Tony Blair

Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair recently sat down with me at A Call to Lead in Orlando. And on this week's podcast, we bring you the enlightening conversation. When the Prime Minister, who urged me to call him Tony, talks about the world or recalls his own experience as PM, he dispenses loads of wisdom about leadership. There's plenty in this episode. Here are just 3 points among many that make this show a terrific listen:

1. No matter what field you're in, the mark of a leader is the same, Tony says: "The thing that distinguishes someone who leads is that you step forward and other people step back. If you're going to lead, you've got to understand you're going to step forward."
   
   
2. PM Blair reflected on the inherent contrast between governing and campaigning, saying "One of the things you learn about politics is that running for office and governing are two completely different things. One is about communication and persuasion, the other is about executive capability."
   
3. The hardest thing about leadership is making change, Tony says: "What I've found about change is that everyone loves it in general. They just hate it in particular. And when you first propose it, people tell you it's a bad idea. When you're doing it, it's hell. And when you've done it, you wish you had done more of it. So it's important to have people around you who are good and capable, but also prepared to challenge you, to make you think innovatively. Because keeping that spark of creativity around, whatever you do, is incredibly important."

You can learn more by visiting: www.sap.com/acalltolead. And you can subscribe and listen to episodes on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify, and Stitcher. We welcome your feedback on the pod! Tweet me @JenniferBMorgan and use the hashtag #acalltolead or e-mail us at [email protected].

Where to Listen: Subscribe and listen to episodes on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify, and Stitcher.

---

Jennifer Morgan is a member of the Executive Board of SAP SE and President of SAP's Cloud Business Group.