EPISODE · Feb 3, 2025 · 1H 1M
Klaus Kleinfeld - CEO of Siemens | Fortune 500 CEO Reveals Why Most Leaders Fail (And How To Avoid Their Mistakes)
from Success Story with Scott D. Clary · host Success Story Media
➡️ Start Here: https://stan.store/scottdclary ➡️ Like The Podcast? Leave A Rating: https://ratethispodcast.com/successstory ➡️ Join 321,000 people who read my free weekly newsletter: https://newsletter.scottdclary.comKlaus Kleinfeld is a visionary leader and the only person to serve as CEO of two Fortune 500 companies on two separate continents. As CEO of Siemens (SIEGY, market cap: $120B), he modernized the 170-year-old German conglomerate, driving revenues past $100B, streamlining operations, and significantly increasing profitability. Later, as CEO and Chairman of Alcoa (AA, market cap: $50B), he led the company through a historic transformation, splitting it into two industry powerhouses—Arconic (ARNC) and Alcoa Corporation (AA)—unlocking massive shareholder value. His expertise in large-scale transformation, industrial innovation, and strategic leadership has shaped global industries, including his role in developing Saudi Arabia’s $500B NEOM megacity. ➡️ Show Linkshttps://www.linkedin.com/in/klauskleinfeld/https://www.leading-to-thrive.com/ ➡️ Podcast SponsorsHubspot - https://hubspot.com/ My First Million Podcast - https://www.mfmpod.comTailor Brands - https://www.tailorbrands.com/podcast35FreshBooks - https://www.freshbooks.com/pricing-offer/Bank On Yourself - https://www.bankonyourself.com/scottBambooHR - https://www.bamboohr.com/freedemoNetSuite — https://netsuite.com/scottclary/Indeed - https://indeed.com/clary ➡️ Talking Points00:00 - Intro02:30 - Different Leadership Styles & Common Mistakes05:07 - Who Else Champions ‘Leading to Thrive’?10:03 - The Moment Klaus' Leadership Philosophy Shifted14:17 - Key Themes for Thriving Leadership20:19 - Did Klaus Talk About Energies in Corporate Leadership?22:16 - Sponsor: Tailor Brands23:15 - Why Corporate Work Culture is Broken26:48 - Stop Overthinking & Start Taking Action30:21 - Managing Energy as a Young Entrepreneur32:40 - How Great Leaders Execute with the Right Mindset37:30 - Sponsor: My First Million Podcast38:20 - Do Employees Really Understand Their Company's Purpose?42:30 - Leadership Lessons from History45:48 - Klaus on How His Purpose Has Evolved47:26 - Why Value & Purpose Drive Performance50:09 - Sponsor: FreshBooks51:32 - How to Remove People Who Don’t Align with Your Values54:53 - One Business Lesson That Applies to Startups & Billion-Dollar Companies59:05 - Final Takeaways from Klaus Kleinfeld1:00:37 - Advice Klaus Would Give His Kids
What this episode covers
➡️ Start Here: https://stan.store/scottdclary ➡️ Like The Podcast? Leave A Rating: https://ratethispodcast.com/successstory ➡️ Join 321,000 people who read my free weekly newsletter: https://newsletter.scottdclary.comKlaus Kleinfeld is a visionary leader and the only person to serve as CEO of two Fortune 500 companies on two separate continents. As CEO of Siemens (SIEGY, market cap: $120B), he modernized the 170-year-old German conglomerate, driving revenues past $100B, streamlining operations, and significantly increasing profitability. Later, as CEO and Chairman of Alcoa (AA, market cap: $50B), he led the company through a historic transformation, splitting it into two industry powerhouses—Arconic (ARNC) and Alcoa Corporation (AA)—unlocking massive shareholder value. His expertise in large-scale transformation, industrial innovation, and strategic leadership has shaped global industries, including his role in developing Saudi Arabia’s $500B NEOM megacity. ➡️ Show Linkshttps://www.linkedin.com/in/klauskleinfeld/https://www.leading-to-thrive.com/ ➡️ Podcast SponsorsHubspot - https://hubspot.com/ My First Million Podcast - https://www.mfmpod.comTailor Brands - https://www.tailorbrands.com/podcast35FreshBooks - https://www.freshbooks.com/pricing-offer/Bank On Yourself - https://www.bankonyourself.com/scottBambooHR - https://www.bamboohr.com/freedemoNetSuite — https://netsuite.com/scottclary/Indeed - https://indeed.com/clary ➡️ Talking Points00:00 - Intro02:30 - Different Leadership Styles & Common Mistakes05:07 - Who Else Champions ‘Leading to Thrive’?10:03 - The Moment Klaus' Leadership Philosophy Shifted14:17 - Key Themes for Thriving Leadership20:19 - Did Klaus Talk About Energies in Corporate Leadership?22:16 - Sponsor: Tailor Brands23:15 - Why Corporate Work Culture is Broken26:48 - Stop Overthinking & Start Taking Action30:21 - Managing Energy as a Young Entrepreneur32:40 - How Great Leaders Execute with the Right Mindset37:30 - Sponsor: My First Million Podcast38:20 - Do Employees Really Understand Their Company's Purpose?42:30 - Leadership Lessons from History45:48 - Klaus on How His Purpose Has Evolved47:26 - Why Value & Purpose Drive Performance50:09 - Sponsor: FreshBooks51:32 - How to Remove People Who Don’t Align with Your Values54:53 - One Business Lesson That Applies to Startups & Billion-Dollar Companies59:05 - Final Takeaways from Klaus Kleinfeld1:00:37 - Advice Klaus Would Give His Kids
NOW PLAYING
Klaus Kleinfeld - CEO of Siemens | Fortune 500 CEO Reveals Why Most Leaders Fail (And How To Avoid Their Mistakes)
No transcript for this episode yet
Similar Episodes
Mar 26, 2026 ·1m
Jan 2, 2026 ·47m
Dec 21, 2025 ·46m