and significantly increasing profitability. Later, as CEO and Chairman of Alcoa (AA, market cap: $50B), he led the company through a historic transformation, splitting it into two industry powerhouses — Arconic (ARNC) and Alcoa Corporation (AA) — unlocking massive shareholder value. His expertise in large-scale transformation, industrial innovation, and strategic leadership has shaped global industries, including his role in developing Saudi Arabia’s $500B NEOM megacity.
Talking Points
- 00:00 — Intro
- 02:30 — Different Leadership Styles & Common Mistakes
- 05:07 — Who Else Champions ‘Leading to Thrive’?
- 10:03 — The Moment Klaus’ Leadership Philosophy Shifted
- 14:17 — Key Themes for Thriving Leadership
- 20:19 — Did Klaus Talk About Energies in Corporate Leadership?
- 22:16 — Sponsor: Tailor Brands
- 23:15 — Why Corporate Work Culture is Broken
- 26:48 — Stop Overthinking & Start Taking Action
- 30:21 — Managing Energy as a Young Entrepreneur
- 32:40 — How Great Leaders Execute with the Right Mindset
- 37:30 — Sponsor: My First Million Podcast
- 38:20 — Do Employees Really Understand Their Company’s Purpose?
- 42:30 — Leadership Lessons from History
- 45:48 — Klaus on How His Purpose Has Evolved
- 47:26 — Why Value & Purpose Drive Performance
- 50:09 — Sponsor: FreshBooks
- 51:32 — How to Remove People Who Don’t Align with Your Values
- 54:53 — One Business Lesson That Applies to Startups & Billion-Dollar Companies
- 59:05 — Final Takeaways from Klaus Kleinfeld
- 1:00:37 — Advice Klaus Would Give His Kids
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What is the Success Story Podcast?
Welcome to the Success Story Podcast, hosted by entrepreneur, business executive, author, educator & speaker, Scott D. Clary. On this podcast, you’ll find interviews, Q&A, keynote presentations & conversations on sales, marketing, business, startups, and entrepreneurship.
Scott will discuss some of the lessons he’s learned over his own career, as well as have candid interviews with execs, celebrities, notable figures, and politicians. All who have achieved success through both wins and losses, to learn more about their life, their ideas, and insights. He sits down with leaders and mentors and unpacks their stories to help pass those lessons on to others through both experiences and tactical strategies for business professionals, entrepreneurs, and everyone in between.
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