Fiat Chrysler Automobiles CEO Sergio Marchionne says the key to being a successful leader is being humble, having a clean heart and never putting limitations on on what you can accomplish.
"I think having preordained views about who and what you are, and where you should should stick on a social scale in an organization is just nonsense. Don't do that to yourself, you're better than that," says Marchionne.
He spoke to students and alumni at the Odette School of Business as part of the Georgie-Odette Leadership Symposium at the University of Windsor today.
As an alumni of the MBA program himself Marchionne says the University of Windsor and the city helped to shape him into the person he's become.
"When you look at my history, both academically and professionally, if there's a high point in my life it's the time that I spent here. And I'm not trying to blow smoke up your nose, you don't need it I think the school is good enough on its own merits," says Marchionne.
Marchionne says to develop leadership in his own employees he creates an open environment and doesn't put obstacles in their way.
"Creating an environment where people don't feel constrained by history, they don't feel constrained by tradition, they will use that tradition and that history to break pattern and do things that other people don't expect," says Marchionne.
Finally Marchionne says to get people to follow you, you must never lie or mislead them. If you are reliable people will follow even down the most unusual path.
