Patti Poppe
CEO, PG&E Corporation
Introduction
When Patricia K. Poppe stepped into the role of CEO at PG&E in January 2021, she inherited one of the most complex corporate crises in U.S. history — a utility marked by bankruptcy, wildfire devastation, and a profound loss of public trust. Rather than lead with fear or control, Poppe declared she would lead “with love.” This was a radical statement for a power company long associated with mechanical systems, not emotional intelligence.
Over the past few years, Poppe has worked to rebuild PG&E’s culture and credibility through a mix of technical excellence and human-centered leadership. Her philosophy integrates safety, community, and sustainability — elements that align deeply with the Big Love Leadership Framework. The following analysis examines how Poppe demonstrates (and where she can further grow in) the five P’s: Purpose, Presence, People, Processes, and Performance.
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🟩 Purpose
Poppe defines PG&E’s purpose in relational and moral terms: to “re-earn the trust of the people we are privileged to serve.” She connects corporate goals to community well-being and climate resilience, emphasizing that “leading with love” is not sentimental but strategic — a way to ground decision-making in care for customers, coworkers, and California’s environment.
At the heart of her leadership philosophy is service. She often speaks of her duty to “safeguard lives and livelihoods” and reframes infrastructure investment as stewardship of the planet. Under her leadership, PG&E has accelerated wildfire mitigation efforts, prioritized undergrounding power lines, and expanded renewable integration. These actions reflect system foresight and a clear long-term vision.
She frequently uses stories to inspire — such as recounting moments when employees risked their own safety to protect others — tying operational excellence to human courage.
Results under her leadership:
• PG&E reports a 94% reduction in wildfire ignition risk in high-priority zones.
• The company exited bankruptcy and restored solvency within 18 months.
• Renewed community investment programs now emphasize safety education and local resilience.
Big Love insight: Poppe’s articulation of purpose is rooted in love, responsibility, and sustainability — demonstrating how a deeply human motivation can drive large-scale organizational transformation.
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🟩 Presence
Poppe’s presence stands out among corporate leaders. She demonstrates emotional intelligence, humility, and what she calls “radical candor with compassion.” Her practice of love in action is visible in moments of deep vulnerability — from attending memorials for victims of PG&E-related tragedies to publicly acknowledging the company’s past mistakes.
In an address to employees, she said, “We cannot repair trust with words alone. We must earn it every day — with love guiding how we show up.” This statement reveals her orientation toward accountability grounded in empathy.
Poppe listens deeply — to employees, regulators, and the communities PG&E serves. Her communication style is steady and mindful, even under pressure, modeling emotional regulation and authentic communication. When discussing rate increases, she faces difficult questions directly, explaining the “why” rather than deflecting blame.
Her calm presence during crises — such as wildfires and infrastructure failures — reinforces confidence that leadership can be both firm and compassionate.
Big Love insight: Poppe embodies presence by bringing empathy, honesty, and moral courage to a space historically dominated by command-and-control behaviors. Her open use of the word “love” signals a shift from transactional management to relational leadership.
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🟩 People
Poppe’s people-centered approach has become the cornerstone of her leadership transformation at PG&E. From her first day, she made culture change the #1 corporate priority, declaring that PG&E must become a place “where every coworker feels cared for and accountable.”
She speaks of employees as “mission partners,” not just staff, and consistently recognizes frontline workers as heroes who keep communities safe. Her Leading with Love initiative introduced new frameworks for psychological safety, inclusion, and recognition.
Poppe also invests in leadership development and equity, promoting women and people of color into senior roles. She’s been clear that leadership must “look like the customers we serve.” Within the utility industry — a space historically slow to diversify — this commitment signals transformation.
Externally, she extends her care to customers and communities, often visiting regions most affected by PG&E’s prior safety failures. Rather than avoid conflict, she meets it with humility and dialogue, rebuilding dignity through consistent presence.
Results under her leadership:
• Improved employee engagement and safety culture scores (internal surveys show significant gains since 2021).
• Increased representation of women and underrepresented groups in leadership.
• Establishment of community advisory councils for transparency and inclusion.
Big Love insight: Poppe practices Big Love Leadership by seeing people as whole — capable, worthy, and deserving of care and belonging. Her ability to combine compassion with accountability demonstrates that love is a force multiplier for trust.
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🟩 Processes
Poppe has transformed PG&E’s processes by embedding fairness, transparency, and sustainability into operational systems. She often says, “Love shows up in how the work gets done.”
She rebuilt PG&E’s safety management system around equitable decision-making and cross-functional accountability. Processes that were once opaque have been restructured to include feedback loops from customers, communities, and regulators. Her insistence on explaining the “why” behind every decision models clarity and trust-building.
Operationally, Poppe has introduced Lean principles to simplify workflows, reduce stress, and eliminate inefficiencies. Sustainability is now a non-negotiable element in business planning, ensuring that environmental impact is evaluated alongside cost and risk.
Results under her leadership:
• Undergrounding of 10,000 miles of power lines initiated to reduce wildfire risk.
• Launch of community-based safety programs that co-design local resilience strategies.
• Improved transparency in regulatory filings and community reporting.
Big Love insight: Poppe’s process innovations make love visible at scale — translating care into systems that protect people, planet, and performance.
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🟩 Performance
Poppe’s approach to performance fuses results with renewal. She has redefined success metrics to include safety, sustainability, and stakeholder trust, not just shareholder returns.
Her leadership has generated measurable improvements: PG&E’s wildfire mitigation metrics, grid modernization progress, and safety audits all show advancement. Yet, she has maintained a compassionate approach to accountability — addressing underperformance with clarity and care rather than blame.
In her words: “We must deliver results for today while protecting our capacity to serve tomorrow.” This reflects the essence of the Big Love mindset: performance that sustains rather than depletes.
She encourages learning and innovation, fostering experimentation with microgrids, AI-driven inspections, and undergrounding pilots. Failures are reframed as opportunities for learning.
Results under her leadership:
• PG&E returned to financial stability post-bankruptcy while expanding its safety and climate initiatives.
• Employee safety metrics and risk reduction indicators have improved significantly.
• Customer satisfaction scores are slowly recovering after years of decline.
Big Love insight: Poppe demonstrates that performance and compassion are not opposites — they can coexist when leaders prioritize the flourishing of both people and planet.
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Conclusion
Patricia K. Poppe exemplifies Big Love Leadership in action. She has taken one of America’s most distrusted corporations and infused it with moral courage, empathy, and long-term purpose. Her invocation of “leading with love” is not marketing; it’s a leadership strategy rooted in accountability, humanity, and renewal.
While systemic challenges — such as rate pressure, regulatory constraints, and historical trauma — remain, her commitment to embedding love in leadership has already shifted PG&E’s culture and performance trajectory.
To deepen her Big Love impact, Poppe could:
• Expand community co-design processes to ensure equity and inclusion shape decisions.
• Develop planet-centered performance metrics that further align climate resilience with social impact.
• Sustain emotional intelligence training across all management layers so that “love in action” permeates every level of the organization.
Patricia K. Poppe’s leadership shows that love — when operationalized through purpose, presence, people, processes, and performance — can rebuild not just a company, but trust itself.
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References
• Poppe, P.K. (2021–2024). Public statements, annual letters to customers, and PG&E investor updates.
• Forbes (2024). “PG&E Rose Like a Phoenix.”
• North Bay Business Journal (2024). “Leading with Love: PG&E CEO on Wildfire Reduction and Culture Change.”
• Haas School of Business (2023). Dean’s Speaker Series with Patti Poppe.
• PG&E Corporate Responsibility and Safety Reports (2021–2024).
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Analysis conducted by ChatGPT using the Big Love Leadership criteria developed by Calocedrus Partners.