Each month, “Anschuetz on Leadership” episodes will look at unique ways that business can approach leadership. Christian Anschuetz is an adventurer, entrepreneur, and United States Marine Corps Captain (not on active duty). He’s been the CIO of one of the world’s largest advertising firms, CDO of a global safety and supply-chain company, and founded a nonprofit to help connect military veterans with business leaders for mutually beneficial outcomes. He’s currently building his own house, teaching at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, and starting a couple of new businesses. Today, we talk about the sacrifices that are required in leadership positions and the brave example of Volodymyr Zelensky.
Episode 11
The Big Themes:
- President Zelensky of Ukraine’s heroic example: Leaders are force multipliers for the people that they lead, and to do that, they have to communicate, compel, and inspire. Zelensky is doing all of those things, while refusing to flee his country in the midst of war. It’s inspiring.
- The sacrifices of leadership: Being a leader is an exhausting occupation. Because you are constantly having to put other considerations before you yourself. True leaders are always last in line, and that is difficult.
- We deserve better leaders in the U.S.: From both a business and political perspective, Christian says that the United States is really lacking in true leadership. “The great resignation” is as much about leadership as it is about anything else.
The Big Quote: “Yes, companies need to make money in a profit in order to continue, but that profitability does not need to supersede the demand the leader should have on them to ensure the longevity of the organization and the care and feeding of the people that work there.”
