Former CEO of Newell Brands Michael Polk, an industry leader with a career spanning over 40 years, has transformed companies like Kraft Foods and Unilever through a unique leadership approach rooted in personal growth, hands-on involvement, and adaptability. His engineering background and practical experience working at a Procter & Gamble factory set him up for success, but that’s just one part of his story.
How a CEO spends their free time has a tremendous impact on who they are as a person and, by extension, the type of leader they are at work. Michael Polk believes hobbies have an underappreciated influence on leaders’ abilities. He shares how personal passions can shape professional success.
From Hobbies to Leadership Philosophy
Polk’s upbringing in an immigrant family with a rich cultural background played a crucial role in developing his independent spirit and intellectual curiosity. Growing up with a love for sports, arts, and the natural sciences, Michael Polk often found himself immersed in activities that required discipline, teamwork, and creativity.
“I really loved the natural sciences and had built my own weather station at home to track the weather and the storms that often hit the southern Connecticut coast,” Polk says. His early fascination with problem-solving and analytical thinking eventually translated into his approach to leadership—one that balances precision with a human touch.
Polk’s time at Cornell University reinforced his love not just for academic pursuits, but also for connecting with others. While pursuing a degree in Operations Research & Industrial Engineering, Polk didn’t limit himself to academics. He played intramural sports, performed with the Glee Club, and even joined an a cappella group called The Hangovers. “These experiences were transformative,” Polk noted. “They taught me the importance of collaboration, resilience, and enjoying the journey,” he says.
Newell Brands’ Michael Polk on The Role of Personal Growth in Leadership
Hobbies are one of the best ways to improve skills passively. While not all skills will translate directly into corporate leadership, Polk’s background playing sports like hockey shows how important it is to learn how to collaborate on a team.
Polk sees leadership as a continuous learning journey. “I’ve grown through all of my different experiences in my career, and I probably have the most fulfilling experiences when I’m on a learning curve,” he says. From managing complex integrations at Unilever to restructuring Newell Brands into a streamlined operating company, Polk thrives on challenges that push him out of his comfort zone.
Not all leaders appreciate going outside their comfort zones, but Michael Polk enjoys it. He appreciates opportunities to connect with others and pursue new, thrilling challenges. “The satisfaction factor for me has always been more about my personal growth and the relationships I’ve built through the experiences I was having than necessarily perks in the financial sense,” Polk says. This perspective might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but Polk believes it’s the driving factor behind his impressive corporate turnarounds—and it’s all fueled by his love of group hobbies.
Authentic Connections and Community-Building
Even CEOs like Michael Polk need to understand how to lead, speak with others, and build connections. In today’s fast-paced corporate environment, accessibility and authenticity are critical traits for leaders. “If you want to engender followership, which I think is super important to get things done, then you have to make yourself maybe a little bit more vulnerable and accessible,” Polk says. This openness, whether demonstrated in board meetings or employee town halls, fosters trust and collaboration. Polk’s ability to connect with people at all levels of an organization mirrors the camaraderie he experienced in his hobbies. Whether strategizing with his team or engaging in transformational leadership, he ensures that everyone feels valued and aligned with the company’s vision.
When Hobbies Inspire Leadership Excellence
For Michael Polk, hobbies are more than just leisure activities—they’re foundational to his leadership style. From his days as a young engineer to his current role at Implus, Polk has consistently drawn on the lessons learned from his personal passions to inspire and lead teams. “You have to bring the organization with you. You’re never going to do it on your own,” he says.
Great leaders aren’t born in boardrooms; they’re shaped by the careful interplay of their personal and professional lives. Leaders eager for a leg up on the competition could benefit from focusing less on profit and loss statements and more on pursuing their passions.
