Welcome to the What's Next! Podcast with Tiffani Bova. 

 

This week, I’m joined by Dr. Klaus Kleinfeld, who is the only leader to have successfully served as CEO of two Fortune 500 giants on different continents: Alcoa in the US and Siemens in Germany. With a nearly forty-year career spanning multiple industries, from established businesses to tech startups, he has advised US presidents and global leaders across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. As the founder of K2 Elevation, he invests in North American and European tech and biotech firms. And he also has a book out called Leading to Thrive. 

 

THIS EPISODE IS PERFECT FOR…anyone who wants to become a more effective leader, whether you’re running a global enterprise, leading a small team, or gearing up to start your own business.

 

TODAY’S MAIN MESSAGE…it’s easy to think leadership is about having all the answers but Klaus Kleinfeld would say say it’s really about curiosity, connection, and energy management. Drawing on decades of experience, Klaus shares actionable insights for leading with clarity and intent in any business environment.

 

KEY TAKEAWAYS…

• Klaus encourages leaders to see fear as “false expectations appearing real” and dissect it before it holds you back.

• Getting frontline insights directly from customers can help to avoid losing critical information in translation.

• The goal should be to build high-performance teams where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

 

WHAT I LOVE MOST…Klaus’s reminder that great leadership isn’t about titles or politics, it’s about investing your energy where it matters most, staying connected to the people you serve, and never losing sight of your purpose.

 

Running Time: 27:25

 

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Find Klaus Online:

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Klaus’ Book:

Leading to Thrive: Mastering Strategies for Sustainable Success in Business and Life