I recently went one-on-one with Lorenzo Fioramonti. Lorenzo Fioramonti served in Italy’s Parliament before becoming the country’s Minister of Education, University and Research. Lorenzo is the co-author of Beyond Profit: Purpose-Driven Leadership for a Wellbeing Economy.
Adam: Thanks again for taking the time to share your advice. First things first, though, I am sure readers would love to learn more about you. How did you get here? What experiences, failures, setbacks, or challenges have been most instrumental to your growth?
Lorenzo: Throughout my career, I have been a scientist, an activist, and a policymaker. My life journey has, so far, taken me from Italy (my country of birth) to Africa, North and South America as well as most of Europe. I have had the privilege to live in many different countries, learn languages, and appreciate the beauty of “biodiversity” in all its forms, not only natural but also social and cultural. Each and every step (meeting new people, moving places, learning lifestyles) has been enriching and challenging at the same time. But I’ve learned that every setback is also a springboard, so I kept going.
Adam: What were the best lessons you learned from your time in Parliament?
Lorenzo: I was elected to Parliament without a prior political career, so I had to hit the ground running. National politics taught me how to multitask and manage the complexity of reconciling competing demands. It also taught me how to deal with the media frenzy and to avoid sacrificing the good for the better. It’s hard to be a good politician, and it’s even harder in contemporary democracies, where most citizens are not particularly interested in politics. As a consequence, one is caught between powerful lobbies and apathetic citizens, which makes a good politician a very lonely person.
Adam: What were the best lessons you learned from your time as Minister of Education, University and Research?
Lorenzo: I learned that leading a national education system is a powerful opportunity to change the world. Ultimately, what we really need is a cultural transformation: our economic, social, governance systems are broken because of the underlying cultural models we have learned and applied without critical thinking. Moreover, interacting with millions of families on a daily basis gave me an unparalleled audience to promote change in habits, attitudes, and values, which can really accelerate the transition towards a more sustainable and desirable wellbeing economy.
Adam: What is your best advice on building, leading, and managing teams?
Lorenzo: To me, adaptability is central. There is no one-size-fits-all, and we need to learn how to succeed even in the face of multiple adversities. While in theory, we may dream of having the best teams, in reality, we have the teams that we get. Success is dependent on our ability to help everyone make the best possible contribution. As an old Italian saying goes: “We make bread with the flour we get”.
Adam: What do you believe are the defining qualities of an effective leader?
Lorenzo: Certainly, the ability to inspire and be consistent, but also to listen and let others lead. From my time in Africa, where pastoral traditions are particularly rich, I have learned that a good leader “leads from behind”, like a shepherd: he or she provides vision, coaching, and nurturing of every member of the community with a view to developing the abilities needed to get the job done. It’s a collective leadership model rather than the solo approach derived from the Western culture.
Adam: How can leaders and aspiring leaders take their leadership skills to the next level?
Lorenzo: By getting their hands dirty with the complexity of change and never giving up. Leadership cannot be learned from books: it’s a real-life practice that is constantly improved by careful observation and questioning of conventional wisdom. We are in a time of disruptive change: a true leader can’t be replicating old models.
Adam: What are your three best tips applicable to entrepreneurs, executives, and civic leaders?
Lorenzo: Care, care, care. Care about yourself, others, and the environment, because if you care and you show it, your job is half done. In today’s world, where everything is so high-paced, very few people have a chance to really experience “care” and so we are all desperately looking for purpose. If we can do that, we can really lead in a new direction.
Adam: What do you hope readers take away from your new book?
Lorenzo: I would like readers to realize that change is already happening. A new economy is being built by thousands of companies, organizations, and groups all over the world. But we need to accelerate this transition, because time is running out. In the book, the reader will find not only a conceptual compass but also a practical roadmap to implement social transformation on a daily basis. It’s the most comprehensive compendium for those interested not only in inspiration but also in action.
Adam: What is the single best piece of advice you have ever received?
Lorenzo: Not to take things personally, because our job is way too important to spend much time feeling sorry for ourselves.
