08/15/2025

What Fixing Engines Taught Bose’s CEO about Leading People

Her curiosity-fueled leadership approach was shaped by lessons in problem solving

Growing up, Lila Snyder was that rare student who came home excited to do math homework. She was motivated as a kid, driven by a desire to solve problems. It was the same while working in the garage with her father, helping to fix cars and appliances. In a world where so many are ready to point out problems, Snyder—the first female CEO of Bose—has always been someone who sought solutions.

For her, problem solving is not about finding some all-encompassing fix. Instead, the job requires breaking a bigger task down into smaller, more manageable parts. Step by step she reassembles what she'd deconstructed, as if putting together a 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzle at her living room table.

For Snyder, discovering this strategy started early on in her hometown and it crystalized later in life as she earned her Ph.D. in mechanical engineering at MIT. Along the way, she learned the value of asking why and listening to the responses she received. She found that problem solving isn't about memorizing massive formulas—it's about breaking down challenges into its more elemental parts to find the fixes.

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