Leadership in action: Tete-a-tete with Mohamed Samir (Fmr President, P&G)

An year ago, we started Lunch & Learn sessions at Cipla International Markets where senior leaders share their perspectives with our associates from across the world. Recently, Mohamed Samir addressed us in what became one of the highest rated sessions. Read on for his message of high, no nonsense accountability.

Speaker Profile

Mohamed Samir was a President at Procter & Gamble (Fortune 50, consistently one of the world’s most admired firms, also my alma mater) and ran their US$7bn P&L of Asia & Africa. Less than 0.01% people make it that far in P&G. Recently, after his retirement from P&G, he is the Chairman & CEO at Al Yasra Group of Middle East.?

Key Take-aways (in no particular order, mostly verbatim in double quotes):

1. “Declare your goals well in advance, so you will be embarrassed if you don’t deliver against them… Thin line between being snobbish and being confident… Announced to the world as a student that I will become GM in P&G… announced to my team that will become President by 2014… delivered both”.
2. “Fairness does not mean being nice. 50% of the people will always be unhappy when you make a tough call. Be clear of the principles. Use the magic of 1-on-1s. If you cannot take hard calls on people, don’t make friends at work.”
3. At any point in time, one can play maximum five roles. “Mine are CEO, Husband, Father, Son, Larger Family”. Choose yours wisely. For example, “do not get time to attend every event of a friend, and that is okay as long as I will be there when they most need me”.
4. Turned around the business which was flattish for many years. Going back to basics. Market coverage, reach, customer understanding. “Business is simple: demand creation and demand fulfilment”
5. “Leadership equals one word: Results!”. One quarter did not deliver what he had promised and boss (future vice chair in P&G) said, “you betrayed me! Don’t ever do it again”.
6. “My standard policy for my direct reports: If you have not delivered your numbers for the entire year, come for annual review with your resignation, and then let me decide whether to accept it or not”
7. “Normally no micromanagement, but micro-tracking. Look at every single driver of success in detail. And, if and when results are not delivered, I get into real micromanagement. My VPs get pissed but I say you asked for it by not delivering”
8. “Manager said you are not as good as everybody says and maybe you should leave. And, instead of being offended, I asked for 6 months to prove myself... and then this same manager promoted me and sent me as an expat”.
9. “When I was presenting a business plan, my manager asked whether I was prepared to resign if the plan was not delivered. I said yes without a blink, and the plan got approved, and the fact that I live to tell you this story, means I also delivered on the commitment. Now I ask this of my direct reports too when they ask to invest in a risky plan”
10. “Set stretch target for yourself and focus. I set a $1bn target when the business was $500mn and flattish, and we achieved it.”
11. Werner’s (P&G’s former vice chairman) famous words, “I lead with a cool head, a warm heart and busy hands.” Even more important in covid times.
12. Manager’s quip (when Samir complained that the manager was asking something different than what Samir was expecting): “You need to be prepared on all relevant and related things before you meet your boss”.
13. Mentor Dmitri (future vice chair at P&G) stayed with Samir for an entire day when Samir’s father died. Saying, “I am your father now”
14. Message to people who crib about problems in the company: “If you are so frustrated with the company, why don’t you just leave?”
15. Decide your company’s culture, Start up Vs MNC, and set up processes accordingly. Both have advantages and disadvantages.
16. “I share my own annual reviews, strengths and opportunities, transparently with all direct reports every year.”
17. “A leader gets to take not more than 3 big decisions in a year. He/she better get them right.” Also, don’t rush to take decisions.
18. “In Covid times only 2 things matter: People Safety and Cash.”
19. Samir’s question to his boss: “How can we work better together?”. Boss’s?answer, “Just work!”
20. “The most challenging part of leadership: letting people go. And yet it has to be done sometimes for the larger good. Do it respectfully.”
21. Experience in Al Yasra (one of Kuwait’s leading companies). The board said, “we like a lot what you are saying, but we cannot implement it. Can you actually implement it?”. And that’s how Samir moved from a board member to Executive Chairman and CEO.
22. “Biggest challenge in companies beyond 150 year old established MNCs like P&G: Lack of processes and systems, Things don’t get done!”
23. “Leadership is one thing that likely will not be replaced by AI.”
24. “Bosses get the subordinates they deserve, and vice versa”.
25. “Inspire – To put spirit into… After every interaction with the leader, people should feel charged up”

My Top 100 managers - country, cluster and functional heads from 30 countries - absolutely loved the session. In fact, we organized a repeat session with Cipla Global leadership too. Sharing these Top 25 tips with Samir's permission, hoping many more readers will learn from his sharp mind, leadership ethos and successful career.