Indra NooyiFormer CEO

It was all about pulling yourself up. We had to work hard, be useful to society, and never sit idle. Everyone around us pushed us, so complaining wasn’t an option. That taught me discipline, self reliance, and the value of hard work early on.

He told me not to be too nice. He said if you care about something, show your passion. Don’t worry about sending things back or asking for better work. That taught me it’s okay to push people when you care about the outcome.

He focused on micro understanding. He said if you don’t know your business down to where the rubber meets the road, your decisions won’t land right. That changed how I led strategy had to connect directly to the front lines.

It was a choice between safe and risky. One side said take the job and stay in a familiar environment. The other said, be a rebel go to the U.S., explore something bigger. Norman, my boss, said, “Take the risky bet.” And I did.

Absolutely. Sometimes letting someone leave for a better opportunity was the right thing for them and for PepsiCo. I’d support them and, if needed, bring them back even stronger.

I didn’t sleep much. I had a good memory and was a speed reader. But most importantly, I had a support structure my husband, family, and later help. And I had a rule: weekends were for family.

No. There’s no such thing as balance. It’s a juggle. You just try not to drop the most important balls. You give up a lot, and it’s hard, but that’s reality.

When I became president of PepsiCo, she told me, “Leave your crown in the garage.” At home, I’m a wife, mom, daughter those roles matter just as much, and no one else can fill them.

About 300–400 people. We called them corporate assets. They challenged ideas, cared about the company more than promotions, and took on tough assignments. Those were the people we kept an eye on.

I understood the politics but never played in them. I avoided gossip and stayed focused on moving the business forward. Having kids helped I didn’t have time for the politics.

It meant thinking in pennies, not millions. When you sell 25 cent bags of chips, saving a penny per route can be huge. Leaders need to understand that level of detail.

That’s where real insight comes from. CEOs like Jim Sinegal and Greg Foran showed me how they think about shelf space, pricing, and consumer needs. It was humbling and eye opening.

I wrote detailed appraisals: here’s what you did well, what you didn’t, what to work on, and what’s possible if you improve. Toughness with kindness and clarity.

The ability to zoom in and zoom out. They understand the details but also think big. And they don’t brag—they take blame when needed and share credit freely.

Strategy has to be implementable. If it sounds smart but can’t be executed on the ground, it’s useless. It needs to move the company to a better place, practically and profitably.

I needed him to know he now worked for me not as a holdover from the previous CEO. It reset the relationship and earned mutual respect.

Performance with purpose. Deliver results, yes but also leave things better than you found them. The company, the people, the world.