Bill George is an Executive Education Fellow at Harvard Business School, where he was a Professor
of Management Practice and Senior Fellow teaching leadership from 2004-2022. He is
the former chairman and chief executive officer of Medtronic. He joined Medtronic in
1989 as president and chief operating officer, was chief executive officer from 1991-
2001, and board chair from 1996-2002. Earlier in his career, he was a senior executive
with Honeywell and Litton Industries and served in the U.S. Department of Defense.

Bill is the author of: True North: Emerging Leader Edition and True North Fieldbook:
Emerging Leader Edition; Discover Your True North and The Discover Your True North
Fieldbook; Authentic Leadership; True North and Finding Your True North, 7 Lessons
for Leading in Crisis and True North Groups.

He has served on the boards of Goldman Sachs, ExxonMobil, Novartis, Target, and the
Mayo Clinic. He is a life director of the Guthrie Theater, and is an executive committee
and board member of YMCA of the North. He has served on the board of World
Economic Forum USA, and board chair for Allina Health System, Abbott-Northwestern
Hospital, United Way of the Greater Twin Cities, and Advamed.

In 2014, the Franklin Institute awarded him the Bower Award for Business Leadership
and he was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 2012. He was named one
of the &quot;Top 25 Business Leaders of the Past 25 Years&quot; by PBS; &quot;Executive of the Year-
2001&quot; by the Academy of Management; and &quot;Director of the Year-2001-02&quot; by the
National Association of Corporate Directors. Bill is a frequent contributor to CNBC,
Fortune Magazine, and The Wall Street Journal and makes frequent appearances on
television and radio.

He received his BSIE with high honors from Georgia Tech, his MBA with high
distinction from Harvard University, where he was a Baker Scholar, and honorary PhDs
from Georgia Tech, Mayo Medical School, University of St. Thomas, Augsburg College
and Bryant University. During 2002-03 he was professor at IMD International and Ecole
Polytechnique in Lausanne, Switzerland, and executive-in-residence at Yale School of
Management.

He and his wife Penny reside in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Bill George

Bill George is an executive fellow at Harvard Business School, where he was a Professor
of Management Practice and Senior Fellow teaching leadership from 2004-2022. He is
the former chairman and chief executive officer of Medtronic. He joined Medtronic in
1989 as president and chief operating officer, was chief executive officer from 1991-
2001, and board chair from 1996-2002. Earlier in his career, he was a senior executive
with Honeywell and Litton Industries and served in the U.S. Department of Defense.

Bill is the author of: True North: Emerging Leader Edition and True North Fieldbook:
Emerging Leader Edition; Discover Your True North and The Discover Your True North
Fieldbook; Authentic Leadership; True North and Finding Your True North, 7 Lessons
for Leading in Crisis and True North Groups.

He has served on the boards of Goldman Sachs, ExxonMobil, Novartis, Target, and the
Mayo Clinic. He is a life director of the Guthrie Theater, and is an executive committee
and board member of YMCA of the North. He has served on the board of World
Economic Forum USA, and board chair for Allina Health System, Abbott-Northwestern
Hospital, United Way of the Greater Twin Cities, and Advamed.

In 2014, the Franklin Institute awarded him the Bower Award for Business Leadership
and he was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 2012. He was named one
of the &quot;Top 25 Business Leaders of the Past 25 Years&quot; by PBS; &quot;Executive of the Year-
2001&quot; by the Academy of Management; and &quot;Director of the Year-2001-02&quot; by the
National Association of Corporate Directors. Bill is a frequent contributor to CNBC,
Fortune Magazine, and The Wall Street Journal and makes frequent appearances on
television and radio.

He received his BSIE with high honors from Georgia Tech, his MBA with high
distinction from Harvard University, where he was a Baker Scholar, and honorary PhDs
from Georgia Tech, Mayo Medical School, University of St. Thomas, Augsburg College
and Bryant University. During 2002-03 he was professor at IMD International and Ecole
Polytechnique in Lausanne, Switzerland, and executive-in-residence at Yale School of
Management.

He and his wife Penny reside in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Executive Education Fellow at Harvard Business School, former Medtronic CEO, and Best-selling Author | True North Emerging Leader Edition available now!

Davia Temin

With employees of Minneapolis-St Paul. Companies under siege, now is the time for CEOs to step up and speak out on behalf of their employees. Their most important job is to ensure the safety, security, and well-being of their employees. 
Employees are fearful and need to know that their leaders have their backs and will protect them.
Only in this way can they ensure the growth, productivity, and innovation of their companies in this very difficult time.

The greatest danger to any successful leader or organization is not external competition or market chaos; it is the silent, internal threat of complacency. 

When you become comfortable, you stop learning, you stop innovating, and you stop challenging the status quo. To truly lead, you must engage in a constant, daily battle against complacency, a commitment to rigorous self-assessment and a restless pursuit of a higher standard.

Learn more by visiting billgeorge.org 

#Leaders #Leadership #TrueNorth

Across Minnesota, businesses of all sizes are facing extraordinary challenges as ICE raids continue across the state.

To employers who are trying to navigate this difficult moment, I say this: the role of a responsible leader remains the same — protect the safety, dignity, and trust of your employees, no matter the circumstance.

Thanks to Allison Kaplan and the The Minnesota Star Tribune  for covering all the dimensions of this moment.

Visit the link for the full article:

startribune.com

‘Give grace, extend deadlines’ while our cities are in crisis

Entrepreneurial Journalist | Star Tribune

The Minnesota Star Tribune

Anne Harbison

I spoke with Reuters about why it's imperative for Minneapolis’s business leaders to step up and address the current federal actions unfolding in our city—and why silence, at this moment, is a mistake.

Thank you to David Gaffen and team for our conversation, and to the many national and local news organizations continuing to share what this moment means for Minneapolis.

Visit the link below for the full article:

Open article: Small Minneapolis businesses hit hard by ICE crackdown, while corporations stay silent by reut.rs

Small Minneapolis businesses hit hard by ICE crackdown, while corporations stay silent

Minnesota’s employers are navigating an unusually stressful moment.

A surge in ICE activity is showing up at workplaces across the state — from manufacturers to retailers to coffee shops — raising fear and uncertainty for employees and the leaders responsible for their safety.

A leader’s obligation is clear: protect the well-being and dignity of your people. Trust is the currency of good leadership — and when it erodes, loyalty weakens. 

Leaders can’t control every external force, but they can control how they respond — with clarity, calm, and the courage to stand with their people.

Thank you to Victor Stefanescu for covering this. 

Click the link to see the full article:
https://bit.ly/4aVhPeM

#Leadership #AuthenticLeadership #Trust #WorkplaceCulture

Open article: Minnesota’s biggest companies starting to feel heat from ICE surge by bit.ly

Minnesota’s biggest companies starting to feel heat from ICE surge

Thank you for this very thoughtful post, Jonas

Managing Director at L.E.K. Consulting (Former Heads of Medtech Practice and Healthcare Sector)

Fellow industry leaders, what is your red line?    

Over the last month, I've become particularly disturbed by two things.  

The first is the increasingly authoritarian actions of the current US administration, particularly in Minnesota where illegal, unconstitutional and immoral tactics from ICE agents are becoming routine and blindly defended.  

The second is the deafening silence from industry leaders, including those whose employees' civil rights and safety are being attacked by our own federal government, either physically or via dangerous, hypocritical political rhetoric (e.g., labeling patriotic citizens in Minnesota who are protecting constitutional rights as "domestic terrorists" while pardoning the thousands of violent Jan 6th insurrectionists).

I have felt ashamed for not publicly voicing concerns for many months and have found my own "red line" constantly moving.  I suspect I'm not alone.  My continued hesitation has been grounded in fear, both in terms of potential retaliation as well as fear of upsetting sensitivities about discussing "politics" on LinkedIn lest i offend a client or business contact.  

However, fear is a terrible reason to stay silent and the government actions I'm talking about are not really about politics.  Political debate on actual policy (e.g., tax, spending, immigration) is very different from objections to illegal federal government actions and have nothing to do with being a Republican or Democrat.  They are about basic American values, including protection of due process, freedom of speech, freedom of press, as well as opposition to blatant government cronyism, government attacks / intimidation of political opposition, attacks on the non-partisan independence of key institutions (e.g., military, fed, FDA, FTC), blatant lies / rewriting of facts, disregard for international alliances and justification of violence with "might makes right").  

Yes, there is always an other side to an argument (e.g., yes, actual fraud in Minnesota should be rooted out and true criminals should absolutely be arrested and/or deported) but the frequency and magnitude of recent illegal and immoral actions veiled in "patriotism" and/or masked by misinformation are unacceptable and should warrant a chorus of objection from all of us, especially our leaders.  

And when our political leaders are clearly failing to uphold basic values and protecting our constitution, the responsibility falls on other leaders, including business leaders.  Right?  Many posts on this platform talk about "leadership", "integrity", and "doing the right thing, especially when it's hard", yet, it's notable how few seem willing to speak up publicly on this platform or otherwise.  

Thank you to the brave exceptions like Bill George, Art Collins and Raymond W. Cohen for showing the way (and helping give me/others the courage to cross that red line).  But, at what point will YOU speak up?  What is your red line?

The best leaders don’t just manage—they coach. Coaching leadership is about fully engaging your team, unlocking their strengths, and guiding them to reach their full potential.

A winning team shares a unified desire to succeed, but true success comes when leaders and team members respect and embrace their unique roles. A great coach doesn’t play the game—they elevate those who do.

Discover how to lead with a coaching mindset by visiting billgeorge.org 

#Leaders #Leadership #TrueNorth

From the time I was a boy, I yearned to make my life meaningful by having a positive impact on the world. 

As far back as high school and college, I tried to build organizations committed to making the world a better place for everyone, but it took lots of experiences before I recognized my North Star all along had been developing authentic leaders. 

Through my career, and by learning from the stories of other authentic leaders, I have learned that: 

1. Your True North compass points you toward your North Star, your leadership purpose. 

2. Your North Star will guide your purposeful leadership to an organization where you can align with your organization’s mission.

3. Then you need to align your people’s personal purpose with your organization’s mission and translate that mission into reality.

Have you identified your purpose? What have you discovered in the process of pursuing your North Star?

#AuthenticLeadership #TrueNorth #EmergingLeader

Well said, Bob Rubin.
You served with distinction as Treasury Secretary and delivered budget surpluses three years in a row. 
Now is the time for business leaders to speak out.

Open article: Opinion | Why Have Business Leaders Gone Silent? by wsj.com

Opinion | Why Have Business Leaders Gone Silent?

A very sad situation, starting with lack of attention from the CEO.
Michael Fiddelke is working hard to reverse this situation after he takes over next month.

Board Advisor and Investor: Formerly @ VantagePoint Capital, Best Buy, Strategos, KPMG, Accenture

Target is in 'retail hospital'! 

The stores tell a story of sloppy fundamental retailing which is a symptom of a bigger issue that has affected them over many years now. I call this the 'success dilemma'. My visit to our local store last night: saw four overworked employees in whole store, one was a cashier, another an AT&T employee, she was having to help with basic whole store product questions from customers. 

As leaders reach the pinnacle of their careers, they often lose the very superpower that got them there: openness. The mindset shifts from curiosity to the protection of a 'legacy.' They unintentionally surround themselves with people who challenge them less, creating a dangerous feedback loop.

Many Target senior leaders have reached out to me over the last three years for advice. So many of those discussions have resulted in the response"We are already doing that." This is a common red flag. It is the nearly instantaneous reflex response to a new idea or challenge."

The Financial Times reported this week that activist investor, Toms Capital Investment Management, a US hedge fund, may have taken a stake in the company. 

It's just what happens when the denial at leadership level persists for too long. Whilst not all activist investors are focused on building long term value, it is the short term treatment that many companies/leaders deserve. It is likely to be better for frontline employees as it may help reset the fundamentals as a first step.

The key to AI for companies is not just efficiency but creating new business models using AI.

Open article: Small Minneapolis businesses hit hard by ICE crackdown, while corporations stay silent by wiky.com

So much for America’s manufacturing resurgence: manufacturing jobs have declined 67,000 in 2025.
The analysis below blames lack of skilled workers. 
Conclusion: the only manufacturing boom ahead will be in very high tech facilities with few workers.

I recently had a powerful conversation with Mosah Fernandez Goodman on the Hiring Insights podcast, for part one of a two-part series, where we discussed the evolving pressures on corporate executives and the fundamental importance of Authentic Leadership. 

The core challenge today is clear: employees demand more from their leaders, and the greatest retention crisis is one of bad management.

Listen to the full episode for more on how to lead, hire, and build a lasting, values-driven organization. Be on the lookout for part 2.

https://bit.ly/4p0JH5a 

#AuthenticLeadership #EmotionalIntelligence #Leadership

Marketer | Owner of Oh Soup! | Culinary Adventurer

The silence from Minneapolis’s big business leaders right now is beyond disappointing. Small businesses in Minneapolis are not ok and we need our big businesses and the corporate dollars behind them to help amplify the damage that ICE is doing here (both to businesses and people’s lives)

Thank you Bill George for not only being a good human but for using your platform for good. We appreciate you!

I recently joined Outthinker network to unpack the core of Authentic Leadership and how to build something truly durable, not just profitable. 

I discuss how to leverage your "crucible moments" to find your True North, why organizational purpose and uniqueness must precede strategy, and what it truly takes to scale from thousands to tens of thousands, including shifting from managing to coaching and creating feedback systems that ensure psychological safety and keep your values alive under market pressure.

🎧 Listen to the full discussion here: https://bit.ly/4rWUkbp 

#AuthenticLeadership #TrueNorth #CrucibleMoments #ScalingUp #PurposeDriven

Here are my comments on Yahoo! Finance on CEO Succession- Warren Buffett, Doug McMillon and Target.
And: Why I believe 2026 will be The Year of AI Adoption, after 2025 was the year of AI infrastructure building.

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