Leading With Strengths: Juan Carlos Pinzón, Former Colombian Minister of Defense

The Gallup Podcast will return in 2026. As we round out the year, we invite you to explore Leading With Strengths, a special series on global leadership. Through in-depth interviews, we uncover the decisions, mindsets and strengths that define exceptional leadership across industries and cultures.  

Juan Carlos Pinzón twice served as Colombia’s ambassador to the U.S., helping commemorate 200 years of diplomatic relations. From 2011 to 2015, he was Colombia’s youngest minister of defense, after serving as chief of staff to the president, vice minister of defense, and adviser at the World Bank, along with senior positions in banking and finance. Pinzón is a visiting professor at Princeton University.  

In this conversation, Gallup CEO Jon Clifton speaks with Pinzón regarding what history teaches us about leadership, why great leaders think beyond tomorrow’s headlines, how the emotions of a nation shape its destiny, and why understanding people’s pain is crucial.  

Discover more interviews at www.gallup.com/leading-with-strengths