João Paulo Ferreira

This week, A Call to Lead takes us to São Paolo, Brazil, where I sat down with João Paulo Ferreira, the CEO of Natura, a fast-growing multi-billion-dollar beauty company that is both innovative and purpose-driven. João Paulo, a globetrotting former Unilever executive who goes by JP, drives purpose in so many ways—in the products Natura sells, in the way Natura operates its supply chain and its "social network" of salespeople , and even in the way the company operates its distribution center—highly customizing its facility for differently abled employees workers. JP offers fresh lessons in innovative, mission-driven leadership. Here are five points from our conversation: 

1. Listening makes a great leader. The more senior you get, the more important this skill and discipline becomes.  
2. Embrace topics that you don't know a lot about. Ignorance on certain topics can be frustrating, but this is also an opportunity to identify new ideas to bring back to the company to share them with the team.
3. If you are not learning as a leader, then you are going to be left behind.
4. Design your team with a mix and cross section of high-performing talent with a culture that allows every individual to flourish.
5. Leading a global in a region undergoing socioeconomic and political change means opportunity for growth - as it builds flexibility and teaches resilience in leaders.

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