General Motors CEO Discusses Collaboration and Culture

Mary Barra on the need for a positive mindset

Leadership

Ask Mary Barra if the glass is half full or half empty, and you'll always get the same answer.

"For me, the glass is three-quarters full," she said. "That's just the way I approach it."

The General Motors CEO told students during a conversation with Bill Boulding, dean of Duke's Fuqua School of Business, that a positive mindset and a collaborative culture are essential to success.

"You've got to create the climate where people feel that they can speak up, that there's not fear in the organization," Barra said. "So we work really hard to not be hierarchical; good ideas can come from anywhere."

In these short videos, Barra discusses leadership as part of Fuqua's Distinguished Speakers Series. The full video of Barra's talk is above.

This story may not be republished without permission from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business. Please contact media-relations@fuqua.duke.edu for additional information.

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