Before you watch

There are many leadership programs available today, from 1-day workshops to corporate training programs. But chances are, these won’t really help. In this clear, candid talk, Roselinde Torres describes 25 years observing truly great leaders at work, and shares the three simple but crucial questions would-be company chiefs need to ask to thrive in the future.

While you watch

While watching, pay attention to the following words and expressions in context. Use them in your answers to the questions below and discussion.


  • equipped
  • disturbing trend
  • unrecoverable value
  • crucial initiative
  • recurring stories
  • seeming adversaries
  • distil
  • discontinuity
  • course-correct the strategy
  • abandon a practice

After you watch

Answer the following questions:

  1. What three stories of unsuccessful leadership does Roselinde Torres tell?
  2. What three characteristics make a great leader in the 21st century?

Discuss in pairs:

What do political and business leaders have in common? (make a list of characteristics)