In this episode of Partnering Leadership, John Veihmeyer, former global chairman of KPMG, looks back on how he started rising through the ranks at KPMG and why leading with self-awareness and empathy was critical in rebuilding morale. John Veihmeyer also shares valuable lessons in developing resilience in leadership, inspiring a purpose-driven culture in a company, and leading for impact.
Some highlights:
● How performing in musicals in high school helped John Veihmeyer later in his career
● Why John recommends aspiring leaders study accounting
● The value of building and nurturing work relationships without expecting anything in return
● How John Veihmeyer became deputy chairman of KPMG, a role he wasn’t ready for but felt responsible to undertake
● The importance of ‘doing the hard thing now and building resilience in leadership
● How John Veihmeyer inspired trust and regain confidence in a demoralized organization
● Why John believes empathy and self-awareness are the two most important leadership traits
● Why you should surround yourself with people that are going to be willing to disagree with you
● Laying bricks vs. building a cathedral: the perspective John Veihmeyer promoted to inspire a purpose-driven culture
● How the KPMG Family For Literacy Program started and its impact
Mentioned in this episode:
Steve Harlan, former managing partner at KPMG
➡ Listen to Steve Harlan’s Partnering Leadership podcast episode here (https://www.partneringleadership.com/impactful-leadership-with-a-genuine-drive-to-help-with-steve-harlan-changemaker/) .
Linda Rabbitt, Founder & Chairman of rand Construction
➡ Listen to Linda Rabbitt’s Partnering Leadership podcast episode here (https://www.partneringleadership.com/succeeding-against-all-odds-to-become-a-profile-in-success-with-linda-rabbitt-changemaker/) .
Susan Flynn and Beth Veihmeyer, Co-founders of the KPMG Family For Literacy Program (KFFL)
Stephen Covey, author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
Connect with John Veihmeyer:
John Veihmeyer on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnveihmeyer)
Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:
MahanTavakoli.com (https://mahantavakoli.com/)
More information and resources available at the Partnering Leadership Podcast website:
PartneringLeadership.com (https://www.partneringleadership.com/)
Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:
Mahan Tavakoli Website (https://mahantavakoli.com/)
Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/mahan/)
Partnering Leadership Website (https://www.partneringleadership.com/)
