Beyond Kumbaya
Coach & Leadership Professor Michael Chang Wenderoth asks himself a question you might well ask yourself every day. What really got them there? What is it that propels people to the top? He says that the usual answer people give you to this question is that you have to be hard-working, positive, willing,… In short he calls this approach the “Kumbaya school of leadership” or the political puppy approach.
In contrast –he says- what we see around us is that people who self-promote, strategically network, or act in powerful and not so humble ways, move faster and more effectively up the ladder. The dirty secret is that your political skills top all else in getting you ahead and driving your effectiveness. This bears no resemblance to the Kumbaya school. That’s why he advocates going beyond Kumbaya and being more of a political beast.
Prior to becoming a professional trainer and a professor at IE Business School, Prof. Wenderoth served 20 years in senior roles with multinationals in China, the US and Europe. If you want to know anything about China, or the Eastern vs Western style of management, he’s your man. His mandarin is as fluent as his Spanish.
Not Knowing
In this video Steven d’Souza, Professor of Leadership, Diversity and Social Capital at FT-IE Corporate Alliance (FT-IE CLA), throws out the thought-provoking idea that we place too much emphasis on what we know rather than on what we don’t know…And maybe that’s what brought about the current economic crisis. Prof. D’Souza says that we have to look at the unknown as if it were a source of all kinds of possibilities, because that’s precisely what it is.
Steven is the author of three international bestselling books on diversity and networking published by Prentice Hall. His first book, “Made in Britain,” featured role models from diverse communities in the UK and was available free for schools through sponsors. He presented it in person to HRH Prince Charles. His second book, “Brilliant Networking,” has been translated into several languages and was featured by The Independent in their “Success at Work” series. This video takes its title from his third book, “Not Knowing”, which he co- authored with Diana Renner. Steven D’Souza and Diana Renner scooped the top award with the book at the CMI Management Book of the Year Awards, and I can tell you it was well deserved. In fact, skip the video and read the book 😉
New Horizons
Before we invented the radio, the telegraph and other navigation instruments, the distance to the visible horizon at sea was of extreme importance as it marked the maximum range of communication and vision. Today, we still use an aircraft control technique called attitude flying, whereby the pilot uses the visual relationship between the aircraft’s nose and the horizon to control the aircraft.
IE Business School Leadership and Management Prof. Erik Hiep is a horizon breaker, a traveler, and a Dutchman. He’s always asking you to broaden your mind, your limits, your horizons… Because new horizons will maximize your range of communication and vision, and will ultimately make you a better-rounded person!
P.S. Prof. Erik Hiep is the managing director of management consulting firm The Next Level, and has extensive consulting experience with international management teams and boards. He has worked on an extensive range of projects in Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia and the Americas.
An Urban Hike
Professor Marijo Bos is a Californian who teaches leadership at IE Business School. She’s been living in Madrid for some ten years now, having made it her base for teaching and living in between business trips around the world.
Since she literally has no time for herself, she has come up with a clever way to combine work and pleasure. She does what she calls her world urban hikes. This time was in Istanbul. One of the first things she does when she arrives in a city is to take a brisk two-hour walk. Listen to her reasons for doing this, and be prepared to see some serious urban walking!!! Sometimes I had real problems keeping up with her!
Marijo Bos is President of the European Professional Women’s Network (EPWN), and also a student of the IE Executive Master in Positive Leadership and Strategy.
Leading Horses
“Geranio, my horse, is the best leadership professor I ever had!” says leadership professor Pino Bethencourt Gallagher, laughing. “Because,” she adds, “when he reacts to stuff related to body movement that I don’t know about, and that other people can react to, he is showing me that there are things I still don’t know how to do.”
Prof. Bethencourt Gallagher is a highly trained international advisor whose aim is to improve the executive efficiency of economic and political leaders worldwide. She is also the author of the book “Success in Six Cups of Coffee,” which provides some very useful hints on how to improve your network skills and your professional performance.
I really believe that the lessons she draws from horses are worth hearing. Listen to what she says about leading horses and leading people. I learnt a lot, and I think you will too if you give it a try!!!
Photo Professor Pino Bethencourt Gallagher in theotherphoto.blogs.ie.edu
