• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Cornerstone International Group

Executive Search Firm

About Cornerstone

About Cornerstone

The Cornerstone Edge

AESC

Leadership Team

Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

Become a Partner

Play Video

Get to know Cornerstone

Retained Executive Search

Discover

Retained Executive Search

Assessments

Specializations

Consumer / FMCG

Industrial

Non-Profit

Finance & Private Equity

Life Science & Health

More...

Find an Office

North America

Latin America

Europe / Middle East

Asia

 Find an Office

 Find a Search Consultant

Coaching / Leadership Dev

Discover

Executive Coaching Services

Leadership Development

Board & CEO Advisory Services

Assessments

Find a Coach

News / Blog

News & Blog Posts

National Outlooks

Videos

Surveys

Press Releases

Popular Blog Topics

COVID-19

diversity

leadership development

Healthcare

executive search

executive coaching

women in business

Life Science

neuroscience

vitality quotient

Latest Blog Post

Asia’s Fast-Growing EV Market Will Disrupt Automotive Industry Recruitment

June 2, 2022
Contact
Blog Simon Wan speaks on Leadership
Dec 03

Simon Wan speaks on Leadership

Cornerstone International Group

Karen Greenbaum the President and CEO of the Association of Executive Search and Leadership Consultants (AESC) interviewed Simon Wan, Chair and Chief Executive of Cornerstone International Group on “The Power of Authentic Leadership”.

Listen to the interview here:

https://www.cornerstone-group.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/LeadersonLeaders_SimonWan.mp3

Below is the transcript: 

KAREN: Welcome to the Leaders on Leaders podcast from the Global Association of Executive Search and Leadership Consultants. I’m Karen Greenbaum, AESC President and CEO. In Leaders on Leaders, we explore today’s top leadership trends impacting global business with leaders from the world’s top executive search and leadership advisory firms. Today, we’ll be discussing the power of authentic leadership. I am joined today by Simon Wan, chair and chief executive, Cornerstone International Group. Simon, why don’t we begin with you telling us about Cornerstone International?

SIMON: Thank you, Karen. Cornerstone International Group was established back in 1989 in Los Angeles. Today, it is a global network of 60 offices with headquarters in Shanghai, China and also in Atlanta, US. We are happy to be invited today to talk about this important subject.

KAREN: Terrific. Authenticity is a word that comes up a lot in global business today. What does it mean to be authentic on a global scale?

SIMON: To me, Cornerstone is a global business as well as a local business. It is very important to look at globally on who we are and what we do, and also apply to the local levels to see what it really means to the customers of Cornerstone. To us, authenticity to me is to be truthful on what we can really deliver to the customers in today’s world.

KAREN: When you think about authenticity, not just at your firm, but in terms of the candidates we talk to, what does authentic leadership look like and what are the attributes of an authentic leader?

SIMON: Authentic leaders today, we could easily spot it if it’s in your organization. This is someone that really walk the talk and they are direct with open and honest talks, and also, they are empathetic to problems and issues facing the candidates or the corporations. These are people that have grateful hearts and then also with passion to help others do their thing.

KAREN: Terrific. How do today’s C-suite leaders demonstrate authenticity to their teams and to their stakeholders?

SIMON: I think this is not just a speechwriter or someone that can talk well in their work. This is someone that are being watched every day in their company on – they are the ones that actually walk the talk and have the ambitions and honesty to talk about the challenges facing the company as well as pointing to the ways possible to go over and succeed for the company as a whole.

KAREN:That’s really clear, but can authenticity be developed in leaders or is it something that you just have?

SIMON: To me, Karen, this can be developed with a careful structuring of helping the leader to be self-reflective on his own self and the commitments and the visions and the value of the company. Because if the person is really authentic and truthful to his own meaning and purpose of life, if it’s also the same culture and value and missions of the company, they would really do wonderful things because the authentic leaders would drive the initiative from his own heart not just because of the paycheck.

KAREN: One final question, what do businesses ultimately gain by having authentic leadership?

SIMON: I think any business for the long-term has to show – share their value that really means – that are really helpful for the development of the company. If the companies are not truthful and not honest on what they do, one day quickly it will backfire on the company. The chief executive or HR directors of the company are the first to know because there are many companies today being caught by not being truthful and not being sensitive to the stakeholders and the customers and the staff. We have so many stories in today’s corporate world, hearing stories in Hollywood, hearing stories in politics of what could happen to the issue of being challenged of not being authentic.

KAREN: I said that was my last question, but I have one more question for you, Simon. This is a bonus question. We talked about authentic leadership and I also know that there’s a shortage of top talent. Not all talents, but the very, very best talent. How can authentic leadership and organization with that kind of leadership be an organization that attracts the best talent?

SIMON: It comes in two ways, Karen. First, it’s for existing talent team, the leadership team. I think the best companies or organizations have a way to have a culture and environment that help leaders to learn new ideas as well as to unlearn things that they did in the past that are not fit for the future. Because for future-ready leaders, they need to really look forward and elevate a step higher than what they have done in the past. The only way to do it is that that person, the leader, the chief executive, has to feel that they need to make those changes. In the business term, we call it vulnerability. They must feel vulnerable and able to unlearn and learn new things for the benefit of themselves and for the company.

KAREN: Simon, thank you for taking the time to share your insights today. Listeners, thank you for joining us for Leaders on Leaders. For our next Leaders on Leaders discussion, stay tune to aesc.org. Thank you, have a great day.

This interview originally appeared on the AESC’s Leaders on Leaders podcast

30
SHARES
LinkedinFacebookTweetShareEmailPrint

Filed Under: Blog, Leadership Tagged With: leadership

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Primary Sidebar

  • News
    • Blog
    • National Outlooks
    • Press Releases
    • Newsletters
    • Surveys
    • Articles of Interest
    • Whitepapers
    • Videos

Get Latest Posts and Stay Informed

Our thought leaders share their industry knowledge and expertise.
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Recent News

  • PRESS RELEASE: Cornerstone International Group Recognized as a Global Leader in Executive Talent Search June 21, 2022
  • The Cornerstone Eagle – June 2022 – Impactful Leadership June 17, 2022
  • Asia’s Fast-Growing EV Market Will Disrupt Automotive Industry Recruitment June 2, 2022

News / Blog Archives

Footer

Areas of Specialization

  • by Industry
    • Life Science & Health
    • Financial Services PE & Family Office
    • Industrial
    • Consumer
    • Technology
    • Private Equity
    • Infrastructure & EPC
  • by Function
    • Board Directors & CEO
    • Human Resources
    • Finance and Legal
    • Agile Talent
    • Sales & Marketing
    • Operations & Supply Chain

Quick Browse

  • Find an Office
  • Find a Consultant
  • Find a Coach

Services

  • Retained Executive Search
  • Board & CEO Advisory
  • Executive Coaching

About Us

  • About Cornerstone
  • The Cornerstone Edge
  • Join Cornerstone

Switch Language

Connect with Cornerstone

Copyright © 2022 · Cornerstone International Group · Sitemap

Website Development by LimeCuda

Member-Only Portal