Leadership under pressure: Mauricio Macri at Bologna Business School on responsibility, teams, and justice
20 January 2026Mauricio Macri, former President of Argentina and former President of Boca Juniors, returned to Bologna Business School to speak about pressure—the kind that distorts our perception of time, multiplies variables, and forces decisions when information is incomplete and the margin for error is high.
The Leadership Talk with students from the Global MBA and the Professional Master in Business Management unfolded as a personal and professional narrative, far removed from abstract formulas. Macri built a story shaped by uncertainty and responsibility—conditions well known to anyone who leads organizations, institutions, or communities. In this scenario, leadership does not mean total control, but rather the ability to decide even when the risk of error is significant.
Doing what is right, not what is convenient
One of the central points of the talk concerned the spirit of leadership. Macri clearly highlighted the difference between what is right and what is convenient, stressing that authentic leadership is measured precisely when these two dimensions do not align. Convenience may offer quick solutions, immediate consensus, or personal protection. Doing what is right, instead, often requires exposure, consistency, and the ability to stand by unpopular decisions.
Within this fragile balance, ego represents one of the greatest pitfalls. When it takes over, the leader risks losing a sense of collective responsibility, confusing the role with personal interest. Justice, by contrast, requires detachment, clarity, and the ability to assess the long-term consequences of one’s decisions.
Leadership and teamwork: extending vision beyond individual limits
Another key theme addressed during the talk was the role of the team. According to Macri, an individual can see only as far as their immediate capabilities allow. This is why a leader must “add arms to their own”: building teams that expand vision, challenge assumptions, and support complex decisions.
From this perspective, leadership is never a solitary exercise. The quality of decisions depends on the quality of the people who stand alongside the leader: diverse skills, different viewpoints, the ability to operate under pressure, and a willingness to engage in open confrontation. Creating an environment where dissent is possible and dialogue is real becomes a core leadership responsibility.
Capability and humanity: the weight of decisions
Macri also reflected on the scale of decisions—from the individual to the collective, from the city to the nation. Leadership involves technical competence and strategic ability, but also a deeply human dimension. Every choice produces concrete effects on people, organizations, and broader contexts.
Keeping ego under control, in this sense, becomes a necessary condition for balanced decision-making. It means listening, accepting challenge, and recognizing that a leader’s role is not to always be right, but to create the conditions for decisions to emerge from a solid and responsible process.
An open reflection on contemporary leadership
The meeting with Mauricio Macri offered BBS students a reflection on leadership as a daily practice—made of difficult choices, responsibility, and attention to people. A dialogue that resonates with the School’s educational paths, aimed at developing leaders capable of acting in complex, international, and constantly evolving contexts.
