Leadership in a time of crisis

The Brisbane Flood crisis has demonstrated a number of things that has renewed my sense of hope and positivity for the future.  If there is a kernel of positivity emerging from the disaster, it is these.  Firstly, there is the spirit of community and altruism that has blossomed.  While I was helping in the clean up efforts there was a spirit of camaraderie and sharing that I have never before witnessed.  The second kernel has been the leadership demonstrated at all levels.  I have seen leadership on full display by the Premier of Queensland and the many mayors up and down the flood ravaged Queensland coast.  While working in the Brisbane mud I saw people of all ages displaying fantastic interpersonal leadership skills.  These skills were evidenced by the motivation, the setting of examples, the empathy, the listening, the creation of vision.  All of these leadership attributes and more were giving me a leadership refresher course.  It was great to see young adults exposed to some of the best behaviours that contribute to what it is to be human.

What Does the Toyota Debacle Mean to You?

Who would have thought this would happen?  The impact of the Toyota recalls are having enormous impacts on so many stakeholders of the extended enterprise.  What interests me is the reality that most of the big corporate icons that are glorified eventually sputter and lose altitude.  Have large corporates become too big to manage- let alone lead?  Does this apply to our governments as well?  Is it a focus issue or a size issue? Or neither?  What do you think?  When we build organisations of human beings working for a ‘common’ purpose is there really much of an impact you can impart through modern organisational development practices?

The Political Dilemma Facing Climate Change Action

The events of the past week culminating in the change of opposition leader in Australian Federal Politics. The challenges facing our world are so vast relating to climate change. The impacts strike at economics, health, environment, food supply, energy supply and basically the full matrix of the human condition.  There will be reaction to the need for fundamental change that will radically change the status quo- we have seen the first act of the play in Australia with elements of the conservative side of politics reacting against their understanding of proposed climate change legislation.  The conservatives cite loss of jobs, increased costs of living and lack of a level playing field among the developed nations.  This is only a sign of what is to come across the globe.  People will react to change- it is inevitable.  It is how the reaction is managed and whether we have time to engage in an educative process towards behavioural change.  I think not.  We need to be prepared for turmoil.

Do You Think Democracy Can Handle It?

The future- can democracy handle it?  Do you look around at the people next to you on the train and the footpaths on the way to work and have faith in their ability to bring critical thinking to a ballot box?  I have had the idea for years that the status of superpower should be an assigned status.  My preference has always been Norway. It has nothing to do with my heritage but Norway is a sane democracy.  Let us hand the nukes over to those guys and let them manage diplomacy with a calm pragmatic nordic paradigm.  I think the United States is well past being a reliable superpower.   It cannot deliver essential services to its populace and it is still filled with folks who want to go backwards (out of fear) rather than face the reality our species is facing.  We are all waiting for the day when China is the new superpower- the economic ascendancy of China is remarkable but the fact remains that China is not a democracy.  As resources get tight, climates change, people rebel and refugee number swell, who will cope best?  I have a sinking feeling that authoritarianism will become a competitive advantage.    The stagnation in the US built on the sludge of special interest greed will be a huge impediment in dealing with a potentially dangerous future.

Is Your Planning Short or Long?

We live in a short term world. The short term world is looking down the barrel of environmental, social and financial disaster. Oh yeah- another doom and gloomer. Well I see the reports that the economy is now lifting again but yet I can see no fundamental changes to the capitalist paradigm. I see business leaders sighing relief around the world but not really changing the way they approach sustainability. Sustainability across the interconnected environment we live in; healthy organisations tend to sprout healthy communities, more effective families and better educated and adjusted children. SImplistic? Darn right. I could spend a lifetime outlining this treatise but the principles that guide this universe (or at least our part in it) are indisputable. Have a look at this guy;  he gets it.  Whether his market forecasts are correct are not is not material; it just shows us how ridiculous it is to delegate our future to ‘the market.’   The recent financial meltdown is not the end.  It was a foretelling of some grander impacts we are going to deal with in years to come.  It was a great alert about hubris but unfortunately it was not enough to create lasting change.  I hope many people watch what happens in Copenhagen.

A Great Way to See How Fast Things are Moving

Too Divided to Progress?

Over the past couple of weeks I have had some time to listen and watch a greater quantity of news out of the United States.  It is not as if we do not already get an enormous amount of US news in our normal Australian news sources but my recent exposure has included blasts of CNN, ABC, CBS and MSNBC that would make you wither.  I recall a few times when I told family and friends I can instantly quash any pangs of homesickness simply by turning on Fox News.   The health care debate has been raging in the United States the past few weeks.  On the back of the pain and uncertainty of the global financial crisis the debate over health care has been for me a scary experience to witness.  For a moment I digress but I recall some Australian commentators expressing amazement at John McCain’s campaign criticism of Obama’s implied desire to ‘spread the wealth.’  Obama was being attacked as if this was a mortal sin.  For those of us who have lived or traveled in the US a bit of wealth spreading would be a darn good thing.  The disparity of wealth is amazing and salaries in the multi-millions are hardly noteworthy.  Australia has also increased wealth disparity but at least has  a social safety net to maintain some cohesion (and civility).  Anyway in a roundabout way I am getting to my point.  My point is I have a sinking feeling that the United States is now such a divided society that true progress is now almost impossible.  I get the sense that the spirit of ‘ we are Americans first’ no longer applies.  I sense that there is not much sense of the common good; ‘what is good for my brother and sister is good for me.’  I grew up feeling that even though things in my country (back then the US) were not perfect we could always improve by working together and pulling as one.  Sadly I see the past two or three decades of greed and divisive politics of fear have eroded common principles.  Am a pessimistic?  Yep- afraid so.  I cannot fathom a society that can so easily accept wide disparities of health and education services simply based on how much damn money you make.

Health Care and the Never Ending Whinge

I like the word ‘whinge’.  We use it here in Australia to describe complaining or moaning behaviour.  “Stop yer whingeing” is a phrase often directed to children from parents.  Well I guess I would like to send a giant “Stop yer whingeing” to the United States- to every citizen of the US.  It seems like no matter what happens over there from the President to Health Care to the death of a pop star the whingeing masses join a chorus that infiltrates conversation, social, informal and formal media.  I used to think the US had the capacity to re-invent itself; to shake off the past and move on with boldness and daring.  Now it seems the population is risk averse and wants no progress, no change and no investment in anything to propel that society to better days.  It is obvious to any person who visits the US that there is a huge divide between classes and all of this creates festering disintegration of values and institutions that glue a society together.  I guess I am whingeing here as well.  I had to have a rant to release the urge I have to tell each and every American to get on with it- support your President-become part of the solution-offer your ideas and participate.  But for goodness sake “stop yer whingeing.”

Whingeing Yank Business People – How Much More Can We Endure?

From the land of Ivy League business schools, economic disparity and virtually no social safety net we must hear the incessant moaning of overpaid executives about their fate.  It must be good to know that if the whole free market capitalist system collapses you can live off your wealth.  I love the word used in Australia to describe complaing…….’whingeing’ or better said as ‘wingein’.  The rest of us need to keep working and most of us out here in the ‘rest of the world’ (developed) live in sane societies with social safety nets and without the incredible disparities in income and lifestyle.  We have to compete with companies shielded by the hard and soft power of the United States.  It was not always so.  Globalisation and ‘flat earth’…..maybe but not yet.  I have worked for American companies run by supposedly well educated B school graduates who disappeared into the a**hole of complexity while their organisations were moribund.  Maybe we will all collectively learn from this recent economic cycle, maybe not.  My hope is that at least some folks in the world’s current super power learn that those at the top are not necessarily the most qualified to be there.  I hope we can regain a common sense- quit worshipping business leaders, stop segregating with false classifications based on privilege.  Intelligence is not necessarily reflected in common sense.  Common sense is not a graduate program from Harvard Business School.  Academics are not necessarily ground level participants.   Everybody stop your ‘whingeing’; get real about what is really important in your life and get on with it.  Business is business- like a merchant stall in Damascus.  Love the Bazaar!