Gandhi CEO – A Summary
Gandhi CEO
14 priciples to guide and inspire modern leaders
Mohandas Gandhi was born on October 2, 1869 in the coastal town of Porbandar in India. He was the youngest child of Hindu parents during British rule in India. His life’s work revolved around
championing the cause of the poor, weak and down‐cast of South Africa and India. Gandhi is often refered to as Mahatma meaning ‘Great Soul’, an honour bestowed on him during his challenging
work. He was a servant leader who was willing to dedicate his personal presence to highlight and improve the plight of others. As one of the greatest leaders of all time he created a standard for all
who would manage transformative change in any collective endeavour. Axelrod’s book ‘Gandhi CEO’ highlights 14 principles to guide and inspire modern leaders.
Onward – How Starbucks Fought for Its Life without Losing Its Soul
I’ve just read a wonderful book co-authored by Howard Schultz, ceo of Starbucks, entitled Onward. For those of you who don’t know, Schultz was the iconic leader of Starbucks who retired in 2000, to become non-executive chairman, only to sense that in 2007 all was not well with the iconic coffee brand.
He returned as ceo to Starbucks in the beginning of 2008 and set about revitalising the company at the height of the first recessionary wave. In his book, there are 4 particular observations about growing companies that struck me:
What Makes Apple Apple – Gary Hamel
The following is an excerpt from Gary Hamel’s forthcoming book, What Matters Now, to be published in December 2011 by Jossey-Bass Business.
Honeybees and Locusts – A Precis
Honeybees and Locusts
A business case for Sustainable Leadership
Bee colonies consist of a queen and many specialists, such as drones and foraging workers. Under ideal conditions, a colony of honeybees can produce more than 90kg of surplus honey a year. However, the bee’s most significant contribution is pollinating plants that affect about one third of the human diet and much of what animals and insects eat. Without bees our lives would be impoverished by a general lack of fruits, vegetables, flowers and other plants. Honeybees are essential for maintaining a large part of the ecosystem. The honeybee is not only productive, but is a symbol of cooperation, thrift, diligence forethought and healing, and stings only for defence purposes.
Zambia’s Lesson to Africa
The recent general election in Zambia was characterised by two things.
The first was the ability of the varying political parties to campaign without fear of intimidation. The result was that, in a hotly contested election, the opposition party managed to gain power by a small majority.
The second interesting point was that the ruling party of the last 15 years mangnanimously accepted defeat, seamlessly handing over power to the newly elected President.
Are You Swimming Naked?
‘When the tide goes out, you soon discover who has been swimming naked’ – Warren Buffet
Many professionals I encounter find it incredibly hard to be anything but short term in their thinking. Whether it is their short term survival, short term gains or seizing of short term opportunities, these individuals and their organisations seem so focused on the immediate future that they are unable to make the appropriate provision for the medium and long term as well.
In the professional sense, making the appropriate provision for the medium and long term means looking thoroughly at a myriad different factors such as whether you are investing in the right people, skills, markets and technology to name but a few. Sadly, it appears as though the consumption culture and need for instant gratification has reduced our thinking to very short term uncertainty.
The Ovarian Lottery
“I was extremely lucky in life. I won the ovarian lottery.” – Warren Buffett
I love this quote from Warren Buffet as he is making a simple point that the only reason he is so lucky and fortunate with his success is because he was born into a fortunate environment and so given the right opportunities. Buffet could have just as easily been born a street beggar and as such he is clear that whatever he now has needs to be seen in the context of the fact that he just born lucky. As it stands,
Buffet has given away much of his financial fortune to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation which aims to bridge the gap between the ‘Haves’ and the ‘Have Nots’. I always find it important to remember, all of us who are in the have zone, just how lucky we are to have been born into such environments.
Leadership Like Malema
It is little wonder that Julius Malema gets so much press and media attention. Regardless of the positions held by Jacob Zuma, Kgalema Motlanthe and the rest of the South African cabinet ministers, Malema is the only individual demonstrating any form of leadership in this country. Whether calling for a command team to overthrow the Botswana government, pushing for the nationalisation of mines and banks without compensation or arguing that white owned land should be expropriated, Malema has done one thing right – stepped up to his position as a leader.
Are you Practically Radical?
“Companies must remake themselves into places of engagement, where people are committed to one another and their enterprise.’ – Henry Mintzberg
How many times have you seen or been part of a team that is led by somebody who tries to create competitive differentiation by exhorting their team to perform at extraordinary levels? Perhaps you have even been that leader yourself, pushing your troops to add value and be innovative yet doing nothing to provide a working environment with the same level of value, differentiation and satisfaction in return. In the mindset of ‘old think’ organisations this is a common occurrence, however in the new world of work this type of behaviour is becoming less and less tolerated.
Leadership Lessons from Rory McIlroy
After suffering a tough final round at the Masters back in April, Rory McIlroy bounced back to win the US Open. At 22 he was the youngest winner of the event since Bobby Jones in 1923. What is most interesting about McIlroy’s victory is how he turned his meltdown at Augusta into a victory just months later. On the tough platform of international sport, where millions watch your every peak and trough, McIlroy has demonstrated remarkable maturity that translates into some valuable leadership lessons for business leaders.
Murdoch’s Lack of Honor
In the constant shift towards global transparency, Rupert Murdoch and his News Corporation media empire is the latest victim. Having undergone questioning into the phone-hacking scandal that has recently shook the British public, Murdoch is the latest in a series of CEOs who have become the center of their own news. Yet what does this say of Murdoch’s decades long reign as a media kingpin and his behaviour and actions necessary to achieve this? Roasbeth Kanter from the Harvard Business Review analyses Murdoch’s situation in relation to honorable business practice in the long run.
Redirecting Julius Malema – A constructive approach
Julius Malema is always in the South African news. His latest rhetoric is the notion of nationalization and land grabs as a means to South Africa’s ongoing reform which, for many people, is a scary prospect. Clem Sunter recently wrote an article entitled ‘Redirecting Julius’ which I believe provides a far more constructive approach to the whole issue of Malema’s radical views.
The Problem with Management
Have you ever moaned about your management? This interesting talk features London Business School Professor of Strategic and International Management, Julian Birkinshaw, explaining why the industrial age mindset of management is failing us…
How to Innovate as a Leader
This fascinating talk, entitled ‘ How Leaders are Innovating Today’ features Gary Hamel and Dell VP James Franklin and talks about the trends that are important to be aware of to truly be a leader in business innovation.
How to Transform Society
All actions originate with a picture in your mind. In this reflective talk, Hawthorne Valley director Martin Ping — a pioneer of the sustainable farming movement — speaks about the crucial role of imagination and “servant leadership” in achieving our goals and aligning your inner vision with your outer work.
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