Leading with love: Bill Campbell’s legendary business advice

Bill Campbell earned the nickname “Trillion Dollar Coach” for his extraordinary career path: going from a football coach at Columbia University to mentoring business visionaries like Steve Jobs and Larry Page.

Although Campbell only entered the business world at the age of 39, his reputation as an executive and leadership guru became immense. Since his death in 2016, his advice has only continued to endure in Silicon Valley. Here are the key ideas he’s remembered for…

Put people first. If one thing matters more than the bottom line of any business, it’s the wellbeing of staff. Your strategy can’t succeed if the people executing it aren’t at their best, so lead with empathy: use meetings as a chance to check-in with everyone on a personal level.

Connect by listening. It’s never been more important to acknowledge each other’s humanity. You do that by simply showing you care. “Employee-friendly policies” aren’t enough. If you’re on a video call, make eye contact, notice objects in someone’s background, and express curiosity.

Problem-solving relies on teamwork. Start by asking: “Who’s working on the problem? And how are they working together?” There’s no point tackling the same storm in different boats. Teammates have to look out for each other and take up the slack when someone is struggling.

Honesty is the best policy. Sweeping things under the carpet isn’t going to help anyone. Instead, level with people respectfully and trust that they can handle the facts.

Celebrate every win by one of your teammates. Bill Campbell was a tireless cheerleader: he didn’t just acknowledge a good job, he stood up in meetings and applauded others’ accomplishments. Any good leader will channel that same positive energy.

Consensus is overrated. Let everyone have their say, but don’t put it to a vote. Wait for the right solution to emerge and seize the best option. You can never be 100% certain that you’ve made the right call, but you can be sure that you at least got the process right.

Leaders lead by example. Look after your own wellbeing and set responsible boundaries. But as long as everything in your personal life is in balance, you must remember one thing: giving up is not an option. You’re the leader for a reason.

Bottom line: Bill Campbell’s mentees at Google (Eric Schmidt, Jonathan Rosenberg, and Alan Eagle, who wrote the book Trillion Dollar Coach about him) believe there’s a simple way to keep his leadership philosophy alive. Whatever you do, lead with love and optimism in your heart.