Insightful interview with one of the most influential gurus at McKinsey. Here are some interesting opinions:

• «Why is it so bloody obvious for a theater director, a ballet company or a sports coach that you’re as good as your talent, and it isn’t to somebody who’s running a company with 200000 employees? Why?»
• «Peter Drucker once said the number-one trait of an effective leader is that they do one thing at a time. Today’s technology tools give you great opportunities to do 73 things at a time or to at least delude yourself that you are. I see managers who look like 12-year-olds with attention deficit disorder, running around from one thing to the next, constantly barraged with information, constantly chasing the next shiny thing.»
• «Lou Gerstner has this wonderful passage in his book that says something to the effect of, “When I came to IBM I was a guy who believed in strategy and analysis. What I learned was that corporate culture is not part of the game: It is the game.»»
• «Unless you were born with a very, very silver spoon, you’re going to spend the majority of adult life at work. Why shouldn’t this be a joyful experience or an energetic experience or a vivid experience?»
• «If you’re a leader, your whole reason for living is to help human beings develop—to really develop people and make work a place that’s energetic and exciting and a growth opportunity.»
• «You’re in the people-development business. If you take a leadership job, you do people. Period. It’s what you do. It’s what you’re paid to do. People, period. Should you have a great strategy? Yes, you should. How do you get a great strategy? By finding the world’s greatest strategist, not by being the world’s greatest strategist. You do people. Not my fault. You chose it. And if you don’t get off on it, do the world a favor and get the hell out before dawn, preferably without a gilded parachute. But if you want the gilded parachute, it’s worth it to get rid of you.»

You can read the whole interview and watch some videos here.