I – Interviewer, M S – Marjorie Scardino

Date: 2015-10-07; view: 429.

I – Marjorie Scardino, you are leading one of the top companies in the UK, and you've

been voted businesswoman of the year. What qualities do you need to run a large

company effectively?

M S – Well, I think different companies probably require different qualities, but for me

there are only a few simple qualities that cut across all requirements, and those

are courage and imagination and empathy. And by empathy I mean, having the

ability to put yourself in other people's position and understand how they feel

about situations and ideas.

I – Which business leaders do you admire and why?

M S - I think the best business leaders are probably ones we don't know about, not the

stars we read about in the newspapers. I think they are probably the ones who

have had a great business idea and have seen it through to fruition. So the

business leaders I most admire right now are those managers in Pearson who are

achieving our goals of double-digit earnings growth.

I – What do business leaders actually do?

M S – My staff would probably say this was a really excellent question they ask

themselves every day! I think what they do is just what I've said the business

leaders I admire do. They create a business idea, and they see it through.

I – As a leader, how do you motivate your employees?

M S - I'd like to think we motivate each other. I think my job is to make sure the

company has a purpose, because I think people like to work for a company that

has a reason for being, that they can identify with and feel good about. I think

that I have to communicate well to them everything that is going on – and

everything that I'm trying to do – in a clear way. And then in return I think they

inspire me to think more adventurously and to think more carefully about how to

stimulate them and how to build a better business. So, it's a sort of a circular

operation.

I – Do you think leaders are born or made?

M S – I think it's probably a bit of both. All human beings are obviously born with

certain qualities, and certain genetic traits. But I've seen so many people in my

life who have, using those basic qualities, re-invented themselves several times

as they've gone into new situations. You know, you're a certain kind of person

when you are in school, and your friends know who you are, and you get slotted

in. And then as you grow up you go into new situations and become the great

business leaders of your time. So I would have to say, mostly it's made, but you

have to use what you are born with.