She's The CEO Of A Fortune 500 Company, And She's Rethinking Leadership | TODAY (2023)

Introduction

Roz Brewer was recently named CEO of Walgreens Boots Alliance, becoming one of just two Black women leading Fortune 500 companies. She has an innovative approach to leadership, and the bottom line reveals she is good for business. In a TODAY exclusive, Hoda Kotb sat down with her.

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Video

To LEADERSHIP.

THE BOTTOM LINE REVEALS THAT BREWER IS ALSO VERY, GOOD, FOR, BUSINESS., >>, SOMETIMES, WE, USE, OUR, VOICES, BY, SAYING, WE, BELONG, HERE, GET, USED, TO, US., >>, Reporter:, AS, THE, LEADER, IN, HER, FIRST, COMPANY, SALES, GREW, TO, MORE, THAN, $1, BILLION., >>, IT, WAS, FORWARD, THINKING., >>, Reporter:, WHEN, ROZ, BREWER, TOOK, THE, REINS, AT, HER, NEXT, SAM’S, CLUB, SHE, MODERNIZED, THE, BUSINESS, AND, BOOSTED, PROFIT., THEN, SHE, STEPPED, IN, AS, COO, OF, STARBUCKS, AND, OVERHAULED, THE, WAY, THEY, TREAT, THEIR, CUSTOMERS., ALL, THAT, -- >>, BREWER, WILL, BE, HEADING, TO, WALGREENS, AND, WILL, BE, THE, CEO., >>, Reporter:, -- WAS, A, WARM-UP., YOU’RE, JOINING, WALGREEN’S, IN, THE, MIDDLE, OF, A, PANDEMIC., THAT, WAS, PRESSURE., IT, IS, NOT, AN, EASY, ENTRY., >>, NOT, AT, ALL., I, SAID, THIS, IS, A, TIME, FOR, ME, TO, STEP, INTO, SOMETHING, I’VE, ALWAYS, WANTED, TO, DO, AND, HAS, TO, HAVE, IMPACT, MAKE, CHANGE, HAPPEN, LEAD, SOMETHING, THAT, WOULD, LEAVE, AN, IMPRESSION, ON, PEOPLE’S, LIVES., AS, I’VE, SEEN, PEOPLE, YOU, KNOW, GET, THEIR, FIRST, SHOT, AND, THEY, LOOK, BACK, AT, OUR, PHARMACISTS, AND, THEY’RE, CRYING, AND, IN, TEARS, I, KNOW, I’VE, MADE, THE, RIGHT, DECISION., >>, Reporter:, AT, 59, ROZ, BREWER IS A WIFE, MOTHER OF TWO, AND NOW THE CEO, OF, THE, LARGEST, COMPANY, EVER, RUN, BY, A, BLACK, WOMAN., HAVE, YOU, EVER, BEEN, TOLD, THAT, YOU, ACTUALLY, HAVE, ADVANCED, BECAUSE, OF, YOUR, RACE?, >>, I, HAVE, HAD, SEVERAL, SIMILAR, KMEPTS, S, COMMENTS, TO, THAT, AS, IF, I’M, A, TOKEN., I’VE, HAD, THAT., I’VE, HAD, THE, COMMENTS, THAT, YOU, KNOW, YOU’RE, NOT, AS, SMART, AS, YOU, THINK, YOU, ARE., I’VE, HAD, A, LOT, OF, THOSE, HODA., I, REFER, OFTEN, TO, A, SITUATION, WHERE, I, WAS, AT, A, MEETING, JUST, FOR, CEOs., I, HAD, ONE, GENTLEMAN, ASK, ME, CONSTANTLY, WHAT, DID, I, DO, FOR, A, LIVING?, ALMOST, LIKE, WHY, ARE, YOU, HERE?, HE, MUST, HAVE, ASKED, ME, 20, QUESTIONS, LIKE, MARKETING, SALES?, IT, WAS, LIKE, NO., IT, WAS, SO, FUNNY., I, HAPPENED, TO, BE, THE, KEYNOTE, SPEAKER, FOR, THE, PRIVATE, LUNCH, CHON., AI, I, ASSUMED, MY, POSITION, ON, THE, STAGE, AND, I, SAW, HIS, FACE, TOTALLY, DRAIN., I, FEEL, AS, IF, I’M, GOING, TO, TEACH, A, COUPLE, LESSONS, THROUGH, THIS, AND, I, AM, GOING, TO, BE, MY, BEST., >>, Reporter:, THAT, DRIVE, WAS, INSTILLED, AT, AN, EARLY, AGE., BREWER, GREW, UP, IN, DETROIT, THE, YOUNGEST, OF, FIVE, KIDS., HER, PARENTS WORKED THE ASSEMBLY LINE AT GENERAL MOTORS.

YOUR PARENTS DIDN’T, GO, TO, COLLEGE, BUT, THEY, WANTED, TO, MAKE, SURE, THEIR, KIDS, DID., HOW, DID, THEY, MAKE, THAT, CLEAR, TO, YOU, THAT, THAT, WAS, THE, PLAN?, >>, ABSOLUTELY., IT, WAS, FROM, DAY, ONE., IT, WAS, NOT, -- THERE, WAS, NO, OTHER, OPTION., MY, DAD, WORKED, THREE, JOBS, BUT, FOR, EVERY, EVENT, THAT, I, HAD, IN, MY, LIFE, HE, WAS, ALWAYS, THERE., AND, I, REMEMBER, ONE, EVENT, WHERE, I, THOUGHT, I, WAS, GOING, TO, GET, YOU, KNOW, THE, GOLD, RIBBON, AND, I, ENDED, UP, GETTING, AN, HONORABLE, MENTION., I, REMEMBER, FEELING, GUILTY, BECAUSE, I, WAS, LIKE, HE, LEFT, WORK, EARLY, ONE, OF, THE, THREE, JOBS, AND, ALL, I, GOT, WAS, AN, HONORABLE, MENTION., IT, BROKE, MY, HEART, BUT, HE, WAS, SO, PROUD., >>, Reporter:, BREWER, STUDIED, CHEMISTRY, HERE, AT, THE, PRESTIGIOUS, SPELLMAN, COLLEGE, FORGING, A, LIFELONG, CONNECTION, TO, THE, INSTITUTION, AND, A, MISSION, TO, PAY, IT, FORWARD., SO, IT’S, YOUR, MOM, DAD, AND, SPELLMAN?, >>, ABSOLUTELY., MY, MOM, MY, DAD, AND, SPELLMAN, COLLEGE., >>, Reporter:, BREWER’S, FATHER, WHO, BEAMED, EVEN, AT, THE, HONORABLE, MENTION, WOULDN’T, LIVE, TO, SEE, HIS, DAUGHTER, EARN, THAT, DIPLOMA., HE, DIED, SIX, WEEKS, BEFORE, GRADUATION., HOW, OFTEN DO YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT HE WOULD BE THINKING OF, YOU, LIKE, IN, THIS, MOMENT, MAYBE?, >>, OH, MY, GOD., I, CLEARLY, KNOW, HE, WOULD, BE, QUITE, EXCITED., HE, WOULD, BE., I, THINK, ABOUT, THAT, A, LOT., IN, THE, FACE, OF, DAUNTING, ODDS, SPELMAN, WOMEN, PERSEVERE., >>, Reporter:, THE, FIRST, BLACK, WOMAN, IS, A, PHRASE, THAT, MOST, OFTEN, PRECEDES, HER, NAME, BUT, FOR, BREWER, THAT, JUST, MEANS, SHE, HAS, MORE, WORK, TO, DO., IN, 2018, A, STARBUCKS, MANAGER, CALLED, THE, POLICE, AFTER, TWO, BLACK, MALES, SAT, WITHOUT, ORDERING., BREWER, THE, COMPANY’S, COO, SPRANG, INTO, ACTION., YOU, DOVE, INTO, THAT, ONE, HEAD, FIRST, BECAUSE, TO, YOU, IT, WAS, PERSONAL., >>, IT, WAS, VERY, PERSONAL., I, SAW, THESE, TWO, YOUNG, MEN, AND, WHAT, REALLY, STRUCK, ME, WAS, THEY, WERE, THE, SAME, EXACT, AGE, AS, MY, SON, JOHN., THIS, COULD, HAVE, HAPPENED, TO, HIM., >>, Reporter:, WOW., WHAT’D, YOUR, SON, SAY?, >>, WELL, HE, TEXT, ME, RIGHT, AWAY, BECAUSE, YOU, KNOW, THIS, HIT, BLACK, SOCIAL, MEDIA, BEFORE, IT, HIT, ANYWHERE, ELSE., HE, TEXT, ME, AND, SAID, "MOM, YOU, HAVE, TO, GET, AFTER, THIS, RIGHT, AWAY.", >>, WE, HAD, A, VERY, CONSTRUCTIVE, MEETING., >>, Reporter:, STARBUCKS, DID, SOMETHING, YOU, DON’T, HEAR, VERY, OFTEN.

THEY SAID THEY WERE SORRY.

WITHIN A MONTH, CLOSED 8,000, STORES, FOR, RACIAL, BIAS, TRAINING., WHAT, MIGHT, HAVE, BEEN, A, PUBLIC, RELATIONS, DISASTER, BECAME, BREWER’S, TRIUMPH., DOES, SEEM, LIKE, YOU, WERE, PUT, IN, THESE, POSITIONS, AND, SITUATIONS, AND, DO, YOU, BELIEVE, THAT, THERE, IS, SOME, DIVINITY, HERE?, >>, YOU, KNOW, I, DO, THINK, IT, IS., BECAUSE, I’M, NOT, ON, THAT, MISSION, YOU, KNOW?, I’M, SOMEBODY’S, MOM, SOMEBODY’S, WIFE, AND, I’M, SOMEBODY’S, LEADER, BUT, I’M, NOT, THAT, ACTIVIST., I, FEEL, LIKE, THIS, IS, DIVINE, ORDER., THE, WORLD, IS, BEFORE, YOU, AND, YOU, NEED, NOT, TAKE, IT, OR, LEAVE, IT, AS, IT, IS., MAKE, IT, DIFFERENT, FROM, WHEN, YOU, CAME, IN., THAT, IS, MY, GUIDING, COMPASS., >>, Reporter:, TO, THAT, END, WHEN, WILL, SHE, FEEL, HER, WORK, IS, DONE?, >>, LIKELY, NEVER., LIKELY, NEVER., YOU, KNOW, I, SEE, SO, MANY, ILLS, THAT, STILL, YOU, KNOW, NEED, ENERGY, AND, NEED, A, VOICE, AND, I, HOPE, THAT, I, CAN, STILL, BE, THAT, PERSON, TO, MAKE, CHANGE, HAPPEN., I, REALLY, HOPE, SO., >>, WOW., >>, I, MEAN, WEIRDLY, IF, I, WASN’T, WORKING, HERE, I, KIND, OF, WANTED, TO, WORK, AT, WALGREENS., >>, FOR, ROZ, BREWER., >>, I, LOVED, HER, WHOLE, VIBE., SHE, STARTED, AS A SCIENTIST.

I SAID, HOW DOES SCIENCE AND, BUSINESS, WORK?, SHE, SAID, IN, SCIENCE, YOU, ANALYZE, DATA, AND, YOU, MAKE, QUICK, DECISIONS., SO, SHE, LEARNED, THAT, DECISION-MAKING., THE, OTHER, COOL, THING, SHE, SAID, IS, WHEN, SHE, HIRES, PEOPLE, SHE, ASKS, A, QUESTION., YOU’RE, AT, YOUR, KID’S, SOCCER, GAME, AND, I, CALL, YOU, WHAT, DO, YOU, SAY., THEY, SAY, I, PUT, THE, PHONE, DOWN, AND, RUN, TO, YOU., SHE, SAID, NO, NO., A, HAPPY, EMPLOYEE, IS, THE, PRODUCTIVE, ONE., SHE, SAID, YOU, SAY, "I’LL, CALL, YOU, IN, 30, MINUTES,", AND, I’M, GOOD, WITH, THAT., MY, DAUGHTER, WON, TRACK, REGIONALS, ON, FRIDAY, AND, MONDAY, I, HAD, A, SKIP, IN, MY, STEP., I, WANT, HAPPY, PEOPLE, WORKING, HERE., I, WAS, LIKE, THAT, IS, AWESOME., >>, ROZ, BREWER., >>, I, HOPE, OUR, BOSSES, ARE, LISTENING., >>, ROZ, BREWER, THAT, WAS, GREAT., >>, WE, HAVE, MORE, ON, THAT, IF, YOU, WANT, TO, SEE, MORE., OUR, FULL, INTERVIEW, IS, AT, TODAY.COM/ALLDAY., IT’LL, BE, AT, 11:00, AND, 8:00, EASTERN., >>, SHE, USED, HER, SCIENCE, BACKGROUND, AT, WALGREENS, DURING, THE, PANDEMIC, IN, A, WAY, SHE, COULDN’T, AT, STARBUCKS., >>, I, THINK, SHE, HAD, AN, AWARENESS, THAT, ANOTHER, CEO, WOULDN’T, HAVE.