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INTERVIEW
to becoming a values-based leader.
Another best-selling book of yours
is: “Becoming the Best: Build a World-
Class Organization Through Value-
Based Leadership”. What are the key
lessons from this book?
After I become my best self I need to develop a best H. Craemers: Now, once I become
team, I need to be a best partner to my suppliers, my best self, which is how I start with
to my customers, to everybody that I interact with. the second book, I say OK, now, de-
I am not going to focus on transactions, I am going velop a world class organization that
to focus on developing relationships that are win-win is a value-based organization. After I
become my best self I need to develop
you are very accomplished, you’ve ac- a best team, I need to be a best part-
complished a lot of things, how did you ner to my suppliers, to my customers,
get in the position you are in? And peo- to everybody that I interact with. I am
ple will usually say, well I worked hard not going to focus on transactions, I
and I have a certain skill sets. And I re- am going to focus on developing rela-
mind them, well you may have worked tionships that are win-win. I am going
hard and you may have had skill sets to focus then on becoming the best in-
but let’s not also forget a couple of oth- vestment, because I do need to gener-
er things that helped you. Maybe luck, ate a return for the investors who in-
maybe timing- being in the right place vest in my company. Then I stop and
at the right time, maybe there is a spir- say, well, if I become my best self I am
itual dimension and there are gifts you becoming a value-based leader, if I de-
have been given that you are supposed velop and I become a best team, a best
to use to the best of your talents, and partner and a best investment then I
I think that people realize that there am starting to develop a value-based
are a lot of different things other than organization. But am I done? No, I am
themselves that are involved in this, almost done but before I am done as a
and that it’s not about them, it’s about value-based leader I have to step back,
the team. and whether I am in Macedonia or in
the US, I have to look around the world
So then I conclude, leadership is not and say – wait a minute- there is a lot
a destination, it’s a journey – you can of issues in the world. There is global
get better each and every day – so I tell poverty, there are global healthcare is-
executives- if you can become a little sues, there is the digital divide, there
more self-reflective, a little more bal- are issues with the environment. Each
anced, develop some true self-confi- of us has a moral responsibility in
dence, have enough genuine humility some way to make the world a better
to understand every person is impor- place and I add to that, wait a minute-
tant, then I think you are on the road there really are five bests – best self,
best team, best partner, best invest-
ment and I got to be socially respon-
sible, I have to make a difference, and I
call that becoming a best citizen.
You mentioned self-reflection.
What are the questions you ask your-
self on a regular basis?
H. Craemers: Some leaders will ask,
26 November 2015
