Alok Maskara on CEO skills
From The Art of Reinvention: The Life Cycle of a CEO with Alok Maskara · · Spencer Stuart
“I think first of all got to be have the vision. So I think the vision is very important. I think some part of that comes down to is you're not born with the vision. You're not going to come to the job and day one have a vision because that'll be wrong. But the ability to drive that vision is the first one. Right. Second thing I would say is taking the team along with that vision. Taking the team along with that vision. So building a good team, being a good leader, having followership. So that's the second one. Third, willingness to take risk. You have to be willingness to take risk. You're never going to have 100% confidence in any decision you make. Actually, if you have 80% confidence, you're still doing very good. But you have to be willing to take the risk, right? And make sure your team knows that it's okay to fail if you take a risk. It's okay to fail. Like don't do stupid stuff, but it's okay to fail.”
On , Alok Maskara, Chief Executive Officer, President & Director at Lennox International, spoke about CEO skills during The Art of Reinvention: The Life Cycle of a CEO with Alok Maskara on Spencer Stuart.
About Alok Maskara
Alok Maskara, CEO of Lennox, has discussed the company's efforts to navigate tariff-related cost pressures and operational challenges. During earnings calls in 2025 and early 2026, Maskara described implementing multiple price increases to offset direct and indirect tariff impacts, with total cost inflation initially projected at 9% before later estimates were revised lower. He noted that approximately 90% of Lennox's cost structure is in North America, with about 10% facing direct tariff exposure. Maskara also addressed the company's inventory buildup during the R-454B refrigerant transition, stating that the company prioritized product availability for dealers despite higher inventory levels, and expressed confidence in drawing down inventory over time. Maskara has emphasized a focus on customer experience and operational improvements. He recounted an instance where he visited a distribution center that appeared empty despite computer systems showing good inventory, illustrating his view that data must reflect actual customer conditions. Under his leadership, Lennox reported achieving full-year margins above 20% for the first time in company history in 2025. Maskara also highlighted partnerships with Samsung and Ariston to expand product offerings, and noted that the company has repurchased $300 million in shares and increased its quarterly dividend by approximately 15%. He stated that Lennox's markets benefit from strong replacement fundamentals and that the company remains prepared for potential economic slowdowns.