Dear Friends,
When the idea of the club Good2Work first came to us we assumed that leadership is the best way for people and companies to navigate the whitewater of change. Of course, we didn't understand then what an enormous change is approaching. Having sound leadership seems to be not only the best but probably the only way for business to survive and to achieve sustainable success in the world where change is the only constant.
We thank all leaders, which found time in 2008 to contribute into our collection of leadership lessons. Especially in the current situation these lessons are the source of inspiration and practical advice in their efforts to become stronger by overcoming barriers.
Patrick Aghanian (Sanofi Aventis) and Birger Steen (Microsoft) were the first expatriate executives to deliver us lessons on leadership. Since then Robert Agee and Blake Salle (Cisco), Patricia Cloherty (DeltaPrivateEquityPartners), Stewart Lawson (HSBC), Chris Huggett (3Com), Johan Rosenberg (Oriflame), Philippe Delpal (BNP Paribas Cetelem) and many more leaders contributed. There are many interviews already awaiting approval in and scheduled for 2009.
We discovered that in addition to such competencies as effective communication, energy, ability to create a vision and to set up a clear goal, fast learning, trust and delegation there is something else as important to become a winner in the most complex environment. Strong commitment of all our contributors to personal values works as a compass that allows them to stay on course in any storm.
Based on the dialog with the leaders we got something to say about the future. From many opinions on what will be most important for leaders in the forthcoming year we picked up three.
First, the business and the government should establish a new sort of relationship. It won't work the old way. The new relationship requires a much deeper understanding of each other and mutual trust based on such an understanding. This is not the matter of coexistence any more - this is a matter of survival.
Second, all jobs need meaning. Saving costs will not be enough even to survive. People need to work more for equal or smaller pay then before just for overcoming the crisis. It is possible only if they feel their job is important and has meaning beyond just earning money. Bill Gates on the Harvard Business Summit last fall made an excellent suggestion on one particular way of achieving it by suggesting companies instead of giving money for charity to commit 5% of time of their most talented employees to resolution of crucial problems of humankind. This approach will contribute greatly to the establishment of the new order of trust between business, governments and society.
Third, it may happen that the resurrection of the stock market will start with small and medium cap publicly traded companies which offer the best mix of entrepreneurial drive and values with compliance and transparency. Given the efficient and deep leadership these companies may take significant advantage while the giant will be still under recovery. "The world was shaken when the colossus of Lehman Brother fell down, - said a speaker from India on the Harvard Summit, - but some of us in the emerging markets also thought - now we can take their place". We bet on those who thought this way.
We wish you luck, optimism, courage and energy to overachieve your targets in 2009. May your values be with you to make you happy with your success.
