Remembering America’s Best CEO

It was with great sadness that I heard of the passing of Frances Hesselbein, a friend and someone who made enormous contributions to our understanding of leadership. Right up until her death at 107 years of age, Frances continued to think, write about, and discuss the importance of leadership.

For those unfamiliar with her work, Frances Hesselbein was the CEO of the Girl Scouts from 1976-1990 and worked to transform the organization. Her leadership was recognized by “The Father of Modern Management” (and my Claremont colleague), Peter Drucker, who named her the “best CEO in America.” Fortune magazine agreed and named her to their list of the “World’s Greatest Leaders” in 2015.

Frances went on to head the Peter F. Drucker Foundation for Nonprofit Management (later renamed the Leader to Leader Institute, upon Peter’s passing). In addition to her many edited and authored books, she published Leader to Leader magazine – one of the best resources for practicing leaders. Frances Hesselbein was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom (which she always wore proudly) by President Bill Clinton in 1998.

Frances Hesselbein was, first and foremost, a servant leader. She believed that leaders, and people generally, should serve the mission of the organization(s) they are affiliated with, and serve others.

Lessons Frances Hesselbein Taught Me

1. I first met Frances when she spoke at Claremont McKenna College in the 1990s. She spoke specifically on women’s issues in leadership. When I introduced her topic of “Women Leaders,” she gently corrected me and said that she didn’t like that term and preferred “leaders who are women” – emphasizing leadership first and that these leaders just happened to be women. That simple statement drove home the difficulties that leaders who happen to be women face in a world dominated by leaders who are men.

2. In 2002, we asked Frances, along with Peter Drucker, to open our conference on nonprofit leadership, “Improving Leadership in Nonprofit Organizations.” We asked her to speak specifically to future leadership challenges for nonprofits.

She emphasized three core issues: Leaders need to be prepared for and manage change in the turbulent times in which we live. She also emphasized that leaders must reflect on and embrace diversity in all forms as we live in an increasingly diverse world. Finally, she stressed the need for leaders to collaborate and build bridges and partnerships across groups, organizations, sectors, and nations. When I reflect on this and realize that this was the dawning of the new millennium, I realize how forward-thinking Frances was.

3. A decade or so later, I was speaking at a small conference, and Frances was also a speaker. It was near downtown Los Angeles. Frances and I started talking at the end of the meeting, and we soon realized that we were the only ones left. I asked her if she had arranged transportation back to her hotel.

She said, “God will provide,” when I noted that we were far away from taxis (it was pre-Uber).

I guess I was what was provided, having driven my car to the conference. We continued sharing about life and leadership on the drive to her hotel. We talked about all the things we wanted to do in the area of leadership, and I was amazed at the motivation of this 90-something woman as she laid out all of her writing and speaking plans.

Given that Frances stayed active well beyond age 100, her final lesson to me was to continue the purpose. Perhaps it is why I will continue studying leadership and psychology as long as possible.

In loving memory of Frances Hesselbein.

Here is a remembrance from the Girl Scouts.