Jean-Claude Kihn: Former Goodyear President and Renaissance Man

Our host Adam Kaufman is joined this week by Jean-Claude Kihn, a leader, mentor, world traveler, and avid reader. In this episode, Jean-Claude shares his career journey and perceptive insights, many of which he gained while working at Goodyear for nearly three decades.

Jean-Claude began his career at Goodyear after finishing his Ph.D. in Europe and applying to many jobs. He shares how he never anticipated he would remain at the same company or in the same industry longer than a few years, nonetheless 30, but reflects on the many benefits he gained from growing within a single organization. Jean-Claude expresses how important it was to know the ins-and-outs of different roles, which allowed him to better understand his employees and their positions.

“I think that's the advantage when you grow up in a company. You do the job, some of the jobs at least, at the bottom of the hierarchy, so you know how it works.”

Jean-Claude had 17 different positions in every sector at Goodyear, from research and development to business leadership. In addition, he lived in six countries across four continents all within his tenure. He shares one of the benefits to working in a big company: the endless opportunities for growth. Jean-Claude became a respected leader, finishing his career as President of Goodyear for Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Jean-Claude references a topic from Brigadier General Laura Lenderman’s episode - natural born leaders vs. those who are taught to lead. Although Jean-Claude has been a leader since a young age, thanks to being the oldest of five siblings, he attributes the development of his leadership skills to Goodyear.

“There are classes that I was sent to, to become a leader. But I think you still learn a lot by yourself just practicing it, and also the feedback you get from other people, your subordinates.”

After decades of experience, Jean-Claude emphasizes the importance of accepting feedback in order to improve leadership techniques. He believes a leader will become detached from reality if they don’t welcome constructive criticism. He shares that it is not enough to rely on innate leadership traits; a leader must continue to strengthen their skills and practice in order to be the best version they can be.

“If you have a natural talent for leadership, that doesn't mean that you don't have to learn. It's just like if you have a talent to become a musician, well it only starts, after that you need to learn to play your instrument, and then you need to practice, practice, practice, practice, practice. And I think leadership is a little bit the same.”

Just how leadership requires learning, Adam and Jean-Claude discuss the need to learn from history. The two explore how we’ve learned to avoid repeating the same detrimental situations over the years and they both hope the same happens for COVID-19. Jean-Claude hopes we learn from the Coronavirus pandemic and become stronger and more creative as a whole, just like the Renaissance period following the black plague.

“I hope that there will be a lot of new things. As they say, a crisis is an accelerator.”

Adam closes out the interview by asking Jean-Claude what advice he would give to his younger self. As a person who is forward-thinking, Jean-Claude lives with no regrets. However, he shares an important recommendation for young professionals.

“I think you cannot be successful in life if you force yourself to become something that you are not really gifted for, that you don't want… My most important advice to younger people would be do what you like.”

Hear more remarkable insights from Jean-Claude by clicking here to listen to the full episode on the Up2 Podcast or tune in wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Click here to read the full episode transcript.