Mellody Hobson

I said that about the Pope the other day. Did you? The Pope is a friend in my head. He was. And I kept thinking, like, in terms of people with global voices, he was one of the few people where a leader who could speak and globally had it break through. And it broke through around kindness and goodness. Never sharp, never disparaging. And I had, like, that meant something to me.

I said that about the Pope the other day. Did you? The Pope is a friend in my head. He was. And I kept thinking, like, in terms of people with global voices, he was one of the few people where a leader who could speak and globally had it break through. And it broke through around kindness and goodness. Never sharp, never disparaging. And I had, like, that meant something to me.

And I was like, wow, he does that in such an amazing way. He never seems petty. Wow. And I literally, in my head, I would read his headlines or read what he said. And I'm like, how do you aspire to that? How can you get a little bit of that? How does he get that kind of agency in the world? And his agency is not because he's Pope, because there are other Popes that weren't as significant.

And I was like, wow, he does that in such an amazing way. He never seems petty. Wow. And I literally, in my head, I would read his headlines or read what he said. And I'm like, how do you aspire to that? How can you get a little bit of that? How does he get that kind of agency in the world? And his agency is not because he's Pope, because there are other Popes that weren't as significant.

But his comes through a very specific lens of caring about people. And so there are a lot of times where I use a person. Again, I don't know. I talk about Lewis Hamilton, who's like my little brother. He's the nicest man. Lewis never quits. So when I feel I'm on the edge, I want to stop, the pain is there, the tired, all those things, I literally just keep saying to myself, Lewis would not quit.

But his comes through a very specific lens of caring about people. And so there are a lot of times where I use a person. Again, I don't know. I talk about Lewis Hamilton, who's like my little brother. He's the nicest man. Lewis never quits. So when I feel I'm on the edge, I want to stop, the pain is there, the tired, all those things, I literally just keep saying to myself, Lewis would not quit.

Michelle Obama in my head. I'm like, she's done hard things. And she is so studied. Someone told me a story about how when she was doing her book tour, every single night, every single night, she'd come back to her room and debrief with the entire team about what she could have done better. Every single time. Wow. Every single time. Do you invite that kind of criticism in your life? Yes.

Michelle Obama in my head. I'm like, she's done hard things. And she is so studied. Someone told me a story about how when she was doing her book tour, every single night, every single night, she'd come back to her room and debrief with the entire team about what she could have done better. Every single time. Wow. Every single time. Do you invite that kind of criticism in your life? Yes.

Of course, I want it. But the thing is, you know, you get to a certain stage where people don't want to give it to you. Oh, yeah. And I have always surrounded myself with truth. George will give it to me. There is no chaser. There is nothing.

Of course, I want it. But the thing is, you know, you get to a certain stage where people don't want to give it to you. Oh, yeah. And I have always surrounded myself with truth. George will give it to me. There is no chaser. There is nothing.

But yeah, there are a lot of people that I have in my life where they give it to me straight, which I also think has helped me. I remember being like 25 years old and I said, I want to be intellectually honest with myself. Oh, that's a big one. And I was like, that's going to take some work. That's going to take a lot of work.

But yeah, there are a lot of people that I have in my life where they give it to me straight, which I also think has helped me. I remember being like 25 years old and I said, I want to be intellectually honest with myself. Oh, that's a big one. And I was like, that's going to take some work. That's going to take a lot of work.

Because we talk ourselves into believing and making excuses and having reasons. And I was like, I want to hold myself accountable.

Because we talk ourselves into believing and making excuses and having reasons. And I was like, I want to hold myself accountable.

You know, no excuses. literally no excuses. You either did or you didn't. And you can't, well, I was tired. I was this, I was that. You either did or you didn't. Do or do not, there is no try. You either did or you didn't. So intellectual honesty forced me to be really clear about when I was not great, when I was not treating someone well.

You know, no excuses. literally no excuses. You either did or you didn't. And you can't, well, I was tired. I was this, I was that. You either did or you didn't. Do or do not, there is no try. You either did or you didn't. So intellectual honesty forced me to be really clear about when I was not great, when I was not treating someone well.

There were times I would be speaking the words and saying in my head, you're being such a In my head. Sounds like you're that person for yourself a hell of a lot. I would like, why are you speaking to this person like this? You're being such a jerk. Wow. Be intellectually honest or it wasn't your best job. Yeah. It wasn't your best work.

There were times I would be speaking the words and saying in my head, you're being such a In my head. Sounds like you're that person for yourself a hell of a lot. I would like, why are you speaking to this person like this? You're being such a jerk. Wow. Be intellectually honest or it wasn't your best job. Yeah. It wasn't your best work.

We didn't get the account because you just didn't do that well that day.

We didn't get the account because you just didn't do that well that day.