In conversation with the world’s future leaders

In May 2023, Andre Lacroix returned to Oxford, a place he used to go to as a young man to learn English, this time having the pleasure of speaking to students at The Oxford Character Project at the University of Oxford about his book Leadership with Soul.

The Oxford Character Project is an interdisciplinary initiative led by a group of scholars dedicated to positioning character at the heart of good and responsible leadership. Founded in 2014, the program seeks to contribute to conversations about character and leadership across the globe and inspire the next generation of leaders. The project’s mission of helping leaders to develop the characters required to navigate the challenges of our time and make an everlasting positive impact is one that Lacroix attaches great personal importance to.

It was a fascinating discussion about the key characteristics of a successful leader and a successful business.

The students posed a series of interesting questions which are listed below:

Your book talks about your life experiences. Can you provide more detail on any of these that shaped who you are?

Have you had any examples of when you were wrong and how did you overcome it?

What are your thoughts on celebrity CEOs with outsized personalities? Do you think it makes it easier or more difficult for them to drive change in their organisations?

Do you mind speaking about leading with emotional intelligence and gut feelings, before reviewing data and facts?

What do you think is a common mistake that companies make in relation to knowing their core brand?

As a leader, how do you think about focusing on improving on your strengths and working on your weaknesses?

How do you try to get good feedback at the top of an organisation?

In your book, you talk about the importance of celebrating successes every day. What are some of the examples of you practicing this?

Was it difficult to narrow down your leadership approach to 10 principles?

Thanks to everyone who attended.