Interesting article on BusinessWeek Online a few days ago, about "emerging leaders." I think it refers to leaders of our generation, and it is both scary and inspiring (but more of the latter). I'd like to hope that I'll live up to the author's expectations.
An excerpt of the text is below, and here's the link:
http://www.businessweek.com/managing/content/oct2007/ca20071018_468928.htm
Where Have All the Leaders Gone? [Part III]; Move over, baby boomers. The emerging leaders have a different set of experiences, expectations, and rules
Bill George
869 words
23 October 2007
BusinessWeek Online
English
Copyright 2007 McGraw-Hill, Inc.
When Jimmy Connors reached the top of the tennis world, reporters asked whether he could continue to beat the veterans. His blunt response: "I'm only worried about the young guys coming up behind me."
Well, baby boomers, watch out, because the emerging leaders are coming up fast behind you. Their approach to leadership is entirely different than yours. They don't care about position power, status, and organizational hierarchy, or even having followers. Instead, they are superb networkers who find collaborators to create opportunities and businesses. They are on line 24/7, always networking, always in touch. That's why Facebook and You Tube are so popular.
The emerging leaders are knowledge workers who typically know more than their bosses. They collaborate with people who have skills they don't. Growing up with diversity as the norm, they understand the benefits of diverse people working together to solve the world's most pressing problems.
Detest Corporate Politics
When considering large, well-established organizations, they see bureaucracy, layers of management, policies and procedures, and rules -- all things that scare them. At their core they are flexible, fast-moving, and innovative, and they don't want their creativity stifled. They detest corporate politics, as they want to be judged on their merits and have freedom to get things done.
Most important, they want to lead now and use their considerable skills to make a difference. They are highly confident about their abilities and won't wait in line for years to get their chance. They are willing to make great sacrifices to accomplish their goals. If current opportunities aren't satisfying, they won't hesitate to move to more appealing situations.
They anticipate long, active lives -- living well beyond 100 -- but want to make it now. They have a passion to change the world and aren't prepared to settle for less.
The Next Generation
Who are these new leaders? The leading edge includes fortysomethings like Randy Komisar, former chief executive of LucasArts, now at Kleiner Perkins; John Donahoe at eBay (EBAY); Donna Dubinsky, founder of Handspring and Numenta; Kent Thiry, who infused kidney-dialysis company DaVita with new life in 1999; Chip Conley, founder of Joie de Vivre Hotels; and Bruce Chizen, CEO of Adobe (ADBE). They follow in the footsteps of role models such as Howard Schultz, Bill Gates, and Michael Dell.
Let's take a closer look at some younger leaders who are ready to step onto the big stage:
-- Wendy Kopp had such passion for improving inner-city education that she founded Teach For America at only 22. With no money or management experience, she overcame enormous obstacles, including resistance from the educational establishment. Nevertheless, she survived early financial crises and created the most successful educational initiative in the past quarter-century, for which she was recognized as one of America's Best Leaders by Harvard's Kennedy School....
These emerging leaders understand that it takes collaboration among people with broad perspectives and passion to address the world's most challenging problems: health care, education, energy and the environment, poverty, and global peace. They are likely to become global citizens who can move comfortably among three major sectors -- government, for profit, and not-for-profit -- to get things done. Their passion for changing the world keeps them from letting established organizations or bureaucratic barriers stand in their way....
Friday, October 26, 2007
one year in...
Recently, The Carter Center and the Clinton Foundation celebrated their one year anniversaries in Liberia. The two organizations hosted a party at Barnes Beach in Monrovia for all expat and local staff and their families.
Highlights included a dance competiton (pictures to come -needless to say, the Liberians outdanced the Americans); potato sack (in this case, rice sack) races; water balloon tossing; and pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey accessories were created on site, but the sun went down before we could use them. Next year we'll have to start earlier.
Highlights included a dance competiton (pictures to come -needless to say, the Liberians outdanced the Americans); potato sack (in this case, rice sack) races; water balloon tossing; and pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey accessories were created on site, but the sun went down before we could use them. Next year we'll have to start earlier.
Monday, October 22, 2007
will travel, indeed
In the last 13 days, I've been in Frankfurt, San Francisco, New York, London, and Paris. Why? Some work, some play.
In California, I spent a few days at my 10-year college reunion. (Pictures above, courtesy of my friend Jenn: http://jennsjourneys.blogspot.com/.
I'd love to report that I felt an extraordinary sense of connection to my classmates; that formerly vapid peers have evolved into deeply interesting, thoughtful, adults; that I left the event feeling energized and motivated to change the world -
- but I'd be lying.
There were a few bright spots - seeing dear friends, making a couple new, meaningful connections- but for the most part, I left feeling overwhelmed, insecure, and tired. Ever the optimist, I can't help but think that, as one of the organizers, we could have done more to help people connect more effectively...but how?
After two nights back in London, I was off to Paris. Ah, Paris. On a weekend during which some 50,000 tourists flooded the city for the Rugby World Cup Final, the transit workers were on strike. Seats on the trains that arrived before kick-off (is it even called that?) were £300. That's not a typo: three hundred pounds. With the entire country, apparently, traveling to watch their beloved team play South Africa, it's a miracle I got in at all.
On Sunday, we visited the gourmet supermarket, but of course, it was closed.
At some other stores, I did, however, manage to buy a nice sack of sea salt, a couple bottles of wine, a jar of terrine, a box of dark chocolates, and some lovely French honey. I was smirking at the cleverness of my arbitrage (so much cheaper than the UK!) until I realized that I would have to check everything to fly back. I stuffed all the food and wine in my backpack, put my laptop, iPod, and keys in a plastic grocery bag, and felt sheepish.
In California, I spent a few days at my 10-year college reunion. (Pictures above, courtesy of my friend Jenn: http://jennsjourneys.blogspot.com/.
I'd love to report that I felt an extraordinary sense of connection to my classmates; that formerly vapid peers have evolved into deeply interesting, thoughtful, adults; that I left the event feeling energized and motivated to change the world -
- but I'd be lying.
There were a few bright spots - seeing dear friends, making a couple new, meaningful connections- but for the most part, I left feeling overwhelmed, insecure, and tired. Ever the optimist, I can't help but think that, as one of the organizers, we could have done more to help people connect more effectively...but how?
After two nights back in London, I was off to Paris. Ah, Paris. On a weekend during which some 50,000 tourists flooded the city for the Rugby World Cup Final, the transit workers were on strike. Seats on the trains that arrived before kick-off (is it even called that?) were £300. That's not a typo: three hundred pounds. With the entire country, apparently, traveling to watch their beloved team play South Africa, it's a miracle I got in at all.
On Sunday, we visited the gourmet supermarket, but of course, it was closed.
At some other stores, I did, however, manage to buy a nice sack of sea salt, a couple bottles of wine, a jar of terrine, a box of dark chocolates, and some lovely French honey. I was smirking at the cleverness of my arbitrage (so much cheaper than the UK!) until I realized that I would have to check everything to fly back. I stuffed all the food and wine in my backpack, put my laptop, iPod, and keys in a plastic grocery bag, and felt sheepish.
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Peter's first post
Since my first ever post to this blog has taken longer than expected to appear, I've felt more and more pressure to make it an interesting one. Please find attached a clip from the finale of the Liberian National AIDS Control Program (NACP) retreat—one of the real high points of my 2 months in Monrovia.
The Clinton Foundation hired me to work with the NACP as the Advisor to the Program Manager. The position arose directly from a request by the Minister of Health, who felt that the Program needed additional direction and expertise. The NACP's been a bit dysfunctional for quite some time-- a situation that is problematic for the Ministry as a lot of donor cash is flowing through the AIDS programs. Used strategically, that cash could be leveraged to rebuild much of the crumbled healthcare system. In an example of bad leveraging, some fancy CD4 machines (for HIV diagnostics) are about to get delivered up country to hospitals that lack air-conditioned, dust free rooms to house them. Hmmm. Not a great idea. They are finicky machines anyway and will not last long in a room like that. With better planning, the powers-that-be might have recognized that the same money could have been prioritized to renovate the room and by multiples of more basic lab machines that would benefit that many more patients. And, along the same lines, put some money aside to ensure than maintenance and reagents for the machines will be provided. Everyone believes in this logic (the donors too). But they all must be reminded of it constantly.
Among many other activities, my colleagues and I play that delicate role of the Reminder. We are the "trusted advisors" of people who run significant programs (or, in the case of some friends, Ministries) in this government. It's the most challenging and rewarding job that I could ever ask for. After way too many years, I am amazed to realize that I have reached the position that I have been training for.
We have to be very careful to speak quietly, though. It might feel like we are running our programs, but there is a manager or minister whose job is on the line and any decision is ultimately theirs to make. At many meetings, I have to make a conscious decision as to whether it is more appropriate to speak as NACP or as Clinton Foundation.
The retreat that you will see in the video occurred a couple of weeks ago. NACP is saddled with what Callista calls “classic” organization problems. Suffice it to say that I was fairly dubious that any retreat could solve our numerous issues. Then, we recruited our friend Pewee, who normally works for the Liberian office of the Carter Center, to facilitate the meeting. (He is mentioned, and maybe even pictured in some of Callista’s earlier posts.)
Pewee was amazing. He brought energy and enthusiasm into a room full of skepticism. He broke the ice with songs and non-traditional ways of clapping/showing appreciation for your colleagues that Americans would do well to learn from (see second video). And in the end, he brokered peace deals among the warring parties. They are singing a closing song, the words of which are "Tomorrow, tomorrow, what will they say?" punctuated by saying someone's name after the refrain. At the end they are singing: "NACP, what will you say?" Pewee is in the white shirt in the middle of the group. The second video is of everyone giving themselves Pewee's much more active version of a round of applause...
No, the work is not done. The strategy for expanding quality access to HIV prevention, care and treatment is a work in progress, but we—the staff of the NACP-- are, at least for the moment, tenuously moving forward in the same direction.
(Re: the video-- a disclaimer: I did it with my point and shoot camera and there's a bit too much panning around. At the end I am trying to show the setting of the retreat. It doesn't come out, but we are just above the beach overlooking the Atlantic. )
The Clinton Foundation hired me to work with the NACP as the Advisor to the Program Manager. The position arose directly from a request by the Minister of Health, who felt that the Program needed additional direction and expertise. The NACP's been a bit dysfunctional for quite some time-- a situation that is problematic for the Ministry as a lot of donor cash is flowing through the AIDS programs. Used strategically, that cash could be leveraged to rebuild much of the crumbled healthcare system. In an example of bad leveraging, some fancy CD4 machines (for HIV diagnostics) are about to get delivered up country to hospitals that lack air-conditioned, dust free rooms to house them. Hmmm. Not a great idea. They are finicky machines anyway and will not last long in a room like that. With better planning, the powers-that-be might have recognized that the same money could have been prioritized to renovate the room and by multiples of more basic lab machines that would benefit that many more patients. And, along the same lines, put some money aside to ensure than maintenance and reagents for the machines will be provided. Everyone believes in this logic (the donors too). But they all must be reminded of it constantly.
Among many other activities, my colleagues and I play that delicate role of the Reminder. We are the "trusted advisors" of people who run significant programs (or, in the case of some friends, Ministries) in this government. It's the most challenging and rewarding job that I could ever ask for. After way too many years, I am amazed to realize that I have reached the position that I have been training for.
We have to be very careful to speak quietly, though. It might feel like we are running our programs, but there is a manager or minister whose job is on the line and any decision is ultimately theirs to make. At many meetings, I have to make a conscious decision as to whether it is more appropriate to speak as NACP or as Clinton Foundation.
The retreat that you will see in the video occurred a couple of weeks ago. NACP is saddled with what Callista calls “classic” organization problems. Suffice it to say that I was fairly dubious that any retreat could solve our numerous issues. Then, we recruited our friend Pewee, who normally works for the Liberian office of the Carter Center, to facilitate the meeting. (He is mentioned, and maybe even pictured in some of Callista’s earlier posts.)
Pewee was amazing. He brought energy and enthusiasm into a room full of skepticism. He broke the ice with songs and non-traditional ways of clapping/showing appreciation for your colleagues that Americans would do well to learn from (see second video). And in the end, he brokered peace deals among the warring parties. They are singing a closing song, the words of which are "Tomorrow, tomorrow, what will they say?" punctuated by saying someone's name after the refrain. At the end they are singing: "NACP, what will you say?" Pewee is in the white shirt in the middle of the group. The second video is of everyone giving themselves Pewee's much more active version of a round of applause...
No, the work is not done. The strategy for expanding quality access to HIV prevention, care and treatment is a work in progress, but we—the staff of the NACP-- are, at least for the moment, tenuously moving forward in the same direction.
(Re: the video-- a disclaimer: I did it with my point and shoot camera and there's a bit too much panning around. At the end I am trying to show the setting of the retreat. It doesn't come out, but we are just above the beach overlooking the Atlantic. )
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