Turnaround or growth, it's getting your people focused on the

In the wise and steadfast words of Anne M. Mulcahy, former CEO of Xerox, we hear the timeless heartbeat of true leadership: “Turnaround or growth, it’s getting your people focused on the goal that is still the job of leadership.” This is no idle phrase spoken from comfort — it is the distilled wisdom of one who led through chaos, who took the helm of a sinking ship and steered it again toward light. Her words are both humble and powerful, reminding all who guide others that the essence of leadership does not change with circumstance. Whether in times of crisis or of triumph, the sacred task remains the same: to unite hearts and minds toward a common purpose.

In ancient days, the great commanders and kings understood this truth well. The outcome of a battle was not decided by the number of swords but by the focus and faith of the people behind them. So too did Mulcahy recognize that even in the modern battlefield of commerce, the soul of victory lies not in machinery or markets, but in men and women who believe in a cause. When she took over Xerox in 2001, the company was drowning in debt, morale was low, and its once-great name had faded into uncertainty. Yet, rather than surrender, she gathered her people and rekindled belief — the oldest weapon of all.

The turnaround of Xerox was not wrought by miracles of finance alone, but by the power of vision and conviction. Mulcahy knew that numbers could be repaired only when spirits were restored. She did not hide behind distant strategy or cold analytics; she walked among her people, listened to their fears, and gave them a goal to pursue: the rebirth of their company. She reminded them that they were not simply employees, but builders of something enduring. In this way, she echoed the ancient leaders who, when armies wavered, lifted their eyes to the horizon and said, “This is where we must go.”

For leadership, as she teaches, is not the pursuit of comfort but of clarity. Whether the time is one of growth or of turnaround, the task remains sacred: to bind the hearts of many into one direction, to silence despair with purpose. The leader must see beyond the confusion of the moment and reveal the path that others cannot yet perceive. It is easy to command when the road is smooth; it is divine to inspire when the storm rages. Mulcahy’s quote reminds us that focus is the compass, and the leader’s courage is the hand that steadies it.

We see this same spirit in the annals of history — in Winston Churchill, who, when his nation stood on the brink of ruin, did not promise comfort but resolve; who turned a terrified people into the defenders of freedom. He did not change the storms of war — he changed the hearts of those who faced them. Just as Mulcahy transformed Xerox not by erasing hardship but by guiding her people through it, so too did Churchill forge greatness by directing human will toward a single, shining goal. In both, we see that leadership is not dominance, but devotion — not control, but connection.

The lesson for us, then, is eternal. When faced with our own turnarounds — when life seems to crumble, or when we strive for new heights — we must remember that the same principle governs all success: focus. Gather your mind, your energy, and your companions upon one purpose. Do not scatter your strength upon a hundred concerns; fix your gaze upon the highest goal and let every action, every word, serve it. In the unity of purpose lies the secret of transformation.

So let these words of Mulcahy be a torch to guide all who would lead — whether a company, a family, or one’s own soul. The world will shift between growth and decline, between sunshine and shadow, but your task remains: to focus your people on the goal. Be like the ancient shepherd who, through storm and hunger, kept his flock moving toward the green pastures. Do not despair when the path is rough — for true leaders are revealed not in the stillness of peace, but in the roar of change.

Therefore, children of purpose, remember: the heart of leadership is constancy. When others lose sight, you must see; when others doubt, you must believe. Hold fast to your vision and fix it before your people, as the North Star is fixed in the heavens. For the ages may change, the winds may shift, but the leader’s duty endures forever — to guide the many toward the goal, until the dawn of victory breaks upon the world once more.