News reached me that Leonard Lauder passed away some weeks ago. He was not only known for his business legacy and the "lipstick economy" concept, but also for his reflections on leadership. In one of his final speeches, he said something that I agree with a lot: “Being a leader is not something you’re born with. 95% of leaders grow into leadership throughout their career.”
That statement resonates with me because we often imagine leaders as people with a natural gift, as if leadership is something you either have or you don’t. But what if it’s much simpler and at the same time, much harder?
I am convinced that great leadership begins with asking the right questions. Not only questions for others, but questions for yourself, the continuous questioning of the why. The reason for my second book, 10 Quintessential Questions that is about asking questions, the right questions. As an interviewer, an entrepreneur and a human being.
In my second book, I explore exactly that. The power of questions is often underestimated. Yet, in every conversation, every negotiation, every boardroom, the quality of the questions shapes the outcome. Asking the right questions creates clarity, opens dialogue, invites reflection and above all, it shows humility.
True leaders don’t pretend to have all the answers. They cultivate curiosity. They challenge their own thinking. They remain open to change and growth. Leadership, in the end, is not a destination but a constant process of learning and questioning.
Maybe that’s why Leonard Lauder’s words feel so timely. If leadership is something we grow into, then perhaps one of the greatest leadership skills we can develop is the courage to keep asking questions, especially to ourselves.
