5 Success lessons from one of the world’s most successful CEOs

Faith Ocampo Published on November 9, 2015

business-executive-holding-paper-document-with-world-map
Danish company Novo Nordisk can be considered a key mover in the field of diabetes care. Nine decades after its foundation in 1923, the pharmaceutical firm now has production facilities in seven countries and affiliate offices in 75 countries.
The multinational company is best known not just for its 90-year success but more importantly for starting the production of insulin, a drug that changed millions of lives all over the world. It s no wonder many budding entrepreneurs want to discover their secret in building a successful business.
But in a series of conversations with Harvard Business Review, Novo Nordisk CEO Lars Sørensen pointed out that their success doesn t fully depend on robust business strategies. The high-performing businessman, who was also named world s top CEO of 2015, cites the following principles that drove him and Novo Nordisk to the legacy it has become today.

mature-businessman-shrugging-confused-pointing-hands

1. Diversification isn t always the answer.

In an industry that teaches us to not put all our money and resources in one basket, we ve become fanatics of diversification. But Sørensen stresses that the main ingredient of success is doing something you re good at. According to him, he and his team have attempted to explore other business areas including those very closely related to what they re currently doing. However, after they ve constructed the business plan for those ventures, it appeared they wouldn t be successful. Thus, they chose to narrow down their focus to what they do best.

2. Cater to all types of customers.

Novo Nordisk sells both generic and differentiated products. Sørensen says that developing a range of generic products allows them to reach out to market sectors who can t afford the advanced products that their other customers prefer. This way, they re keeping their reputation intact while reaching out to more consumers—a strategy that helped them build a successful business.

3. Think long-term.

Sørensen emphasizes that no legacy can be built without a solid business plan for sustainability. According to the pharmaceutical firm s CEO, developing new products and conducting research can take more than 20 years, so it s important for them to strengthen sustainability and invest in their future. If you re feeling pressured by shareholders to launch products with short-term value, focus instead on how your present actions can impact the longevity of your company.

businessman-in-suit-suitcase-standing-in-middle-of-forest-woods-trees

4. Each company has a social responsibility.

For Sørensen, corporate social responsibility “is nothing but maximizing the value of your company over a long period of time.” It s closely tied to sustainability. Every business must maximize the capacity of the company without creating social and environmental damage. Over time, these kinds of issues can translate into financial burdens and cause your entire firm to fail.

5. Love your employees.

Sørensen doesn t see himself as the “best-performing CEO in the world.” Using his own words, what he s doing is “leading a team that is collectively creating one of the world s best-performing companies.” This perspective allows him to focus more on building consensus and great relationships with the people he works with. For him, being a true leader isn t about taking all the credit, but recognizing everyone who worked hard toward success.

 

Faith is a digital media enthusiast aiming to become an active part of the tech world by sharing her insights. She likes to blog about everything digimarketing, technology, and social media.
Join us on facebook
Open Access BPO 6 days ago
The world is getting smaller, and your customers come from all corners of it!
Partnering with a culturally diverse #CallCenter team isn't just the right thing to do, it's a smart business move.

Learn about the key benefits in our blog:
https://buff.ly/360SqHP

----------
Want a high-value #CustomerExperience for your diverse audience?

Let our multicultural teams help your brand break into international markets without worries.

Contact us today: https://buff.ly/59i7YD6

#WeSpeakYourLanguage
#CX #diversity #inclusion
Open Access BPO 6 days ago
Open Access BPO is kicking off our Pride Week, a dedicated series of events celebrating #PrideMonth. This initiative underscores our commitment to fostering a workplace culture built on #inclusion and #diversity.

Throughout the week, we've planned a series of meaningful activities designed to celebrate the #LGBTQIA+ community. We believe that fostering an environment where every individual feels valued and empowered is crucial for our collective success.

Our dedication to creating a safe and equitable space extends beyond this week, reflecting our ongoing commitment to a more inclusive future for all.

#WeSpeakYourLanguage
#PrideMonth #Pride2025 #UnitedByLove
#OneWithDiversity #PrideMonth2025
Open Access BPO 6 days ago
Open Access BPO is kicking off our Pride Week, a dedicated series of events celebrating #PrideMonth. This initiative underscores our commitment to fostering a workplace culture built on #inclusion and #diversity.

Throughout the week, we've planned a series of meaningful activities designed to celebrate the #LGBTQIA+ community. We believe that fostering an environment where every individual feels valued and empowered is crucial for our collective success.

Our dedication to creating a safe and equitable space extends beyond this week, reflecting our ongoing commitment to a more inclusive future for all.

#WeSpeakYourLanguage
#PrideMonth #Pride2025 #UnitedByLove
#OneWithDiversity #PrideMonth2025
Open Access BPO 7 days ago
Open Access BPO conducted Plant It Forward, a two-part tree-planting initiative, held in Laguna and Davao in May and June 2025.

Volunteers from both activities planted 300 Philippine indigenous trees, which were selected to help maintain the biodiversity in the area.

“This program is more than just planting trees; it’s about cultivating a culture of social responsibility within our organization and demonstrating our commitment to the communities where we operate,” said Joy Sebastian, Global VP at Open Access BPO.

This is only the start. Open Access BPO vows to continue investing in such environmental projects, affirming its core value of creating positive impact.

Read more about the green initiative here: https://buff.ly/HjTlHZC

#WeSpeakYourLanguage
#OABPOPlantItForward
#OABPOcares #IdeaHubOABPO
Open Access BPO 7 days ago
𝐀𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐞 𝐭𝐨 #𝐂𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐭𝐫𝐚 𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐬.
This means transforming basic interactions into meaningful connections.

It's the secret to building strong customer loyalty and driving business success by making customers feel valued and understood.

Dive deeper into what makes a truly value-added #CX and how it can significantly boost #CustomerLoyalty and overall business success: https://buff.ly/8Wxb9gw

——————————
Ready to transform your customer experience? Don't settle for less; elevate your #CX by partnering with a #CallCenter that truly goes the extra mile 24/7.

Learn how our dedicated team can enhance your customer interactions and drive loyalty.
Take the first step towards superior CX today: https://buff.ly/L6dUG5E

#WeSpeakYourLanguage
#CustomerSupport #BPO
Open Access BPO 10 days ago
Reposted from @tdcxgroup

We’ve made yet another bold move.

Just last month, TDCX Group launched Chemin to help the world’s most ambitious companies realize their AI goals — faster, safer, and smarter.

To accelerate our ambition, the Group has acquired SUPA, a cutting-edge data annotation platform known for its agile, gig-powered model and elite talent network.

SUPA will now be part of Chemin, as we make moves to deepen our ability to support everything from training foundational models to safeguarding mission-critical AI systems.

“The future of customer experience is AI-powered, and AI itself runs on increasingly complex, curated data. SUPA brings us the right capabilities and talent frameworks to fuel that future. By embedding SUPA into Chemin, we’re doubling down on our ability to support enterprise and frontier AI labs with world-class data operations,” says Laurent Junique, CEO and Founder, TDCX Group.

As the demand for precision, scalability, and human-in-the-loop intelligence grows, we look forward to delivering the kind of nuanced data interpretation and domain expertise today’s frontier AI requires.

Slide into our inbox — we speak AI.

Tap the 'Press Release' link in our bio for more details.

#CX #Outsourcing #AI #EnabletheFuture