CEO: Personal Journey

1
CEO Personal Journey
Darden Graduate School of BusinessUniversity of
Virginia
November 15, 2005

• Kevin Sharer
• CEO, Amgen Inc.

2
CEO Job Map
Conceptual
ALTITUDE
Operating Details
Relaxed/Informal
TOPIC
External
Internal
STYLE

• OP Reviews
• Strategy
• HR
• Customers
• MA
• Budgets

• Wall Street
• Government
• Media
• Industry Groups
• Community

IndustryStatesman
3
A Personal Journey
Two Attack Submarines Leadership, confidence
Many Moves Three high schools parents strong
role models
General Electric CEO staff learn to be GM
transformative
19661973
19781982
19841989
19481966
1992Present
19731978
19821984
19891992
ATT Business transition customer/sales
experience MBA
Amgen Seven years president six years CEO real
fulfillment
MCI Near failure, arrogance, diminution
McKinsey Transformation
Annapolis and Postgraduate Training Engineering
and leadership training good, but narrowing
experience
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Life Lessons
You have great potential but as yet have little
practical knowledge or experience in your
ultimate areas of endeavor so (1) listen and be
humble (2) seek self knowledge and awareness of
how you are perceived by others (3) make
self-development a priority (4) while
brains/hard work/drive are all important, they
will not be enough without heart and character.
Life will change dramatically from the
predictable, relatively clear pathway structure
you haveso far experiencedthere are many ways
forward and paths to happiness and fulfillment.
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Life Lessons (continued)
All capable people have opportunitiesand they
will usually appear unexpectedly and you need
context, judgment, and courage to choose among
them and take full advantage of them.
Find something you loveand go for itcould be
cause, industry, region, activity, role, or
combination of these.
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Life Lessons (continued)
Be a leaderLeadership has many voices. Be
authentically youdo not try to be someone
elseit will not work. Leadership can be learned
and you can grow, but only if you make it a
priority. Growth happens outside your comfort
zone.
Business is a worthwhile placeto have a career.
Being a principal is more impactful, challenging,
and rewarding than being an advisor, enabler, or
critic.
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Life Lessons (continued)
Living a balanced life is importantand can only
happen if you make it a real priority, but is too
rarely achieved!
Mentors will find you if you are worthyYou do
not pick them. The world is enormously starved
for talent,so do not worrygood work, potential,
and character will attract support and create
opportunity.