Bill George, MBA, spoke to an enthusiastic crowd at Benson Great Hall for a first-ever MBA Executive Session on Monday, January 7. A question-and-answer and book signing followed.

George spoke on finding your True North: “the internal compass that guides you successfully through life. It represents who you are as a human being at your deepest level.” Once you find that point from understanding your story, your True North “pulls you toward the purpose of your leadership.” In his view, everyone is a leader and should use whatever influence they are given to make a difference.

Carol Sedlock, an Ed.D. student, commented: “He was challenging in his comments. He said we should be a leader wherever we are. We can’t change the whole world but we can change our little piece of it.”

George is Professor of Management Practice, Henry B. Arthur Fellow of Ethics, at Harvard Business School and the former chair and CEO of Medtronic. He authored two bestselling books: True North: Discover Your Authentic Leadership and Authentic Leadership: Rediscovering the Secrets to Creating Lasting Value. He speaks frequently on the topic of ethics in leadership.