The Remarkable Leadership Podcast

00:00:08:13 - 00:00:40:20
Kevin Eikenberry
Being a leader at any level is harder now than ever. It is both complex and important work, and you're listening to this podcast because you want to be a better leader. That's wonderful. My guests and I both believe that we can be successful as leaders and more successful as human beings. At the same time, this may be the most valuable conversation you listen to this year because we're not just talking about you as a leader, but you as a person.

00:00:40:22 - 00:01:13:04
Kevin Eikenberry
Welcome to another episode of the Remarkable Leadership Podcast, where we are helping leaders grow personally and professionally to lead more effectively and make a bigger difference for their teams, organizations and the world. If you are listening to this podcast, you could be with us in the future. Live on your favorite social media channel. You can learn about live future episodes when they're going to happen, so you can interact with us sooner and get this information more quickly by joining our Facebook or LinkedIn groups.

00:01:13:04 - 00:01:37:14
Kevin Eikenberry
Just go to remarkable podcast.com/facebook or remarkable podcast.com/linkedin to get connected there. We'd love to have you do that. Today's episode is brought to you by my latest book, Flexible Leadership Navigate Uncertainty and Lead with Confidence. It's time to realize that styles can get in our way, and that following our strengths might not always be the best or the complete approach.

00:01:37:19 - 00:01:58:18
Kevin Eikenberry
In a world more complex and uncertain than ever. Leaders need a new perspective and a set of tools to create great results for their organizations and teams. That's what flexible leadership can do for you. Learn more and order your copy now at remarkable podcast.com/flexible. Now with that I'm going to bring in my guest and introduce him. And we will dive in.

00:01:58:19 - 00:02:27:08
Kevin Eikenberry
His name is Doctor Klaus Kleinfeld. He is the only leader everybody 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 40 year career spanning multiple industries from established business businesses to tech startups. He has advised US presidents and global leaders across Europe, Asia and the middle East.

00:02:27:10 - 00:02:59:08
Kevin Eikenberry
As a founder of K2 elevation, he invests in North American and European tech and biotech firms. He is also the author of leading to Thrive Mastering Strategies for Sustainable Success in Business and Life. He's actively engaged in private sector public affairs and cultural boards. He's a dual citizen of the US and a European citizen, and he works enjoys his work life and family near New York, where he's coming to us from today.

00:02:59:08 - 00:03:03:09
Kevin Eikenberry
And he is our guest. And, Klaus, I'm glad to have you. Thanks for being here.

00:03:03:11 - 00:03:05:14
Klaus Kleinfeld
Well, pleasure. Pleasure, Kevin.

00:03:05:16 - 00:03:34:14
Kevin Eikenberry
So, before we get to the book itself, in the book, you talk a little bit about your journey, and, you know, there's there's the journey of business. And I sort of outlined that in the, in the opening, but your but your whole background, your journey that gets you to this point starts earlier than that. And I think telling us a little bit about that will give us greater perspective on you and quite honestly, make us even more interested in wanting to hear what you've got to say.

00:03:34:15 - 00:03:36:00
Kevin Eikenberry
Can you share a little bit about that?

00:03:36:02 - 00:04:04:18
Klaus Kleinfeld
Sure, sure. Born in Germany, raised by parents who had fled from East Germany, and started afresh, after the Second World War. And, the moment as a woman, things got better. Unfortunately, my my father died when I was ten, so that threw me into an accelerated phase of growing up and having to work. I got my first paying job was 12 years, and I think since then I've never stopped working.

00:04:04:18 - 00:04:26:14
Klaus Kleinfeld
And, and and to did a lot of things in my life obviously over, over time what also happened, which greatly and that greatly influenced me. The other thing that greatly influenced me is when, when my father died, my mother decided that during the vacation time, if she went back to work and during vacation time, she sent me back to visit my relatives in East Germany.

00:04:26:14 - 00:04:50:23
Klaus Kleinfeld
So I spent a very fair bit of time, in East Germany and, during my childhood. And I grew up in a system that obviously was very different to my West German system. And, and, that formed a view on, on a concept that unfortunately, people, some concepts of life that you only realize when they, when things are gone.

00:04:50:23 - 00:05:27:05
Klaus Kleinfeld
And freedom is one of those, you know, so freedom that led me to, very much appreciate freedom and also realize, in how many ways shapes or forms it comes. And also that sometimes when you don't have it, you can be very courageous to still, push the envelope and, and, that form for me in getting to know people who did that and seeing how they cope with their life in spite of, not so nice circumstances that they had to live with also young people.

00:05:27:09 - 00:05:45:22
Klaus Kleinfeld
Right. So that those two things formed me and, you know, have led me to do things that I did in my life, you know, so, by the way, also coming over from, from Germany here to the US and becoming a citizen, and my whole family is very, very happy here.

00:05:46:00 - 00:06:10:05
Kevin Eikenberry
Well, we're glad to have you. I'll just say that, you collectively, you and I were talking before we I hit the Let's Go live button, and, we were talking a little bit about this book and, you know, you have a 40 year career, history in business, and now you've written this book, and you said, something along the lines of, well, I didn't just want to add another business.

00:06:10:07 - 00:06:14:17
Kevin Eikenberry
So I'm curious, why did you choose to write for.

00:06:14:19 - 00:06:42:14
Klaus Kleinfeld
Well, what what happened is, that I have seen and coached a lot of, a lot of, CEOs and leaders, you know, and now that I have a little bit more time, I've accelerated that. And and what I noticed is two things. One is that too many, don't have not done the job in sorting out their own self and therefore is holding them back to become very effective.

00:06:42:15 - 00:07:06:04
Klaus Kleinfeld
That's one thing I saw the other thing I saw is that a concept that I unfortunately had thought was only there, and people who are in business for a longer time also happens. And the younger generation, that's burnout. I saw burnout happening in some of the, companies that I invested in and started startup companies already kind of not not quite in the startup phase, but in the in the, around the phase, you know.

00:07:06:04 - 00:07:30:04
Klaus Kleinfeld
So, and, and and when I saw this, I realized it's all tied to one concept. And the concept is they did not have an understanding, a framework of what is needed to run your life successfully. And, that's why it starts with the inner game. My book starts leading to story, starts with the inner game, and then goes to the classic leadership stuff, the outer game.

00:07:30:06 - 00:07:48:07
Klaus Kleinfeld
And frankly, the inner game is all about energy. You know, how how do you get energy? Do you have enough energy? And if you don't have enough energy, then you can't bring it to anything. Or so you the other way. If you have plenty of it, you can bring it to business. You can bring it to your life, you know, and you can, lead a very, very fulfilled life.

00:07:48:09 - 00:08:04:18
Klaus Kleinfeld
So that's the core. The inner game was the core motivation to sit down. And the other thing is, I also thought, I can do this simply by teaching one on one, you know, I also have to put it in some, some version that people can pick up and read it or listen to it on an audiobook.

00:08:04:20 - 00:08:23:02
Kevin Eikenberry
Which leads us to the book. And you mentioned, the inner game versus the outer game. I put that in the lower third. I put that back up in a second, because that's really where I want to focus as, again, as I told you before we went live, that to me is the part that makes this book exceptional.

00:08:23:04 - 00:08:33:09
Kevin Eikenberry
Is the stuff about inner game and you. So let's say a little bit more about what you mean about the difference between inner game and outer game.

00:08:33:11 - 00:09:08:14
Klaus Kleinfeld
Well, it's relatively simple. The inner game is, basically how you personally lead the day to day life and your long term goals, your purpose, you know, so and then the outer game is whatever this energy you bring it to. And in my book, I cover the auto game mainly on the business side. But there's another aspect, you know, there's where the inner game is equally important as you also bring it to the other parts of life, you know, whether it is in social engagements, whether it's your family, whether it's friendships or God knows what you know.

00:09:08:14 - 00:09:29:09
Klaus Kleinfeld
So without sorting out the inner game, there is no successful, sustainable outer game, no matter what you choose, you know? And then finally, that's come to the inner game so that we can probably get our hands around it. What is this? And it's really about understanding that that it is about managing energy. It starts with managing energy.

00:09:29:09 - 00:09:48:19
Klaus Kleinfeld
And, the oh, it's old wisdom. I mean, it's body, mind and soul. And I separate the mind into emotions and mental, you know, so and most people understand if you don't treat your body well, you know, if you don't work out, if you if your diet is bad, you sleep, you know, whatever you drink, hydration, you know, if that's bad, then you don't have energy.

00:09:48:19 - 00:09:57:00
Klaus Kleinfeld
You can't get anything done, you know. So that's very well understood by most people. Oh, let me put it this way as well. Understood. And probably not enough practice, you know.

00:09:57:00 - 00:10:21:15
Kevin Eikenberry
So yes, I was just going to say there's a difference between knowledge and action class. So let's talk let's just talk about that because, you know, everyone knows, like mom taught us, right? Make sure you get good rest, eat a balanced meal, go exercise all that stuff like everybody knows it, especially for leaders at all levels, not just at the in the C-suite.

00:10:21:15 - 00:10:29:09
Kevin Eikenberry
But why is it that there's such a break between we know it, but we don't do it.

00:10:29:11 - 00:11:00:07
Klaus Kleinfeld
It's just hard. It's it's requires discipline. And that's the other fascinating concept. We're not talking about a concept that as, as, as somebody growing up in Germany, you get you learn that very early discipline, you know, and most people think, you know, it's all about discipline. You just plow through. But that's not the way it works, you know, because the moment you exert discipline and you exert energy, so you burn out, you wake up and the more energy burns through during the course of the day you wake up in the morning, you should be relatively refreshed.

00:11:00:07 - 00:11:20:01
Klaus Kleinfeld
You know? And then you say, what do I apply to now? Have a cup of coffee and get going. Boom. You know, so but the moment you have to exert discipline, your energy burns out. And I don't know whether you had this. I had that bad habit, you know, that I was doing really well during the whole course of the day, in spite of all the dramatic things that happened every day.

00:11:20:01 - 00:11:42:21
Klaus Kleinfeld
You know, I come home, I have eating well, I go to the fridge, I go to the freezer and there it is, a pint of my favorite ice cream. And I think just one little spoon. And then like probably 15 minutes later, I look at an empty, complete package. I said, who ate that? Who ate that? You know.

00:11:42:23 - 00:11:48:04
Kevin Eikenberry
And I you said, I have to give up ice cream class, please tell me I don't have to give up ice cream.

00:11:48:06 - 00:12:17:03
Klaus Kleinfeld
Exactly. So, so the concept of discipline is also there. There's a trick to this. I mean, ideally you want to you don't want to have to exhort to discipline. So basically you means you have to eliminate from your environment all those cues, you know. So ideally if I would have opened the freezer and there was, would have only been things that I don't fancy, then look, I would have probably come back been frustrated for ten minutes, but then said, okay, I'll bring some water, you know, and then I go to bed.

00:12:17:05 - 00:12:35:06
Klaus Kleinfeld
Two very good decisions, you know, that I would have taken in spite of the very bad one, which came from the great intention that I should have in my freeze on my favorite ice cream. You know, so that's one thing. But I think on the physical side, my impression is, most people understand it decently well, particularly when they are making it into leadership.

00:12:35:08 - 00:12:48:01
Klaus Kleinfeld
But the things that are really not well understood, the ones that are dealing with the kind of mental, emotional, mental and spiritual, you know, so, so having a shall we talk a little bit about that?

00:12:48:01 - 00:13:12:11
Kevin Eikenberry
Yeah. As I wanted to get to this, the sources of energy that's ready. But before you do that, I wanted to say one of my, one of my mentors, I'm thinking about this related. You're asking me said, you know what? I love donuts, but I don't eat donuts because I don't drive by the donut shop like I if I have to go three blocks out of the way, because I know if I drive by the donut shop just like, you know, if I open the freezer, there's the ice cream, like it's again, we know this, but we don't do it.

00:13:12:11 - 00:13:32:08
Kevin Eikenberry
And and, you know, there's this ripple effect when we're leaders. And of course, as leader, it's not the ice cream at the office necessarily. But like if, if we're not act if we're not exerting the discipline in the areas most important, because our folks are watching. Right. We're modeling whether we like it, whether we like what they're seeing or not.

00:13:32:10 - 00:13:39:19
Kevin Eikenberry
And so it's especially important, I think, for us in a leadership role. But yeah, let's talk about the the sources of energy because I think, yeah, this is a really important piece.

00:13:40:01 - 00:14:00:23
Klaus Kleinfeld
So we talked about physical already a little bit. Right. So let's let's address the emotional the mental and the spiritual. I mean let's start with the emotional I think a lot of I mean all of us have emotions. And I believe we have situations, stressful situations when we have negotiations. And the other side is trying to poke us or says things that we don't like, and we're getting angry and we're getting angry.

00:14:00:23 - 00:14:25:07
Klaus Kleinfeld
And the moment we're getting angry, something happens in us. We lose energy. You know, a lot of the energy that we have, you know, gets burned off, you know, and and that's the issue. Most people say, oh my God, I can't do anything with it. But there's a very, very simple trick. And the very simple trick is you have to understand the energy is what somebody else imposes on you.

00:14:25:12 - 00:14:47:13
Klaus Kleinfeld
But it's are it's completely inside of your own control. You are the ones that allow the energy to happen inside of you. So if you agree with me on that, you also can control it. So you can basically say that I'm listening here goes into this side of the year, goes out of this side of the year. I concentrate on my breathing.

00:14:47:13 - 00:15:07:05
Klaus Kleinfeld
You know, I look outside the window, you know, and I am not getting provoked because I'm saying what this person is talking about. It's not relevant for me. And you're preparing your next argument, right? So breathing is a very, very important part in this. You know, just to concentrate on breathing. The other side doesn't even notice that, you know, it's very good.

00:15:07:05 - 00:15:28:04
Klaus Kleinfeld
But the most important thing is that the moment it comes, you filter out in your head that this is somebody else's opinion has nothing to do with whether it's my opinion or not. I don't accept that, and I will not allow my emotions to be wasted on this creep who's sitting across from me, you know? So so, so, so, so are this negotiator.

00:15:28:04 - 00:15:30:05
Klaus Kleinfeld
He's sitting across from me. And sometimes it's the same.

00:15:30:07 - 00:15:45:07
Kevin Eikenberry
So yeah, well, but the important part is I'm making it's you're, you're, you're saying and I agree with you hundred percent. We have a choice to make and we take responsibility for that choice. We have a lot better chance of making it.

00:15:45:12 - 00:16:04:01
Klaus Kleinfeld
Absolutely, absolutely. And then on the mental side, that's a very interesting thing on the mental side. And the mental side is a lot about focus. What do you what does your mind focus on. And I give you a nice story of the old shoemaker, you know, who has two sons. He wants to retire. He doesn't know which of the son he gives the business to.

00:16:04:06 - 00:16:23:11
Klaus Kleinfeld
Sends them both to Africa. One on the west, one on the east coast. You know, the first son from the west coast sends a note. Bang says, father, I have very bad news. There's no market here. Everybody is barefoot. The other son sends a no, begs his father. Amazing, amazing. Send me as many shoes as you can get.

00:16:23:14 - 00:16:47:02
Klaus Kleinfeld
This market is endless. Everybody goes barefoot. You know this. I think this encapsulates it. And if there's one thing that we're not, it's many, many things. But one critical thing is all of the top leaders have a skill to see opportunities when others see challenges. And sometimes, I mean, I know quite a number of folks who train themselves for this.

00:16:47:02 - 00:17:13:10
Klaus Kleinfeld
You know, they basically say when the whole world sees, oh, this is a big challenge. I try to sort it out and say, what's my opportunity here? You know, some people, I mean, a great friend of mine always says common wisdom is almost, almost always wrong, you know, so and I think this is a good mantra. I mean, it's not 100% true, but more often than not, and it helps you to say when something comes on, okay, I have the common view, but is there another view?

00:17:13:11 - 00:17:30:18
Klaus Kleinfeld
Could I see it in another way? What opportunity is in there? Is there something hidden that others don't see? This is how fortunes are made. And also and so that's the and also on top of it, when something bad happens, you know you how how do you frame it, You have a way to say oh my God, oh my God, oh my God.

00:17:30:20 - 00:17:41:20
Klaus Kleinfeld
You know, and you go completely berserk. Or do you say, well, in reality, what I'm seeing here is this. And I will now work through it right? That's what I.

00:17:41:20 - 00:18:04:12
Kevin Eikenberry
Love about what you do. I'm sorry. What I love what you just said. And I want to underline it for people who are listening, is a lot of people hear opportunity versus problem or challenge, and they just hear positive thinking. Now there's positive thinking in there. But you're saying, I'm I'm making a choice about how I look at it, not just saying, well, it's it's going to be okay.

00:18:04:17 - 00:18:20:15
Kevin Eikenberry
And so it doesn't mean that positive thinking isn't helpful, but you helped people if they will listen to what you just said, frame it as something more than just that, which is really, really important. The last of the sources of energy I don't want to lose these is spiritual. So talk about that.

00:18:20:15 - 00:18:46:23
Klaus Kleinfeld
For yes, spiritual. One of the most difficult chapters for me because, and I mean, it is a very can be a very important source of, of energy. But, it usually I mean, it's almost like a four letter word, you know, so, so that people don't talk about and I, I mean, people say, hey, reflect on yourself, find something that's bigger than that than yourself.

00:18:47:01 - 00:19:10:13
Klaus Kleinfeld
You know, but I also think that, at least for me, having having a belief in something greater than me, a creator was very, very important in the worst times of my life and the worst times when it's not on the wonderful day to day. The sun is shining out here in New York, you know, so beautiful, beautiful.

00:19:10:15 - 00:19:30:12
Klaus Kleinfeld
But I'm not talking about those days. I'm talking about the days when you are alone and you think this is really bad. I don't know how I was going to get out of this. And and that's that's when a source like spiritual source, somebody who you can talk to. Right. And and kind of listen for advice. And that works very well.

00:19:30:12 - 00:19:51:00
Klaus Kleinfeld
So I call it the 24 over seven, radio station, you know, that also has A18 hundred number that you can dial in, you know, and, and you always get it gives you something you know. So my recommendation is, you know, try it out, you know, don't just throw it away. Try it out, you know, and and no matter which, which belief system suits you well, you know, try try it out and see.

00:19:51:00 - 00:20:13:10
Klaus Kleinfeld
And if you don't like it, you don't have to do it. You know, I want to add one, one fifth thing which ties us all together. And that's purpose. Because what purpose does to energy? It works like what laser does to light. Light is very diffuse. The moment you condense it in a laser, it goes through even the toughest materials.

00:20:13:12 - 00:20:48:21
Klaus Kleinfeld
Right. And that's what purpose does to energy. The moment you apply a purpose and it can be most people think it's just one purpose. No. And the reality most people have multiple roles in life. You know, you have if you have children, you probably have a purpose that you want to bring them up. Well, you know, if you if you run an important business, you probably have a purpose that you want to make that business successful and also but but think about it, what do you really, really want to do with your life and make this make this yours, you know, and again, with purpose, if you feel like it's not really giving you the

00:20:48:21 - 00:21:06:12
Klaus Kleinfeld
trigger, then you don't have to follow that and follow something else, you know? But it's the thing that gets you out of bed. Your best test is you wake up in the morning kind of tired was a late evening before you the moment your mind goes, oh, you know, I am wanting to do this. That's what I want to do.

00:21:06:14 - 00:21:25:15
Klaus Kleinfeld
You can tell you, you, you get a shot of energy, you jump out of bed and say, yeah, I want to get onto this. You know, I want to get onto this. If you feel nothing is coming to your mind, then it's probably a good point in time of necessary to reflect. Reflect. And I know, Kevin, you have you you read the book.

00:21:25:15 - 00:21:44:07
Klaus Kleinfeld
You know, you are the one who read the book. So it's a lot of one first and read the book. No kidding. So, so but but, there's a chapter in there on purpose of, of, of a study that was done of what do people say on their deathbed. And I find that super chilling, you know, super chilling because what they say on that death.

00:21:44:07 - 00:22:00:21
Klaus Kleinfeld
But nobody says, I wish I had spent more time in the office. What they do say, however, is I wish I had been more allow myself to be happier. I wish I had allowed myself to be happier, I mean. So they suddenly realized on their deathbed that happiness is their choice.

00:22:00:23 - 00:22:02:00
Kevin Eikenberry
That's the thing.

00:22:02:02 - 00:22:29:00
Klaus Kleinfeld
That is the thing, you know? And then another one is, I wish I had a lot myself to do more of what I wanted to do and listen less to other people. Right now, the good news is, hopefully it's not the last day in our life. You know, hopefully we have a lot of great time ahead of us, but make sure that that question you ask yourself now and make a course change if you need a course change and think about it.

00:22:29:00 - 00:22:32:01
Klaus Kleinfeld
You know your life is still ahead of you.

00:22:32:03 - 00:22:49:00
Kevin Eikenberry
Yeah, I absolutely love that. I want to say I want to talk about purpose a little bit more, on the outer game side, because, you know, you've led large organizations and, and you've, you've written about it in the book in the, in the back half of the book as well. Again, I everything.

00:22:49:01 - 00:22:50:20
Klaus Kleinfeld
Thinking.

00:22:50:22 - 00:23:14:12
Kevin Eikenberry
Everything we're talking about is stuff that people who are listening are going to say. Yeah, I already know that. Yeah, I already know that. But there's a big difference between common knowledge and common practice. I want you to to share your wisdom and experience around purpose and in how we help others find it or how we coalesce it around our team or our business.

00:23:14:14 - 00:23:26:09
Kevin Eikenberry
Can you like what what what have you learned there? Because again, everyone talks about it. But like, how do we as leaders help our teams find that.

00:23:26:11 - 00:23:56:14
Klaus Kleinfeld
This is two questions in reality. The first one is your personal purpose. Right. And then we can talk about how do you use purpose in business. You know, two different things, you know, intertwined but not the same. So the first thing on how do you find your own purpose? I have always struggled with this concept. I really have to tell you, and that was one of the pleasures that I lost myself in writing the book, because I said, If I'm going to write about it, I have to really master it.

00:23:56:14 - 00:24:21:08
Klaus Kleinfeld
So I looked at a ton of stuff that was written about purpose and realized purpose has been the discussion of mankind since the existence of mankind, you know, because it is something that's out in nature. Why are we here? What are we going to do? You know, the the question that everybody's going to ask themselves, you know, so and I realize that, that that it's not just one purpose.

00:24:21:08 - 00:24:45:01
Klaus Kleinfeld
It could be multiple purposes. And purpose can change over time as you are changing and your situation changes over time. It's not that you have to hit it right right away, but one of the tests I gave you already, I mean, does it make you jump out of that quickly and be motivated, you know, does it get the spirits flowing and or does it make you feel if you think this might be my last day on this planet, that you have never fulfilled life.

00:24:45:06 - 00:25:11:08
Klaus Kleinfeld
So these are these are good questions. But the answer is you only can find yourself and and that you can find them also by sorting out the voices in your head, I mean to basically find out which is me in those voices or which is just somebody trying to impose their thoughts, you know, mother or father, you know, friend, sister, you know, God knows what you know, colleagues who are trying to impose this on me and I wrongly believe this is me.

00:25:11:12 - 00:25:49:08
Klaus Kleinfeld
You know, that's a very, very important thing, sorting that out. So then let's go to the business side. And on the business side, I would call it the vision for a business. You know that. And one of the things that I found fascinating, I've done a lot of restructurings in my, my life, you know, and and at the at that time when I started, I realized and I looked also at some others that had not been so successful because very often I was called in at a time when others had tried or already, you know, and, and so I realized that one of the things that people were missing is that they didn't

00:25:49:08 - 00:26:23:17
Klaus Kleinfeld
provide a positive vision, a soul and a soul of the firm. The purpose of the firm was missing. The emotional side was missing. And and you have to somehow bring it back. With early wins, you have to remind people what they are doing. I mean, I'm happy to share a story that, of what one time I ran the angiography and X-ray business and Siemens, it was the foundation of, of of of Siemens Medical and and it was also at the obviously the oldest business and at that time, computed tomography as well as MRI was much, much cooler ultrasound.

00:26:23:19 - 00:26:50:00
Klaus Kleinfeld
So I came in and my colleagues referred to me, oh, here's a new guy who's running the rusty nuts and bolts business, you know, and everybody every we were losing money for four years. They were losing money. And if ever I had a tell in my team and they got an offer from somebody else, they were gone, you know, so, so, so fortunately, I had asked to be to, to be as an intern apprentice in some of the hospitals before I took the role.

00:26:50:02 - 00:27:08:21
Klaus Kleinfeld
And I had seen some stuff that we were able to do that other modalities couldn't do, like interventions. Many, many interventions. So I invited a patient to an all hands meeting, the young lady, 25 years old or so. You know, she came on stage at the end of the meeting. I didn't say much. I said, she wants to talk about it.

00:27:08:23 - 00:27:32:04
Klaus Kleinfeld
She then talked about how my whole life had become miserable because she had this very odd blood clotting disease and how she had been diagnosed and treated with Siemens equipment. Now, while she was talking, you I mean, first people thought, what is this? I in class is bringing some girl we don't know, you know and and but the more she was talking about herself, the more people realized this has something to do with what we are doing here.

00:27:32:06 - 00:27:52:10
Klaus Kleinfeld
And in the medical business, you have to document very finely who personally has been involved in building and developing things. So I gave her this list of the equipment that she had been diagnosed and treated with. And at the end she said, I want to read all those names and people who come on to the stage. I want to thank you for making my life living livable again.

00:27:52:10 - 00:28:12:20
Klaus Kleinfeld
You know, these people came on stage. This is the northern part of Bavaria. You know, people are not easily moved, you know, so they came on stage and tears were flowing. You know, they they asked me at the end of it whether they can show her around. I said, sure, sure around, you know, take the the evening the head off the workers, a union came, came to me and you said close thank you.

00:28:12:20 - 00:28:35:04
Klaus Kleinfeld
I said, what for? He said, thank you. You've reminded us why we are here, and you've given us our soul back. From that moment on, the turnaround was in the pocket. We we moved, you know, and today it's one of the most profitable and one of the most successful business units still there. And I, I, I, I'm so happy, you know, I'm so happy and attracting the best and brightest, you know.

00:28:35:04 - 00:29:04:15
Klaus Kleinfeld
So, that's what I mean. We did the similar thing at Alcoa when we invited, a, an astronaut talking about the last, minutes on the countdown. And when you are getting separated from outer space, very, pleasant environment just through the skin that thick of aluminum and knowing that it's been made by people who hold, quality standards very, very, very high, you know, that they won't even tolerate a grain, impurity there.

00:29:04:20 - 00:29:26:14
Klaus Kleinfeld
I mean, gives them all the confidence, you know? So that's very, very important. And it's no surprise them, I mean, some of the richest men on our planet, and they all have these visions, you know, look at Amazon. I mean, why did Bezos choose the word Amazon on the name Amazon? Because he had in mind the largest river of the world flowing, bringing water to everyone.

00:29:26:16 - 00:29:54:00
Klaus Kleinfeld
You know, when he started as a online bookseller and you know, with Microsoft, I mean, a computer on every desk, you know, it was for, I mean, and our generation, a computer was something that you couldn't even think that a normal individual, would be able to afford this, you know, or Elon Musk, a multi-planetary mankind and everything stems from this, you know, and the rest is history, you know?

00:29:54:00 - 00:29:56:09
Klaus Kleinfeld
So very important.

00:29:56:11 - 00:30:18:23
Kevin Eikenberry
I appreciate you sharing those two stories. Because, well, especially the one I knew for sure, I was pretty sure you would tell if I. If I prompted you semi skillfully and and I think for all of us as leaders, we we can we can take those lessons because we don't have to be able to get an astronaut to come to our team meeting, but we can personalize the work.

00:30:19:01 - 00:30:39:14
Kevin Eikenberry
Well, what I take from those stories is that how can we help people see someone that their work is impacting, rather than, I'm just doing this work, who is impacted? How are they impacted is the more we can do that, the more we can help. As you said in your story, bring the soul back to the work. And when we can do that, we can start to change everything.

00:30:39:14 - 00:30:56:06
Kevin Eikenberry
I really appreciate that. Because I knew we would get to this point in this conversation, and I would have gotten about a third of the way through stuff. I would like to talk to you with you about, and I hope that what that does for everybody is to say, hey, I need to get a copy of this book leading to thrive.

00:30:56:06 - 00:31:17:03
Kevin Eikenberry
But I do want to sort of shift into the final part of our conversation in just a couple of more things before we go, I'd really like to know, because we opened this by saying successful in business and successful in life. Personally and professionally both. I'm curious, what do you do for fun?

00:31:17:05 - 00:31:38:15
Klaus Kleinfeld
A lot of things. I love music. I mean, I'm, I love all star, all kinds of music. So, from from blues to soul, to classical music to opera. I'm a big music fan. That's what I like. I like working out, swimming. I mean, in the summertime, you know? So to to to swim. I'd like it more outside than that.

00:31:38:15 - 00:31:52:23
Klaus Kleinfeld
Inside. I love to play tennis. Those those are things. And I'd love to be with my family. You know, I really get a kick out of this. And I also love to work with a lot of people all around the world. That gives me energy, really gives me energy.

00:31:53:01 - 00:32:00:23
Kevin Eikenberry
And the only thing you knew I would ask you is this. What are you reading these days? Or as you told me. Well, Kevin, I listen more. That counts. That's fine.

00:32:01:01 - 00:32:26:20
Klaus Kleinfeld
Yes. So you wouldn't expect that, you know? So, so, I, I, I'm currently listening to, a book called The Great, expectations from Charles Dickens. So I've gone back, I've gone back to the classics and, and, and I get great pleasure out of this. The one that I just finished. And it's it was fantastic experience.

00:32:26:22 - 00:32:51:11
Klaus Kleinfeld
I'd never read it before. It was The Count of Monte Cristo from Alexandre Dumas. I mean, amazing, absolutely amazing book, amazing book, amazing story. And also, and my I have to tell you, when I read business books these days, I usually do read them, but I read them very fast. Right? And, yeah.

00:32:51:13 - 00:33:12:17
Kevin Eikenberry
So I have to tell you, I told you before we went live that I was going to ask you this question. And, this is the 500 plus. There's probably have been about 500 episodes where I had a guest who I asked this question of, and, we've gotten everything we've got in children's books, we've gotten science fiction, we've gotten everything and we've gotten classics.

00:33:12:17 - 00:33:27:13
Kevin Eikenberry
But I'm pretty sure that until today, we've never had great expectations in The Count of Monte Cristo. So they'll be in the show notes, everybody, as long as along with, of course, leading to thrive. Klaus, how do you want to where do you want to point people? How can people connect with you? Where do you want to let them?

00:33:27:15 - 00:33:29:06
Kevin Eikenberry
There's New York.

00:33:29:11 - 00:33:46:18
Klaus Kleinfeld
There's a website called Leading to Thrive. You know, there you can send me a send me a note, and I'm on LinkedIn. And that's actually the only social media that I really do, do personally. And, and other than that, the book you find on Amazon and you find it also on, on other platforms all around the world.

00:33:46:18 - 00:33:59:01
Klaus Kleinfeld
Yeah. And there's a great audiobook on that read, read by a wonderful person, Rich Miller. Great voice, great voice, great voice I love it. Great book. I would recommend that.

00:33:59:03 - 00:34:16:22
Kevin Eikenberry
Leading hyphen to hyphen thrive.com. You want to make sure you go there. That'll all be in there chef. Sorry buddy. And now everybody before I say goodbye to Klaus and to you a question that I ask all of you every single episode. If you've been here before, you know what I'm about to ask. The question is, now what?

00:34:17:00 - 00:34:44:07
Kevin Eikenberry
So you've you've had the chance to listen to this conversation, learn from the wisdom of Klaus. And the question is, what are you going to do? Because if you don't take action, sort of what's the point, right? Whether that's thinking about how you can reframe or help rekindle purpose for your team, or whether that's helping you think about how you're managing your energy in new ways, or whether that's how you think about how you can apply discipline differently in your life to help you manage that energy.

00:34:44:07 - 00:35:03:14
Kevin Eikenberry
It could be any of those things or 50 other things. It's not for me to tell you what that should be, but rather for you to think about the application you will take. Because one of the things that we said from the beginning is there's a lot of stuff that we're talking about that you already know. It doesn't matter what you know, it matters what you do.

00:35:03:14 - 00:35:17:18
Kevin Eikenberry
I hope you'll do that. If you do that, what you will have done is made this a very valuable use of your time, hopefully raising your energy rather than losing it. All right. I hope that that is true, Klaus. Thank you so much for being here. It was a pleasure to spend this time with you.

00:35:17:19 - 00:35:20:22
Klaus Kleinfeld
Kevin. Likewise. And, see you soon.

00:35:21:00 - 00:35:39:01
Kevin Eikenberry
All right, everybody, so if you love this, tell somebody else so they can love it too. And if you love this, wherever you're watching it or listening to this podcast, make sure you leave a comment. We'd love you to do that. But most of all, I hope you'll subscribe and come back next week for another episode of the Remarkable Leadership Podcast.

00:35:39:02 - 00:35:39:18
Kevin Eikenberry
Thanks everybody.