Indra Nooyi Leadership Profile

Indra Nooyi is the Chairperson of PepsiCo, the world’s second largest food & beverage manufacturer based
on revenue. She is PepsiCo’s first female CEO. Nooyi has been consistently included in Forbes’ list of the
World’s 100 Most Powerful Women.

A Short Biography

Indra Nooyi was born in Chennai, India on 28 October 1955. After graduating with an MBA from the Indian
Institute of Management Calcutta in 1976, she worked as a product manager at Johnson & Johnson and Mettur
Beardsell, a textile firm.

Nooyi won a scholarship to the Yale School of Management and moved to the United States to earn a master’s
degree in Public and Private Management. She went on to work at Boston Consulting Group (BCG), Motorola
and Asea Brown Boveri.

In 1994, Nooyi joined PepsiCo as senior vice-president of strategic planning. Over the years, she worked her
way up the ranks; in 2001, she became President and Chief Financial Officer. 5 years later, she became the
first female CEO of PepsiCo.

Since stepping up as CEO, Nooyi has introduced innovations related to environmental sustainability,
accelerated the globalization of the company and shifted their product portfolio — moves that have led to a
financial recovery for PepsiCo. In 2015, PepsiCo’s annual net revenue was US$63 million compared to US$35
million in 2006.

Management & Behaviour Process, Department of Management Studies, RIT

Leadership Lessons from Indra Nooyi

1. Communication is key

Nooyi believes in the Five Cs of leadership: competence, courage, confidence, (moral) compass and
communication. According to her, communication is arguably the most important ‘C’ for a leader to have as
without effective communication skills, one would be unable to influence others or articulate what’s needed
to achieve team or organizational goals.

Her commitment to communication is evident in her blog, wherein she posts weekly in order to better
communicate with PepsiCo employees of all levels

2. Set a standard for excellence

Nooyi is known for being a perfectionist and is a stickler for getting the details right. To her, attention to detail
is what sets PepsiCo apart from its competitors. Whether it’s a misaligned logo or misplacement of products
in supermarket aisles, Nooyi has a keen eye for the little things.

She is known as a tough boss with exacting standards. Her vision for PepsiCo, “Performance with Purpose”,
clearly exemplifies her goal of excellence: not only does she aim for PepsiCo to innovate and lead the food &
beverage market, she also wants to minimize the company’s environmental impact and tackle the obesity issue
by providing healthier options in the marketplace.

3. Stay abreast of trends

When Nooyi became CEO, she made the bold strategy decision to redirect some of the company’s focus on
healthier food and beverage items. For a company that built its revenue and reputation on soda and chips, it
seemed like a crazy decision. But Nooyi saw the demand for healthier options from the younger generation
and knew that the company had to pivot to meet changing customer preferences. She doubled funding for
PepsiCo’s Research & Development team, with the aim of making the company’s existing offerings healthier
and creating new healthy drinks and snacks for the brand.

Nooyi was right; unlike its competitor Coca-Cola, which didn’t deviate from their product offerings,
PepsiCo’s healthier snacks found a large audience and helped the company close the revenue gap with Coca-
Cola. In 2009, 18% of PepsiCo’s total revenue came from its healthier-option brands

It’s important for leaders to stay abreast of the trends and happenings in their industry and react or change
accordingly. Keeping up with trends allows a leader to map out patterns and developments and assess how
their organization can better meet the needs of their customers.

Management & Behaviour Process, Department of Management Studies, RIT

Elon Musk Leadership Profile

A Short Biography

Elon Musk was born on June 28th, 1971 in South Africa, where he grew up with his father after his parents
divorced in 1980. As a child, Musk became interested in computer programming and taught himself to code.

In 1989, Musk moved to Canada and began undergraduate studies at Queen’s University in Ontario. After 2
years, he transferred to the University of Pennsylvania. There, he earned two degrees — a Bachelor of Science
in physics from the UPenn College of Arts and Sciences, and a Bachelor of Science in economics from the
Wharton School of Business. He then moved across the United States to California to pursue a PhD at
Stanford; but after two days, he left the program to pursue becoming an entrepreneur.

Together with his brother, he founded Zip2 which was an online directory for businesses. After a slow start
(businesses considered the Internet and online advertising merely a fad), Zip2 took off and after 4 years, and
the Musk brothers sold the company to Compaq. His next venture was X.com, an online banking service he
started in 1999. This merged with Confinity to become PayPal. The company was sold to eBay in 2002 and
netted Musk US$180 million in the process. Musk started SpaceX, a company dedicated to lowering the costs
of space travel. Musk also co-founded Tesla Motors, which aims to build low-cost electric vehicles and
revolutionize the automobile industry. He also had a hand in conceptualizing and financing SolarCity, which
is now the second largest solar power systems provider in the United States. His other ventures include
Hyperloop (his design for a high-speed transportation system that would drastically reduce travel times) and
OpenAI (a non-for-profit research company dedicated to artificial intelligence).

Management & Behaviour Process, Department of Management Studies, RIT

Leadership Lessons from Elon Musk

1. Let your vision guide you

As a young man, Musk discovered that he was keenly interested in a few fields that he thought would have an
impact on the world: “the internet; sustainable energy; space exploration, in particular the permanent extension
of life beyond Earth; artificial intelligence; and reprogramming the human genetic code.”

Throughout his career, he has made decisions and moves that align with this vision and help take him closer
to achieving them. After making his mark in the dotcom industry with Zip2 and PayPal, Musk went on to his
loftier dreams of space exploration and sustainable energy with his current business ventures. His vision is so
strong and compelling that he inspires other like-minded capable individuals to join his companies and work
towards those goals.

2. Set the standard in your industry

Musk is not content with doing what everyone else is doing; he seeks solutions for important, large-scale
issues that will change the way we live. Whether it was PayPal where he championed the idea of an online
banking institution, or SpaceX which has become the first private company to successfully launch a rocket
and dock at the International Space Station, or SolarCity which promotes the use of solar energy as a
sustainable energy source, Musk is disrupting large industries by setting a new standard.

3. Use a feedback loop constructively

“I think it’s very important to have a feedback loop, where you’re constantly thinking about what you’ve done
and how you could be doing it better. I think that’s the single best piece of advice: constantly think about how
you could be doing things better and questioning yourself.”

Musk is not afraid of failure and sees it as an organic part of any creation process. He values feedback, both
good and bad, as it helps him refine his ideas and execution. He also uses the feedback loop as part of his self-
reflection and self-improvement — he seeks to always do better than he did before as he knows that every
improvement will lead him closer to achieving his goals.

Management & Behaviour Process, Department of Management Studies, RIT

Walt Disney Leadership Profile

Walt Disney was the co-founder of Walt Disney Productions, one of the most influential motion picture
production companies in the world. He was also the creator of the world-famous Disneyland, which attracts
over 15 million visitors a year.

A Short Biography

Born on December 5th, 1901, Walt Disney was the fourth son of Elias and Flora Disney. He developed a love
for drawing at a very young age when he was paid to draw a neighbour’s horse. In high school, he was the
cartoonist for the school newspaper. He dropped out of high school at 16 and joined the Army where he was
an ambulance driver.

At 19, he started his first commercial company called Iwerks-Disney Commercial Artists. He experienced a
rough start with this venture, prompting Disney to leave for another ad company.

In 1921, Disney started his first animation business and made his first-ever animated series called “Newman
Laugh-O Grams”. However, the income from the cartoons was not enough to save his young company from
bankruptcy. Unfazed by setbacks, Walt moved to Hollywood to continue pursuing his dream of creating a
successful cartoon series. He faced many failures and challenges before he finally created the Mickey Mouse
character in the late 1920s. Mickey Mouse was very well received by the public and even overshadowed the
then-popular Felix the Cat. Mickey served as a springboard for Disney’s early career, which included
successful movies like “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” and “The Three Little Pigs”.

Management & Behaviour Process, Department of Management Studies, RIT

In the late 1940’s, Disney began envisioning a plan for an amusement park. Disneyland opened in 1955 with
the goal of becoming a source of joy and inspiration to the world. Today Disneyland directly employs more
than 20,000 employees and receives over 15 million visitors per year.

Leadership Lessons from Walt Disney

1. Never stop dreaming

Walt Disney was a dreamer. Even after he achieved success, he never stopped pursuing new ideas and creating
new cartoons. He didn’t become complacent and continued to innovate.

Never stop innovating and dreaming. The possibilities are only limited by your imagination! The desire for
innovation translates into the desire to continuously learn and grow in order to be better at what you do.

2. Tenacity and persistence

Disney suffered many setbacks throughout his career. Mickey Mouse wasn’t created in a day, and Disney
certainly wasn’t an overnight success! A closer look at Walt Disney’s story shows he went through a difficult
10-year period between starting his first business and achieving success with Mickey Mouse.

Tenacity and persistence are key to success in any difficult venture. Everyone goes through tough times,
especially while chasing a larger-than-life dream. But it is your commitment and persistence that helps you
stand out from the crowd and attracts people to follow your vision.

3. Storytelling is powerful

Human beings naturally think in stories, not in abstract concepts. To say Walt Disney understood this is an
understatement, as he built his Disney empire on storytelling. But what many people don’t know is that Disney
often used storytelling in his meetings with executives and team members to illustrate his company vision.

When you need your team to learn a new concept or strategy, don’t forget the importance of telling a
compelling story. It will help them solidify what they’ve learned, make better decisions and communicate the
vision to their own teams.

Management & Behaviour Process, Department of Management Studies, RIT

Henry Ford Leadership Profile

Henry Ford was the founder of the Ford Motor Company. He revolutionized the modern-day assembly-line
method of production for his Model T cars. He was also an inventor credited with over 100 patents. During
his time, he was one of the richest people in the world.

A Short Biography

Henry Ford was born on July 30th, 1863 into a family of six on a farm in Detroit, Michigan. In his youth, he
showed an extraordinary capability to take things apart and put them back together. He learned to repair and
dismantle a pocket watch that his father gave to him, which earned him a reputation as a watch repairman.
Although he lived on a farm, his passion was always elsewhere. At 16, he moved to Detroit to start work as a
machinist.

He started the Detroit Automobile Company in 1899 in a bid to create automobiles for the masses. However,
this venture failed, and the company shut down in 1901. In 1903, he started the Ford Motor Company with
several other investors. His first model, the ‘999’, was the car that rocketed the Ford brand throughout the
United States. His company also paid its workers extraordinarily high wages for its time, drawing much talent
and skills to his company’s operations. His breakthrough came when he designed the Ford Model T. This
model was priced low (around $21,000 in today’s dollars) and attracted millions of buyers who had never
driven before. In its first 20 years of production, total output amounted to over 15 million cars. Ford also
founded the Ford Airplane Company, which was set up during World War I to support the United States in

Management & Behaviour Process, Department of Management Studies, RIT

their aircraft production. It was eventually shut down during the Great Depression due to poor sales. In
September of 1945, with his health declining, Ford handed over the company to his grandson. Henry Ford
passed away in 1947, at age 83.

Today Ford Motor Company is one of the largest car manufacturers in the world with over 11,000 dealerships
worldwide.

Leadership Lessons from Henry Ford

1. Value your workers

Henry Ford valued his workers highly and exemplified that by paying them handsomely. He raised the wages
of his employees so that they could afford the cars they were building. As a result, he drew talent from all over
the region to work in his company and lowered the turnover rate.

Providing your staff with remuneration that is commensurate to their skills and experience is the first step to
showing that you value them. However, don’t forget that people want to work for more than just a salary.
They want to work in an environment where they feel appreciated and like an essential part of the organization.
If you can show that you value each person on your team, you will attract talent.

Strive to give your team members the feeling they are valued, whether by means of salary or by recognition
and in the long run, you’ll attract strong people to your organization.

2. Self-Belief is essential

Ford believed in himself. He knew that he needed to surround himself with like-minded people, so he hired
workers who were willing to push the limits of their imagination.

Your belief in yourself as a leader is infectious as well. What do you believe about yourself? What do you
believe about your ability? What is possible and what is impossible? Your willingness to try the ‘impossible’
will inspire your team to push their limits as well.

3. Be a service leader

A service leader focuses on solving the needs of his/her customers, employees, and community. Ford was an
adamant believer in the service leadership philosophy and famously proclaimed, “A business absolutely
devoted to service will have only one worry about profits. They will be embarrassingly large.” Indeed, Ford
was paid handsomely for his service, and sold upwards of 20 million cars in his lifetime.

Instead of focusing on what you can get as a leader, focus instead on what value and service you can give to
your team. Help your team members grow, and they will help you achieve your vision.

Management & Behaviour Process, Department of Management Studies, RIT

Mukesh Ambani Leadership Profile

Mukesh Dhirubhai Ambani (born 19 April 1957) is an Indian business magnate, the chairman, managing
director, and the largest shareholder of Reliance Industries Limited (RIL), a Fortune Global 500 company and
India's most valuable company by its market value.

Mukesh was born in Aden, Yemen and brought up in Mumbai, India. He received his degree in Chemical
Engineering from the Institute of Chemical Technology in the early 1970s. Mukesh started working alongside
his father Dhirubhai Ambani in their family business, Reliance, since 1981. Reliance Industries Limited deals
mainly in refining, petrochemicals, and in the oil and gas sectors. Reliance Retail Ltd., another subsidiary, is
the largest retailer in India. The business has expanded over the years to provide products and services like
Retail Markets and Telecommunications. Reliance’s Jio has earned a top five spot in the country’s
telecommunication services since its public launch on 5 September 2016.

As of 2016, Ambani was ranked 38 and has consistently held the title of being India's richest person on the
Forbes magazine's list for the past ten years. He is the only Indian businessman on Forbes' list of the world's
most powerful people. As of January 2018, Mukesh Ambani was ranked by Forbes as the 18th-wealthiest
person in the world. He surpassed Jack Ma, executive chairman of Alibaba Group, to become Asia's richest
person with a net worth of $44.3 billion in July 2018. He is also the wealthiest person in the world outside
North America and Europe. As of 2015, Ambani ranked fifth among India's philanthropists, according to
China’s Hurun Research Institute.

Management & Behaviour Process, Department of Management Studies, RIT

Through Reliance, he also owns the Indian Premier League franchise Mumbai Indians and is the founder
of Indian Super League, a football league in India. In 2012, Forbes named him one of the richest sports owners
in the world. He resides at the Antilia Building, one of the world's most expensive private residences with its
value reaching $1 billion.

Leadership Lessons

1.Out with Feudal System

He realized that the feudal system in place was outdated and needed to be replaced by a revolutionary system.
There was no substance in keeping the power in a few people's hands and so the authority was spread over a
network of people who were given specific responsibilities. Not for him any coalition with second rate
companies. He bonded with the best. Dupont's alliance was sought for $ 5 million. Young people were
assigned to be trained by Dupont. This was something new to Indian business and industry.

2.No Let-up

His father and Rasikbhai Meswani, his cousin, two guiding spirits behind Reliance died in quick succession.
Mukesh was devastated but did not panic. He quickly found his strength to get back in articulation. The
organization was intact after all. Work went on almost without any interruption.

3.Aim High

It was always a goal for him to beat Taiwan and Korea at polyester business. They were the dominant player
in the business then. Soon he concluded that the scale of business must be huge to achieve the goal. Despite
the license-quota raj and its strangling ways, Reliance polyester had built a capacity of 75,000 tonnes. Then
came deregulation. The company leapfrogged into producing 1 million tonnes. The fast falling tariff rates
helped too. The executives, numbering some 300 were top class and saw it that the company grew steadily.
This growth, the vision of Mukesh, set a world record.

4.Expansion

Mukesh could see far into the future and pinpoint the businesses that would change the face of his company
profile. Petrochemicals plastics, polyester was all in their net, all having a future. Expansion was not confined
to India alone. It included the whole world. This huge plan for expansion coupled with huge cash flow enabled
the company to become what it is: a global giant by any standards.

IT growth was foreseen by Mukesh as far back as in 1995 but he waited until the2000s to plunge into it and
made Reliance Infocomm a force to reckon with in the field.

Management & Behaviour Process, Department of Management Studies, RIT

Management & Behaviour Process, Department of Management Studies, RIT