Welcome to How Leaders Lead, where every week you get to listen in while I interview some of the very best leaders in the world.

I break down the key learning so that by the end of the episode, you'll have something simple you can apply as you develop into a better leader.

That's what this podcast is all about.

Today's guest is Cyrus Friedheim, the former CEO both Chiquita and the Chicago Sun Times and an absolutely legendary management

consultant. Now look, I've got to tell you, I have always been pretty slow to hire consultants.

Too many people bring them in because they just aren't

willing to do the hard work themselves. They want the consultant to tell people what they have to do

that's really hard to do. But I also know this. Every business needs an outside perspective.

That is truly the only way you can diagnose and fix your blind spots. So you've got to

find it one way or the other, because those blind spots are going to cost you if you don't really

understand what they are. And this conversation is so great because Cyrus is going to show you how to

use this outside perspective to grow your business.

As a consultant, he's turned around countless organizations. He's served on dozens of boards,

and of course, he's faced his own leadership challenges as CEO of Chiquita and the Chicago Sun

Times. He really has seen it all,

and there's so much we can learn from him

about the power of an outside perspective.

So here's my conversation with my good friend,

and soon to be yours, Cyrus Friedheim.

You know, your book, Commit and Deliver, which is excellent, by the way, you know,

the subhead is on the front lines of management consulting.

And speaking of the front lines, I understand you work directly with one of the most iconic leaders in American history, Lee Ayacocca, and you helped him turn around

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