Virgin Group founder and CEO Richard Branson has always been an unconventional entrepreneur, and in his newest book, The Virgin Way, he highlights his guiding leadership principles. Here are a few memorable excerpts:
›› “Like it or not, in the eyes of our customers, employees, friends, whoever, perception is very much reality…. We are all consumers and yet I am constantly amazed at how many businesspeople seem to dwell in some kind of subjective blinkered cocoon instead of looking objectively at their own products and services.”
›› “Management is much more about maintaining processes, disciplines and systems than about changing them. Strong leaders, on the other hand, while maintaining stability, must have vision, creativity and, perhaps most importantly, the ability to influence others to follow and support them in the challenges of moving an organization into uncharted and often highly risky territory.”
›› “Back in the early retailing days of Virgin, as we began to grow with more stores, a record label, recording studios and the rest, we never lost sight of ‘serious fun’ as a driving force behind the business. We carried that same culture—which was and is really just a passion for having fun with what we do while doing it better than the others—into banks, trains, telecoms and planes, plus a multitude of other very diverse businesses all around the world.”
Get more on Richard Branson—his leadership style, plus his larger mission.
