5 Leadership Lessons – John “Jack” Bogle – Founder of the Vanguard Group

With the passing of John Bogle, Founder of the Vanguard Group I wanted to highlight his career and impact on the world. He had a humility about him and at the same time, his leadership resonated with everyone around him. Fortunately, I have seen first hand the leadership skills and mindset of a legend, John “Jack” Bogle.
In a discussion with him, he recommended I read the book, Enough: True Measures of Money Business and Life. The book highlighted the True Measures of Money, Business and Life:

1. He emphasized the importance of trust and being trusted.
2. The importance of stewardship of our customers and co-workers.
3. The fundamental understanding of investing vs. speculation.
4. He discusses that CEOs -even in failing corporations – can pull down huge paychecks and hedge fund managers can earn billion-dollar paydays.
5. He emphasized the amount of greed, selfishness and lack of responsibility in the business world.

In summary:

1. In 1974, he founded The Vanguard Group where he conceived of the idea of the index fund.
2. The index fund lowered the overall cost of investing and enabled millions of investors to invest in the stock market.
3. In 1999, Fortune Magazine named him one of the four “Giants of the 20^th Century.
4. During his high earning years, he gave away half of his salary to charity.

In summary, I highly recommend reading John Bogle’s book, Enough to get a perspective in living in today’s challenging times. Add this book to your reading list.