"The mutually respectful relationship I’ve had with working people over the years is not a result of my being a highly skilled speaker—since I don’t believe that I am—it has come rather because our interactions were always unvarnished, honest, and direct."

     ''I can only hope that the unbroken line of individuals that have carried the torch of the principles forward year after year will continue indefinitely."

     "A political leader who openly wages war on the media poses a serious risk to culture and society, one that cannot be ignored. "

     "I have spent the last twenty years assessing senior executives across a wide variety of industries and, in my experience, great leadership can only be achieved when intelligence is complemented by strong interpersonal skills, drive, integrity, and the ability to define and articulate a compelling vision for the organization."

     "The simple rule is always to find the best person or people in central fields and support them in the most flexible manner possible. Let them come together and do what they do. Avoid imposing artificial goals, boundaries, and schedules. Eliminate, as much as possible, the complications and bureaucratic entanglement of review committees. Don’t be afraid to engage someone who is, or who might be, smarter than you. Give them the work they most want to do and let them do it."

Pehr Gyllenhammar, is mainly known for his 24 years as CEO and chairman of Volvo, between 1970 and 1994.In the early 1980s he took the initiative for the European Round Table of Industrialists. (ERT)