#257: Klaus Kleinfeld, Former CEO of Siemens and Alcoa – Purpose channels your energy

How Leaders Lead with David Novak

David Novak Leadership

Entrepreneurship, Business, Management

4.8 • 596 Ratings

🗓️ 18 September 2025

⏱️ 61 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Every leader wants to bring more energy to the table—but it’s not about pushing harder or working longer. It’s about channeling your energy toward what truly matters. In this episode, David talks with Klaus Kleinfeld, the former CEO of Siemens and Alcoa, and the author of the book Leading to Thrive. You’ll see how to use purpose as a guiding force to manage your energy, inspire your team, and create meaningful, lasting impact. You’ll also learn: A simple way to test your sense of purpose in life A two-pronged approach to making better decisions An unforgettable story about the power of kindness and empathy The mindset shift that turns a “no market” into endless opportunity Take your learning further. Get proven leadership advice from these (free!) resources: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The How Leaders Lead App⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: A vast library of 90-second leadership lessons to stay sharp on the go ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Daily Insight Emails⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: One small (but powerful!) leadership principle to focus on each day Whichever you choose, you can be sure you’ll get the trusted leadership advice you need to advance your career, develop your team, and grow your business.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Go for something that gives you energy.
0:02.5	Purpose does to energy what a laser does to light.
0:06.0	It focuses the energy around one point that highly motivates you.
0:10.8	Every leader wants to bring more energy to the table.
0:14.1	But does that have to mean pushing harder and working longer?
0:17.4	Or is there a better way?
0:20.1	Welcome to How Leaders Lead. I'm David Novak, and every week I have
0:23.2	conversations with the very best leaders in the world to help you become the best leader that you can be.
0:29.1	Now, my guest today is Klaus Kleinfeld, the former CEO of both Siemens and Alcoa, which makes
0:36.3	him one of the only people who's led a Fortune 500 company
0:40.0	on two different continents. These days, he's helping tech and biotech companies through his
0:46.8	firm K2 elevation. I love how passionate Klaus is about leadership development. He's out to help
0:54.0	leaders avoid burnout by tapping
0:56.5	into their purpose and managing their energy. He's even written a whole book about it. It's called
1:02.2	Leading to Thrive. And let me tell you, it is an excellent read. Our conversation today is going to
1:07.9	show you how to unlock that connection between purpose and energy, both in
1:13.4	your own leadership and on your team. So you can drive real change without burning out. Here's my
1:21.2	conversation with my good friend and soon to be yours, Klaus Kleinfeld.
1:34.9	You know, I know you're a big tennis player and I've kind of gotten back into the game.
1:40.1	So maybe, maybe once I practice a little bit, we can play and I can build your confidence because I'm sure you'll probably kick my butt.
1:42.8	I'm not so sure about that. When you think about tennis, I'm sure you'll probably kick my butt. I'm not so sure about that.
1:45.8	When you think about tennis,
	...

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