Big Think

Question: What have you learned about leadership?

George Jones: I think one of the great lessons I've learned is just the importance of surrounding yourself with really great people. It makes all the difference in the world. You can have the best strategy out there and as a CEO you can be a great leader so-but unless you have the right people, it just doesn't happen, and I think getting the right people at all levels through the company is very, very key. The senior team, the senior management team, you sort of start there when you come in in a turnaround because those are the people that you're working with on a day-to-day basis. To get a strategy in place and really make it work, you have to start at the top and get the people all where they have input on the strategy. You kind of put it together and then you get something that you as a team believe in that you can really spread through the organization and get people to buy in on it.

Recorded on: 6/18/08