Anna Wintour is one of those leaders whose leadership style has raised many comments. You could find books and movies based on it.
Regardless of what you heard or your perception about her leadership style, she's a person that is always leading the change. Anna Wintour owns her decisions. She's been the reigning editor at Vogue for over 30 years, she is responsible for the success of the Met Gala (one of the most well-known annual charity events in the world), and she has helped launch the careers of hundreds of designers, photographers, models, and writers.
In her Masterclass about Creativity and Leadership, Anna Wintour speaks about the deeper meaning of her work and why it’s always important to lead with a strong point of view, to be always open and interested in the world around you and not to be afraid of making the "wrong" decision from time to time.
Some of the learnings she shared about getting results are:
Hire and build a great team. A good team is everything.
You are nothing without a good team. Always try to so-round yourself with people you enjoy, whose opinions and minds are respected, that it’s not always aligned with yours.
Your team should be as diverse as possible—different backgrounds, experiences, ages, and opinions. Hire with the goal of covering your blind spots: Surround yourself with people who will inform the judgment calls you to make and the content you put out.
Find a team you trust. Have a team that could be a good ambassador for you and your business. Groom them to be collaborators by empowering them to make leadership decisions on their own. People that is positive, who are straight talkers but positive.
Build a system for keeping track of your work.
Don’t micromanage. Micromanaging will suffocate everyone.
Empower your team. Have them make leadership decisions on their own.
If you trust your team, you can avoid micro-managing.
Be thoughtful about how to run meetings and why. Discourage “settling in."
1 to 1 meeting or with 2 or 3 persons (small teams).
Weekly meetings with all the team about anything they have on the table on that particular week.
Feedback: Make it clear, fast, and direct.
"I'm much more of believer in finding a great team of people and trusting them to follow their instincts. They work better when they feel they have freedom and they are trusted."
— Anna Wintour