Mikail Gorbachev was the leader of the Soviet Union from 1985 to 1991. He led reforms to open up and democratize the Soviet political and economic systems through policies of glasnost and perestroika. This resulted in greater political openness, nuclear disarmament agreements with the United States, and the ultimate collapse and dissolution of the Soviet Union. After leaving politics, Gorbachev founded several non-profit organizations focused on political research, sustainability, and human rights.

1. Mikail Gorbachev
Leadership Biography

2. Major accomplishments
• Reform of the Soviet agricultural economy
– improved worker conditions
• Reform of the Soviet political
– openness and transparency
• Achieved significant nuclear disarmament
– ended the Cold War
• Democratic and private ownership model in Russia
• Dismantled the soviet block
– independence in Warsaw pact states
• Has founded four global not for profit foundations
• Recorded a surprisingly good album of love songs

3. Early Life
Childhood punctuated by
• extensive famines
• Mixed Russian / Ukrainian Heritage
• Grandfathers being falsely imprisoned
• Education in Law and Economics
• Marriage to lifelong wife, Rasia, at 23
• By 35 has become the youngest provincial party chief
– significantly improved workers conditions
• Politburo position (1970s) - travelled abroad extensively
– Built influential alliances with European leaders
– Evolved in his political and social views

4. Political Life
Becomes Leader in 1985
• Glasnost and Perestroika
• The “January Proposal” for Nuclear disarmament
• Reykjavik summit with Regan
• Widespread famine and economic failures
– Ultimate collapse of the Soviet Union
• Democratisation of Russia
• Dismantling of the Soviet Union
– The ‘Sinatra Doctrine’

5. After Politics
• Raisa his wife of 45 years dies from Leukemia.
– RaisaFund – Leukemia Cancer Foundation
– Songs for Raisa, an album dedicated to his late
wife.
• Gorbachev foundation for Political research
• Green Cross International, a sustainability and
environmental foundation
• Earth Charter a foundation to promote human
rights.

6. Integration
• Childhood experiences of famine and persecution inspired his early
work in agricultural reforms and later agenda for political openness
• Build personal relationships  support for his radical reform and
nuclear disarmament agendas.
• Took his wife’s battle with leukaemia into the impetus for his first
foundation
• Used personal style and love of music to build trust, such as in the
“Sinatra Doctrine”.
• Practiced in sharing the credit.
– his apparatchik cohort
– Yeltsin was to be commended for
assuming the "difficult task of leading
the nation into the post-Soviet era”

7. Leadership Lessons
• Constantly try new things, and evolve your
ideas when experiments fail
• Draw from your personal experiences to build
a consensus around your vision
• Build a network of allies, even among those
with different agendas
• That throughout the phases of your life a
consistent vision can manifest in different
activities