Anna Wintour

The sweet-and-sour, a sixty-nine-year-old powerful leader Anna Wintour is the writer, current
editor and chief of American Vogue and one of the most influential leaders of modern times. She
has also served as Artistic Director of Condé Nast since 2013, overseeing 19 brands and
magazines, including Vanity Fair, GQ, Glamour, and Wired. Her opinions can launch a designer
from zero to success, or make any “influencer” disappear from the face of media. In her new
Master Class, Anna Wintour takes off her signature sunglasses and gives an access to her world.

Anna Wintour is the kind of leader who makes people stand up and take notice. She has an
incredible work ethic. People like Anna Wintour take higher risks because their job demands such
high-pressured decision-taking daily. It is only logical that the size of mistakes is proportionate to
the size of responsibilities.

Anna believes that once you accept that not everyone will agree with you, and once you resolve to
stay true to your own vision, you can be a better leader and manager.

 Here are eight of Anna Wintour’s best leadership tips:

1. Own your vision. Build a vision others can believe in.

2. Be a changemaker. Know when to break the rules and do the unexpected, especially
when it will bring attention to your brand.
3. Be strong in decision making. Don’t be afraid to make bold decisions even though not
everyone is going to agree with you. Indecision can be worse than making the wrong
decision.
4. Cultivate new leaders in your industry. Discovering and advising not only helps ensure
the future of whatever industry you are in, but it can also inspire you and inform your own
work.
5. Build a diverse team. Anna finds the right people to work at Vogue. Her success is
supported by a talented group of people, like great writers, editors, and photographers.
When it comes to building your business, your team should be as diverse as possible—
different backgrounds, experiences, ages, and opinions.
6. Don’t micromanage. If you trust your team, you can avoid micromanaging. Anna reads
every word that goes into the magazine and approves every look for fashion stories, but
she also empowers her editors to make decisions on her and the brand’s behalf.
7. Stay engaged with the wider world beyond your industry. Keeping your eyes and ears
open to the world around you is an essential quality for a leader in any industry.
8. Know and love your audience. Anna believes that having a passion for your audience is
very important. Taking the audience behind the scenes was a bold decision, which is what
makes Anna Wintour one of today’s greatest leaders.
9. Use your position to make an impact. It is important to always be thinking about how you
can have the biggest impact on your industry and lend the most support to those in need.

Although she isn’t maybe the friendliest leader, she says that her “harsh“ approach at the
workspace is only to show authority and maintain professionalism. She is the great example of a
leader who evolved from a manager. She shows confidence and authority when representing her
world.