9. Mike Clasper

Individual personality is an important part of leadership, but it is most fruitful when it’s matched with shared principles. Call it the “me-plus-we” equation. That balance epitomizes the varied careers of Mike Clasper, who credits that formula to his 20-plus successful years with Procter & Gamble (P&G), despite being a non-American who never served time stateside in the organization.

The critical need for a marriage of vision and values became clear to Clasper when he was appointed Head of Global Homecare for P&G. All his prior experience had been in Europe. He assumed the global role, convinced of the need for a broad view of the business. These, he knew, may “not necessarily be the best decisions for the American homecare business if making that decision means that collectively our costs go up or a product development cycle time goes out.” It was “a really tough start,” he recalls. “Why should they listen to somebody who’s got this funny accent, from another part of the world?” But he says, “the great thing is that the P&G principles”—fundamentally, doing the best by the consumer and doing that the right way—“got us ....