Marcos Diehl

Marcos Diehl grew up on an Argentine dairy farm, hours from the nearest schools. And yet his parents set aside their farm work each school day to drive Diehl and his brother to get an education.

“We woke up at 5:00 a.m. because, if it was raining, the mud roads could be very slow,” says Diehl, who earned an industrial engineering degree from Instituto Technológico de Buenos Aires and worked as a consultant at Bain & Co. throughout South America. “Sometimes, we had to wait for other cars to pull us out if we got stuck. Sometimes, it took six hours to get to school, and then my parents returned to the farm to work for 10-12 hours. I could not be more grateful. Their first priority was to give us opportunities for the future.”

Why were your parents so dedicated to your education?

My grandparents and uncles were farmers. The only person who got a degree was my father, who is also a vet. He grew up in a humble home, but education was one of the pillars that gave them the kind of life they had.

You worked at Bain before coming to the GSB. What is your vision after you graduate?

I had three-and-a-half amazing years at Bain. The experience was incredibly enriching, but I was getting to a point where I was trying to understand my long-term impact and how I wanted to be remembered. That’s when I started thinking about an MBA. While I was at the university and working at Bain, I seldom went back to the farm. When I did, I felt this spark inside me. I want to inspire other generations, other families, and every single person who lives in rural Latin America to have this sense of possibility. I want to create an impact and bring more opportunities to that region. We know these sectors are part of our identity, but we’ve neglected technology because we haven’t prioritized it. We know it can have a tremendous impact.

Any examples of that impact?

We’ve seen huge successes in e-commerce, such as Mercado Libre, which is one of the largest employers in Latin America today. It was born here at the GSB. Also, Nubank, which today is one of the largest digital banks in the world. We’ve seen how technology has changed the lives of millions of people who now have more opportunities to sell or enter new markets. That’s why I think we need to bring the technology and create an impact so other entrepreneurs can build their businesses.

You’ve said that sports, particularly rugby, was a transformative experience when you were younger. What did you learn that serves you well in business?

A good extension of who I am is thanks to rugby. It’s very competitive, but it’s a more human-centered sport. No matter how aggressive you are on the field, after each game, there’s something called Third Time, where the teams have a meal together. Rugby was this shelter where I found brothers for a lifetime. Even now, when I go home, we have a barbecue and laugh for hours and talk about how our lives are going. This is something that will stick with me throughout my entire life. On the teamwork side, part of the spirit of rugby is that everyone works for everyone. I took that into my university and the rest of my life. Competition elevates us. If we can all compete with the same resources and same rules, it’s more fun, more challenging, and it improves the output.

You list coaching and development among your interests. Did you have a mentor who showed you how it should be done?

He’s a partner at Bain, who opened the Buenos Aires office. In the beginning, our relationship was more business-oriented, but we quickly created this friendship. We spent hours discussing our personal lives. He knows that behind every career is a person with dreams and ambitions. He’s always there to remind me I’m not just a career but a person. And because we tend to forget where we come from, he always reminds me of the effort my parents made and that, 20 years ago, I was in Navarro on the farm.

While earning your engineering degree, you worked with an organization trying to inspire students to connect and create high-impact ventures. Why did you make time for that volunteer work on top of your already busy schedule?

I helped plan a conference for 100 students and 30-40 speakers. The goal was to foster new ideas and to bring opportunities to people in Argentina. I often wonder why I take up so many things, but afterward, I reflect on the experiences and see the faces of the people and how happy and grateful they are. It’s worth every minute of the effort. I also know that great things can happen from these events. It was at one of these events that I met my wife. We have to be open to new things and embrace them.

You came to GSB to “learn to lead with humility and from the heart.” Why do you feel those attributes are important in a good leader?

It’s increasingly hard to find people with values that they show. You might find many people talking about values but not behaving consistently with them. One of the most important values is humility. It’s how I’ve lived my entire life. When you’re humble, it resonates. Not many people can be great leaders and be humble simultaneously because it’s difficult to remember your origins when you are getting great results. I’m at Stanford now, in the middle of one of the highest-impact ecosystems in the world. If you had asked me 10 years ago, I would have said this was a dream and something I could never achieve. But I challenged myself to achieve it, and humility and perseverance led the way.

Any particular classes or professors at GSB that you think will be especially useful?

Conversations in Management has been one of the best classes I’ve had at GSB. Professor Irv Grousbeck and instructor Tony Detter teach it. The course is focused on role-playing and the difficult conversations we might have as executives, employees, and stakeholders. Another great class is Product Launch, taught by Jonathan Levav. It addresses the question: “Is there a market for my product, and can I make money?” It’s wonderful how the two questions can answer any other concerns about starting a company. A third class is called Essentials of Strategic Communication with lecturers Matt Abrahams and Shawon Jackson. It focuses on the tools it takes to be a great communicator, which is one of the most powerful ways of impacting others and motivating people to join you.

What do you do outside of the GSB to relax?

I stopped playing rugby six years ago, but I started running and cycling. They keep me mentally healthy. I use the time to reflect and meditate and give structure to my life. I also love spending time with my wife and close friends. I enjoy hosting small dinners at our home. It’s an act of love and a way to show them I care. I want to make them feel welcome, and that energizes me.

Photos by Elena Zhukova