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Derek Chollet:

Hi, I'm Derek Chollet, head of the JPMorgan Chase Center for Geopolitics. Thanks for joining us for another installment of If You Could Only Choose One, where I sit down with business leaders, political leaders, and thought leaders to talk about today's world, the challenges we face, and lessons for leadership. Today I'm honored to sit down with Mike Pompeo, the former U.S. Secretary of State and CIA Director. I hope you enjoy. Secretary Pompeo, great to see you. Thanks for being with us. It's great to be with you. So what is the geopolitical issue that to your mind will define the next decade?

Mike Pompeo:

So this big challenge for probably the next decade, probably beyond as well, is the challenge presented by the Chinese Communist Party under the leadership of Xi Jinping. They want to run the world their way. That ought to be unacceptable to all of us who believe in basic human rights, Western civilization, all the things that have been the hallmark of America's 250 years. And so they want to upend that, and we can't permit that to happen.

Derek Chollet:

What is the moment in history that changed everything?

Mike Pompeo:

Look, as a Christian, it's the birth of Jesus.

Derek Chollet:

Pretty big moment.

Mike Pompeo:

Pretty big moment. And then maybe when we celebrate Easter as well. So if you think of the institutions that arose out of World War II in the aftermath, the total victory that was achieved there, when again it was this moment we were struggling to figure out what the world would look like and what set of rules would operate to deliver basic food, sustenance, core human rights to billions of people, the men and women who sacrificed their lives during World War II, and then those who structured that post-World War II order did an enormous good for humankind.

Derek Chollet:

Well said. What is the piece of career advice you were given along the way that has stuck with you?

Mike Pompeo:

Oh my gosh, so many. Look, I've had some fantastic leaders that I've worked for, mentors. I've had some bad ones too. I learned from them as well.

Derek Chollet:

Exactly, exactly.

Mike Pompeo:

You know, really two things. One, this kind of came from my parents as well. I have seen successful lazy people, but not very many. So in the end, persistence and the capacity to really work hard against the problem set that you defined for yourself, the things you want to achieve, has always been the thing that I thought, you know, if I'm looking for someone, I wanted them to have integrity and corset as skills, but I'm looking for someone who's going to go run over. The other one was when I was a young lieutenant, brand new in the army, I had a platoon sergeant named Sergeant First Class Pretree, old codger, I say old, he's not, he was in his 40s, now I'm 60, he seems like a young man. But when I was 21, he seemed like a curmudgeon. And I showed up, he was my platoon sergeant, he said, "You know, Lieutenant," he saluted, I was the senior officer, he said, "You know, Lieutenant, you'll do really well if you'll just shut up for a while." And he was both right about that in the moment, but I really think from a leadership perspective, what he was saying is, "Listen, right, do spend a lot of your time listening and learning and absorb. You built the team, listen to the things that they have. You, in the end, you own it, you have the authority and the responsibility, accountability goes with that. But if you'll spend a little less time, you know, emitting and a little more time in receive mode, I think that has served me well.

Derek Chollet:

Good advice. So when we look out at the world, there's a lot of turmoil and it's easy just to focus on the downsides and the risks. But what's the thing out there that gives you hope?

Mike Pompeo:

You know when I get hope, we were just talking about this a little bit before, when I get a chance to go back and be out of the bubbles, whether it's in New York or Washington or wherever, and go back with folks who are living their lives, trying to make sure their kids and their grandkids all get to school and have the opportunity to work and all of those things. And they're in their church lives, their synagogues, wherever they have their faith. Those are the things that give me hope. I still see those basic things that make America so unique. Right? Somebody's going to go cook the chili dinner for the church cook-off or give a couple hundred bucks to the little league team so they can have new uniforms. Those foundational institutions that have served our country so well, they're still pretty damn robust. And so all the noise, all the politics that we see on our TVs every day, you know, most of they just get up and go to work and do what's right for their families. That's what reminds me that we're in a pretty good place in America. We're going to be just fine. If we can get the senior leaders to sort of figure this all out and stop shouting and start talking, I'm pretty confident we'll have another 250 great years.

Derek Chollet:

Great. Well, Secretary Pompeo, thanks for your time.

Mike Pompeo:

Thank you very much.

Derek Chollet:

It was wonderful to be with you.

Mike Pompeo:

Thank you.

END

[gentle music]

Derek Chollet:

Hi, my name is Derek Chollet, head of the �鶹��Ƶ Center for Geopolitics, and welcome back to the series "If You Can Only Choose One: Small Talks on Big Subjects," where I ask prominent business leaders, political leaders, and thought leaders for quick advice on navigating global challenges and leading in complex times. Secretary Rice, thanks for being with us.

Condoleezza Rice:

Pleasure to be with you.

Derek Chollet:

If you could only choose one, what is the geopolitical issue that will define the next decade?

Condoleezza Rice:

The geopolitical issue that will define the next decade is the role of the United States of America and whether we remain fully engaged, whether we are willing to defend our values and our interests, and whether we understand that we have allies who need us.

Derek Chollet:

What is the one moment in history that changed everything?

Condoleezza Rice:

The moment in history that changed everything was the American Revolution. No one had ever thought that self-governance in the way that they conceived of it at the end of the 18th century was possible.

Derek Chollet:

What is the one piece of advice that you've been given that has stuck with you throughout your career?

Condoleezza Rice:

Throughout my career, I've been told to not be afraid to try things that are hard, to keep challenging myself, and even at my advanced age, I keep trying to find challenges.

Derek Chollet:

What is the one attribute that all good leaders have?

Condoleezza Rice:

Every good leader has to have integrity, because trust, as my good friend George Schultz once said, is the coin of the realm. Without trust, nothing is going to happen.

Derek Chollet:

What is the one thing that gives you hope?

Condoleezza Rice:

I'm hopeful because I get up every morning and teach at a university. And I get to teach these young people. They are the most public-minded generation that I've ever taught. They are going to change the world. We may have to slow them down a little bit, but young people, they give me hope.

Derek Chollet:

Secretary Rice, thanks for being with us.

Condoleezza Rice:

Pleasure to be with you.

END

[soft music]

Derek Chollet:

Hi, I'm Derek Chollet, Head of the �鶹��Ƶ Center for Geopolitics, and this is part of a new series called "If You Could Only Choose One," where I will be sitting down with business leaders, political leaders, and thought leaders to talk about today's world, the challenges we face, and lessons for leadership. I hope you'll enjoy it. Mr. Prime Minister, Matteo, thanks for being here.

Matteo Renzi:

It's a pleasure.

Derek Chollet:

What is the geopolitical issue that will define the next decade?

Matteo Renzi:

You can say artificial intelligence. You can say energy. You can say defense. I think the most important thing is education, because in the time of—in this crazy time, I believe the most important thing in geopolitics will be education.

Derek Chollet:

What is the moment in history that changed everything?

Matteo Renzi:

So, my opinion is very simple. In every time of the history, great things changed everything. This is a time of change, as always.

Derek Chollet:

You're still a young man, but you've lived a—

Matteo Renzi:

I was.

Derek Chollet:

—very long, professional life. And what is a piece of advice that has stuck with you throughout your career?

Matteo Renzi:

I'm 50 now. I was the youngest prime minister in the Italian history. I was the youngest president of European Council. I was the youngest mayor of the most beautiful city, in Florence. So, I was a lot of things. But in my career, the most important experience now is to be wise, prudent... No, it's not that. My suggestion to the young people is risk. Because a lot of people think, "Ah, if you don't risk, maybe you continue to be now prime minister." Yes, maybe it's true. But if I don't risk in my life, I didn't risk, I cannot became prime minister, mayor, etc. So, my suggestion is the most important thing, we have to decide when is the right time to risk. It's not easy, but it's great. And don't concern about the risks. Risk is a part of the life.

Derek Chollet:

And what is the attribute of leadership that you think is the most important?

Matteo Renzi:

Today I think the most important issues crucial for the leaders are three. The first is vision, because without vision, you can have a lot of money, you can have everything, power, but without vision, you're not a leader. The second is time. Too much leaders, particularly in Europe, risk to lose the chair, the job, because they haven't the time to organize. Vision, time... And the third is the human intelligence. We have a lot of people think about artificial intelligence and we discussed about artificial intelligence, but I think there is also a human intelligence, which is with the opposite of natural stupidity. Populism is the natural stupidity. I think we have human intelligence as the key point for a leader.

Derek Chollet:

And we live in a very complicated world with a lot of uncertainty. What gives you hope for the future?

Matteo Renzi:

I believe in the future. I think the future is the better place we have. If I look about the last 10 years when I was Prime Minister, I came here in Paris twice for two terrible attacks of terrorists. Now the terrorism is not so worried as today, as 10 years ago. I think artificial intelligence and innovation could help us to discover the possibility to fix a lot of things, particularly in healthcare, but also in bureaucracy, in productivity. So, I believe the innovation is good and the future will be better. Of course. It's not easy because a lot of politicians used to use the future as a threat. This is particularly true for populists. They think, "Oh, dark times will wait for us." I don't think that. I think that is a good time, but we have to believe in ourselves. And that is also the message I want to leave, particularly to young leaders.

Derek Chollet:

Mr. Prime Minister, Matteo, thanks for your time.

Matteo Renzi:

Thank you.

END

00:00:04:10 - 00:00:05:19

Hi, I'm Derek Chollet,

00:00:05:19 - 00:00:09:18

head of the �鶹��Ƶ Center

for Geopolitics.

00:00:09:18 - 00:00:13:05

And this is part of a new series called

if You Could Only Choose One...

00:00:13:05 - 00:00:16:19

Where I'll be sitting down

with business leaders, political leaders,

00:00:16:19 - 00:00:19:16

and thought leaders to talk about

today's world,

00:00:19:16 - 00:00:23:02

the challenges

we face and lessons for leadership.

00:00:23:02 - 00:00:25:06

I hope you all enjoy it.

00:00:32:11 - 00:00:33:08

Prime Minister Blair.

00:00:33:08 - 00:00:35:11

Thanks for joining us. Great to see you.

00:00:35:11 - 00:00:40:10

What is the one geopolitical issue that

you think will define the next decade?

00:00:40:10 - 00:00:44:09

Whether the West can get

its mojo back, whether America, Europe,

00:00:44:09 - 00:00:47:13

the traditional allies

come together again in unison.

00:00:47:13 - 00:00:51:16

What is the moment in history

that changed everything?

00:00:51:16 - 00:00:54:01

Well, there are many moments,

but I think most recently

00:00:54:01 - 00:00:56:02

the development of artificial intelligence

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and the ensuing technology revolution,

which will change everything.

00:00:59:20 - 00:01:03:13

What is the one piece of advice

that you have been given

00:01:03:13 - 00:01:06:22

that stuck

with you throughout your career?

00:01:06:22 - 00:01:08:09

Be true to what you believe in

00:01:08:09 - 00:01:11:07

because it may help you succeed or not,

00:01:11:07 - 00:01:14:09

but at least

you feel better about yourself.

00:01:14:09 - 00:01:17:04

What is the one attribute

that all good leaders have?

00:01:17:04 - 00:01:18:09

Clarity of direction.

00:01:18:09 - 00:01:20:01

They know where they're going.

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And what is it about the world today

that gives you hope?

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That basically, wherever you go

in the world, people want the same things.

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They want to be able to live in peace

and prosperity.

00:01:29:09 - 00:01:31:08

They want to know if they work hard,

they can do well

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and they want a government

underneath them, not on top of them.

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And that's the unifying theme right

across the world.

00:01:38:15 - 00:01:41:01

Mr. Prime Minister, thanks for joining us.

00:01:41:01 - 00:01:41:22

Thank you.