Ask Harry #14: Why is your teaching focused on values based leadership?

Given my extensive background in finance, which includes a stint as the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Baxter International, and my general love for economics and numbers, I am often asked why I choose to focus most of my classes at Kellogg on values-based leadership and not something more quantitative and finance-based. To be honest, while I do love finance and economics, I feel that I have a real calling to have a small positive impact on the next generation of future leaders around the world. I strongly believe the world would be much better off if we had more values-based leaders. While I am overall an optimistic person, I am very concerned that we currently have a severe lack of values-based leaders in all areas of global society, including government, business, sports, and even religious institutions.

The actions of many people in leadership positions currently seems to me to be frankly surreal. In fact, I find myself frequently asking, “Did that really happen? Am I reading nonfiction or fiction?” There are so many examples of questionable behavior that I worry that we as a nation may be becoming completely desensitized to what’s happening.

There are many recent examples. Here are just a few on which I was reflecting while on my silent retreat last week:

  • We currently have one presidential candidate who has been indicted on more than 50 counts. The kicker? He continues to gain in political polls!!!
  • The current president’s son is facing multiple criminal charges, and it is unclear what the president’s own involvement in those alleged crimes has been. Even if he wasn’t aware of his son’s actions, shouldn’t he have been more aware?
  • And here’s one that’s truly hard to believe. A US congressman from the state of New York who has been caught committing fraud and blatantly lying on numerous occasions to mislead voters was removed last week from Congress. OK, given his actions, that sounds like a reasonable outcome. But here’s the strange part: Despite his unbelievably unethical behavior, more than 100 congressmen voted to keep him in office!!!

Are you still wondering why I am focused on teaching values-based leadership? 🤔

I do remain an optimist, so rather than focusing on the negative, I encourage my students and executives in my leadership talks to focus their self reflection on the following:

  • What are my values?
  • What is my purpose?
  • What really matters in my life?
  • What kind of a leader do I want to be?
  • What kind of example do I want to be for the people with whom I interact on a daily basis?