Dr. Julia Sperling-Magro’s Post

As announced, I am sharing personal insights and experiences from my 20-year journey in international management consulting. This is the first of 10 (or maybe more :-) posts reflecting my take on leadership as it has evolved over the years. As always, I’m eager to hear your thoughts! 𝐀𝐢𝐦 𝐭𝐨 𝐁𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝, 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐋𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐝? “Say what is needed, not what is wanted… and do it with care.” That’s my take on leadership. I am writing these lines because I wished they were what I had been told when starting my career. Instead, I received this piece of advice: “To be successful, you need to be respected and not well-liked.” This advice was, at best, incomplete. It made me work hard and smile less (yes, I literally made an effort not to appear too approachable). However, to turn distinctive insights into real impact, you need to earn the trust of those around you. Trust is built on credibility as much as it is on a caring connection with the other person and their organization. Imagine a critical moment in your career: Do you really want to be surrounded by consultants you dislike? And who ever said that credibility and approachability can’t coexist? This picture was taken by a great person working in an organization I deeply admire. When we caught up over coffee, all the memories from working together more than 15 years ago came flooding back. Trust me, it was not just about the well-thought-through advice I had given at the time. So, eventually in my career, I had begun smiling again and started saying and doing what is needed—hopefully with respect and care. What about you? Stay tuned in the coming days and weeks for more stories from my journey as an MD, neuroscientist, consultant, and working parent… and for the Sperling’s take on leadership. #Leadership #AI #Growth #McKinsey #20Years #Innovation #Germany #humancentricity