10 Inspirational Indra Nooyi Quotes on Leadership

These inspirational Indra Nooyi quotes on life and leadership by the former Pepsico CEO offer useful advice on how great leaders think, work, and live.

Have you ever wondered what it takes to lead a Fortune 50 corporation? Indra Krishnamurthy Nooyi did not set out to be the first woman of color to hold the position.

She simply (and relentlessly) concentrated on big ideas to transform a global industry. Nooyi has consistently been named one of the world’s top 100 most powerful women.

She was ranked 13th on Forbes’ list of The World’s 100 Most Powerful Women in 2014, and second on the Fortune list in 2015 and 2017. She also serves on the boards of the International Cricket Council and Amazon.

In her Leadership MasterClass, Indra Nooyi is now teaching you her transformational leadership style so you can get the tools and the courage to be a catalyst for purpose-driven change at your company.

You’ll learn all about Indra Nooyi’s approach to simplifying complex problems, persuading others to buy into your vision, and discovering how leading with purpose can improve your life beyond the boardroom.

You’ll learn how to master the 7 Cs and lead with competence, creativity, courage, communication, coaching, compass, and citizenship. Learn how to assess your industry with Indra Nooyi’s innovative insights that led to the launch of Bubly, the billion-dollar water brand.

You’ll learn how to harness megatrends and see the future as Nooyi explores megatrends and challenges to find opportunities across multiple fields, and think strategically as she shares her “zoom in and zoom out” philosophy for executing successful business decisions.

And finally, you’ll learn how to think big, be brave, and make purpose-driven changes at work.

Click here to join this MasterClass with Indra Nooyi

10 Inspirational Indra Nooyi Quotes on Leadership by the Former Pepsico CEO

These inspirational and motivational Indra Nooyi quotes on success, life and leadership will help you learn how great leaders think, work, and live.

#1. Indra Nooyi on the definition of great leadership

Leadership is hard to define and good leadership is even harder. But if you can get people to follow you to the ends of the earth, you are a great leader. ~ Indra Nooyi

Leadership is hard to define and good leadership is even harder. But if you can get people to follow you to the ends of the earth, you are a great leader. ~ Indra Nooyi

#2. Indra Nooyi on choosing the leadership path

Being a CEO is a calling. You should not do it because it is a job. It is a calling, and you have got to be involved in it with your head, heart, and hands. Your heart has got to be in the job; you have got to love what you do; it consumes you. And if you’re not willing to get into the CEO job that way, there is no point in getting into it. ~ Indra Nooyi

Being a CEO is a calling. You should not do it because it is a job. It is a calling, and you have got to be involved in it with your head, heart, and hands. ~ Indra Nooyi

#3. Indra Nooyi on the importance of emotional intelligence

When you assume negative intent, you’re angry. If you take away that anger and assume positive intent, you will be amazed. Your emotional quotient goes up because you are no longer almost random in your response. ~ Indra Nooyi

When you assume negative intent, you’re angry. If you take away that anger and assume positive intent, you will be amazed. Your emotional quotient goes up because you are no longer almost random in your response. ~ Indra Nooyi

#4. Indra Nooyi on the importance of empathy for leaders

As a leader, I’m tough on myself and I raise the bar for everybody else. However, I’m very caring because I want people to excel at what they’re doing so that they can aspire to be like me in the future. ~ Indra Nooyi

As a leader, I’m tough on myself and I raise the bar for everybody else. However, I’m very caring because I want people to excel at what they’re doing so that they can aspire to be like me in the future. ~ Indra Nooyi

#5. Indra Nooyi on being a lifelong learner

Just because you are the CEO, don’t think you have landed. You must continually increase your learning, the way you think, and the way you approach the organization. If you want to improve the organization, you have to improve yourself, and the organization gets pulled up with you. I cannot just expect the organization to improve if I don’t improve myself and lift the organization. ~ Indra Nooyi

You must continually increase your learning, the way you think, and the way you approach the organization. If you want to improve the organization, you have to improve yourself, and the organization gets pulled up with you. ~ Indra Nooyi

#6. Indra Nooyi on involving women in innovation

Most companies target women as end users, but few are effectively utilizing female employees when it comes to innovating for female consumers. When women are empowered in the design and innovation process, the likelihood of success in the marketplace improves by 144%! ~ Indra Nooyi

When women are empowered in the design and innovation process, the likelihood of success in the marketplace improves by 144%! ~ Indra Nooyi

#7. Indra Nooyi on the internet’s importance for women

When you have to do as much as women do, the Internet allows you to – from home – figure out a way to extend your reach and power in the world. It allows you to do the job you’ve done traditionally, and create aspirations by carrying on a job and using the Internet to amplify everything you’re doing. ~ Indra Nooyi

When you have to do as much as women do, the Internet allows you to – from home – figure out a way to extend your reach and power in the world. ~ Indra Nooyi

#8. Indra Nooyi on the benefits of blogging

Blogging is a way to keep in touch with a larger group of people on an ongoing basis, in a more efficient way. Blogging and the Internet allow us to engage in a lot more real-time conversations as opposed to a one-way dump of information or a message. ~ Indra Nooyi

Blogging and the Internet allow us to engage in a lot more real-time conversations as opposed to a one-way dump of information or a message. ~ Indra Nooyi

#9. Indra Nooyi on maintaining work-life balance

At the end of the day, don’t forget that you’re a person, don’t forget you’re a mother, don’t forget you’re a wife and don’t forget you’re a daughter. ~ Indra Nooyi

At the end of the day, don’t forget that you’re a person, don’t forget you’re a mother, don’t forget you’re a wife and don’t forget you’re a daughter. ~ Indra Nooyi

#10. Indra Nooyi on dressing appropriately for work

What I would not do is flaunt my Indianness by wearing a saree to work every day, because it distracts from the job. So, I would not do that. When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Social events are different. If I feel comfortable in a saree for a social event, I wear it. ~ Indra Nooyi

What I would not do is flaunt my Indianness by wearing a saree to work every day, because it distracts from the job. When in Rome, do as the Romans do. ~ Indra Nooyi

Do share these motivational Indra Nooyi leadership quotes and their life lessons on work and success from this famous woman leader.

Watch the video below to hear Indra Nooyi discuss her memoir, My Life in Full: Work, Family, and Our Future, which provides a firsthand account of her legendary career and the sacrifices it frequently required.

Feature image of Pepsico’s Indra Nooyi by World Economic Forum Annual Meeting Davos 2008, CC BY-SA 2.0

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