“LEAD FROM THE BACK,” Nelson Mandela famously said, “and let
others believe they are in front.” In a year dominated by political
chaos and bluster, it was a rare brand of steady—even quiet—
leadership that won the day in the business world. And no one
epitomizes that brand of obsessively results-driven, team-based
leadership more than our new No. 1 (turn the page to find out
more). To create our annual list, we first screen for results, look-
ing at 10 financial factors ranging from total return to shareholders to return on capital.Then we search for the standouts. The leaders who tackled audacious goals, overcame
impossible odds, found creative solutions. Read on for how they—and their companies—
thrived in 2019. You just might learn something about tackling a challenge of your own.