Corporate Board Member spotlighted 5 GCs, one of whom practices meditation and Tai Chi. He is Leonard J. Kennedy, general counsel of Sprint Nextel. From "Meet Five Great GCs":
The merger [of Sprint and Nextel] has been rocky at times, and Sprint Nextel has suffered through turnover in its corporate ranks, including the loss of its CEO, COO, CFO, and president of sales and distribution. Amid it all, Kennedy has been a rock. “He’s pretty much the only guy who managed to be a constant,” says Profusek. “For a lot of executives in positions as high up as he is, it’s easy to get carried away with how important you are. He’s not one of the people who put you off with how special they are. And maybe if you’re not too full of yourself, you don’t position yourself for a fall.”Kennedy’s easygoing nature—no surprise in a man who’s been teaching tai chi for over 20 years and relies on meditation as a stress-reliever—has allowed him to both mediate and inspire. Peers describe him as “calm,” “unflappable,” and “not afraid to delegate.” “People who empower other people tend to get the trust of other people,” says Profusek. “Because you’re communicating that you, the boss, have trust in the subordinates.”
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Great article. I have been a trial lawyer for 40 years and have learned that taking care of our emotional selves is key to performing at peak levels.
Posted by: Gary Gwilliam | October 08, 2009 at 04:21 PM