Six leaders share 60 tips in ever-popular Olin event

Olin’s popular annual Leadership Perspectives event “6 executives. 60 ideas. 60 minutes” drew a virtual audience of more than 340 people on January 13.

Six top leaders, five of them Olin alumni, shared a lightning round of tips. Their suggestions ran the gamut from “be nice to everyone” to “do not fake it till you make it: Ask for help.”

These were the panelists:

• Julie Bradley, board member of numerous organizations;
• Cliff Holekamp, MBA 2001, cofounder of Cultivation Capital;
• Sharon James, EMBA 1989, Olin professor of practice in Strategy and Entrepreneurship;
• Munir Mashooqullah, EMBA 1998, founder and chairman of Synergies Worldwide;
• Joshua Rahn, BSBA 1994, cofounder and managing partner of Oceans;
• Sunny Yi, EMBA-Shanghai 2011, general counsel for adidas Greater China.

Words of wisdom

Here are some select words of wisdom:

Bradley: “Surround yourself with people who are smarter than you.”

Holekamp: “Operate with a sense of urgency. I find that this is a quality that is associated with high performers.”

James: “Be a mentor and seek good counsel.”

Mashooqullah: “Create forums within your organization, with close friends, with industry leaders.”

Rahn: “The more empathy you have, the better you will perform, and the more people will want you to be successful.”

Yi: “We often jump to conclusions and give our suggestions before we understand the demands of others. If you want your colleagues to respect you as a leader, be diligent and down-to-earth.”

Watch the event here.