What aspiring business leaders can learn from Zohran Mamdani's success

Business Insider

6 hours ago

Business leaders — regardless of their political persuasions — might learn something from presumptive New York City mayoral primary winner Zohran Mamdani.
As soon as the results began flooding in, political commentators rushed to voice their opinions about what Mamdani's likely victory could mean for New York City and the future of the Democratic party. But the state assemblyman's success provides clear takeaways for all sorts of leaders, regardless of industry or politics, experts told BI.
Lisa Friscia, a consultant and executive coach, told Business Insider that Mamdani's campaigning shows that leaders must find genuine ways to connect with people.
"Authenticity and connection aren't just nice-to-haves," she said. "That's what works."
Here are three major takeaways from his campaign:
Lean into your strengths
Mamdani's likely victory on Tuesday signaled that he had tapped into real frustrations — particularly among young people — over issues like housing affordability, said Jake Telkamp, an assistant professor at the Hull College of Business at Augusta University in Georgia.
Telkamp said the 33-year-old stuck relentlessly to his message and delivered it in a way that didn't feel canned.
At times, it was even humorous, he said.
For example, in January, Mamdani, dressed in a suit and tie, darted across the beach at Brooklyn's Coney Island and into the ocean to talk about his plans to freeze rents for rent-stabilized apartments in the city.
"That really helps get that message across in an entertaining way," Telkamp said. He said Mamdani's polar plunge on the topic of "freezing" helped him stand out in a crowded field of candidates.
Using humor in your messaging — and showing charisma — can be an effective strategy for keeping and maintaining attention, whether you're courting potential voters or customers, Telkamp said.
Yet, for all the appeal the former rapper's playful approach held for some voters, leaders need to consider what feels right for them so that the message comes across as genuine, he said.
"If it comes across as inauthentic, observers will likely be even more dismissive toward the leader," Telkamp said.
The prototypical big-company CEO with a staid demeanor who attempts to copy Mamdani's informal approach, for example, could risk looking unconvincing, Telkamp said.
"The authenticity part is something that leaders really need to be aware of," he said.
Show substance
Even as it was entertaining, the message from Coney Island still had meat, said Zeve Sanderson, executive director of the Center for Social Media and Politics at New York University.
So did a January video, Sanderson said, in which Mamdani spoke to food truck operators about what several described as an onerous process for getting an operating permit. In only a couple of minutes, Sanderson said, Mamdani managed to deliver an "incredibly substantive" message.
"He literally went through the city permitting process," Sanderson said. "That's hardly fascinating stuff for most voters."
Sanderson said this is a reminder that leaders can benefit from delving into the details of important issues and presenting them in a memorable way.
Friscia said that in the remarks she saw Mamdani make, he didn't appear to be speaking down to people and, instead, spoke with authority about the challenges they faced.
"He knew those pain points because he had been in those communities listening to people," she said.
Don't avoid tough conversations
Mamdani, a Democratic socialist, likely found success in part because he was willing to go to communities that might not appear to be receptive to progressive policies, Christina Greer, an associate professor of political science at Fordham University, told BI.
Sanderson also said Mamdani likely benefited from his decision to take on his critics head-on, particularly in the videos he posted on social media.
"Rather than avoiding them entirely or pretending like they didn't exist, he often directly engaged with them," Sanderson said.
Too often, Sanderson said, leaders can be reluctant to engage with the criticism they're facing, especially on social media.
"That's a really powerful thing for him to do," Sanderson said, adding that the strategy marks a shift from five to 10 years ago, when experts often advised political campaigns and companies to avoid such sparring.
Greer said leaders who are willing to leave "safe political spaces" to talk with those who might disagree with them can win over some skeptics, or at least earn their respect.
"Fortune favors the bold," she said.