Seeing the Big Picture and Aligning on a Vision
This week’s guest has taken the career path less traveled. From the vibrant streets of Singapore to the exciting and fast-paced rodeo venues across the United States, George Taylor has left each place better than he’s found it. Growing up in Morton, IL, George’s father instilled in him to always work hard and treat people with respect — which has served as the foundation for his remarkable journey.
In this episode, George divulges his recipe for being an effective leader. Or as he calls it, “the four P’s.” For him, it’s all about the People, the Purpose, being Positive and being Present — a philosophy that’s produced a storybook career. From IBM to Caterpillar to the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, it’s always been about the people and the big picture. Tune in to hear more about the fascinating life and career of George Taylor.
“Make sure whatever you do, you do something you love, in a place you love, with people you love.”
George Taylor
About George Taylor
George graduated from Illinois State with a degree in Computer Science before starting his career at IBM in 1985. In 1999, he obtained his MBA from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. After a 14-year stint at IBM, George took his talents to Caterpillar where he would thrive for the next 20 years — working his way up to VP of the Marketing & Digital Division and being named the first-ever Chief Marketing Officer. His career at Caterpillar was defined by monumental growth through digital transformation and improved customer experiences.
After retiring from Caterpillar, he was in search of a new challenge. An avid sports and entertainment fan, he knew he wanted to do something in that realm. Just weeks later, he received the unlikeliest of offers: CEO of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. George didn’t know much about the rodeo at the time but had mastered the business world — and “the four P’s” — so he accepted the offer and got to work growing the sport through the digital world. After nearly 4 years with the Rodeo Association, George hung up his cowboy hat to spend more time with his family. And we can’t wait to see what he does next.