Episode 15: Kevin Smith

Hello Cleantechers! Kevin Smith, CEO of Lightsource bp, is one of the few people in cleantech who's led two major solar companies. Kevin's a great interview in part because of the depth of his background: Fossil fuels and renewables, Europe and the US, and experience in two different types of solar. Throughout it all, he's proven to be an impressive company builder who draws consistent praise from the people that work for him.

That's why I wanted to learn more about how Kevin does it:

5:34 - A vital, underused leadership skill: Analyzing - instead of assuming - how much management a team member actually needs. This varies from person to person.

15:59 - A "blame-free" workplace is imperative to encourage risk taking, but it's not accountability-free.

20:08 - Team diversity is the right thing to do for society and for business because it creates an environment that fosters innovation.

21:44 - Servant leadership - the idea that the leader needs their staff just as much as the staff needs a leader - gives a company a competitive edge.

31:35 - When it comes to tough business decisions, making the wrong choice is better than no action at all. Some of the best lessons come from mistakes.