Barack Obama 2

Wow.  What an amazing speech Barack Obama gave last night before 75 000 people in Denver, Colarado.  This is my second post about the Democratic Party Presidential nominee (see my first on 25/7/2008) and I still see no reason why America should not be falling over itself to make him the next President.  At first I thought it strange that news reports referred to him as having delivered his speech to 75 000 ‘fans’ . ’People’ yes.  ‘Supporters’ yes.  ‘Democrats’ yes.  But ‘fans’?  Taking a look at the stadium though you couldn’t help but get a sense that ‘fans’ was the right term.  President Bill Clinton said this week that history is on the right side of Barack Obama and I have to agree.  The time is now and history is going to show that this week was a turning point for politics in the USA.  Leadership is inspiring.  Be inspired.

The power of reputation

Reputation and reputation management are hot buttons right now – the idea that just as a positive reputation advances the interests of an individual so too can the same be said for the corporation and a brand is starting to be taken seriously within various corporate stakeholder groups.  Just why it hasn’t always been this way is a mystery – surely Lindie Engelbrecht, CEO Institute of Directors (SA) recent statement in the IOD’s e-zine that ’corporate governance is becoming more about how you make your money than how you spend it’ should be more obvious than it is?  The logical progression is that if it isn’t then make your money any way you like and make up for a guilty conscience and a poor reputation by donating some of your profits to your local charity.

If corporate identity is about the present then reputation is about the future.  And how you are viewed in the future will be determined by how serious you are about sustainability across the triple bottom line (people, planet and profit).  Sustainablity in turn is about having the capacity to meet the requirements of this generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.  This may be easier to explain within the confines of the environmental greenhouse effect but how does this impact the sales person at the coal face?  For one thing making a sale ‘at any cost’ compromises their reputation and that reputation is one way of producing a sustainable revenue stream that helps them meet their targets in the future. I will explore some other ideas in this area in future posts but remember in the meanwhile that reputation is inspiring. Be inspired.

So you think you can dance

I have to admit to having been hooked on ‘So You Think You Can Dance’, seasons 2 and 3, and now season 4 has started on the Series channel. 

Yes it’s another reality show but it is one that seems to me to get the winning formula right.  You take someone who is really talented in one form of dance, say contemporary, or a ‘B’ boy or ‘B girl’ or a ‘popper’ and you force them to dance in five or six other styles with partners they have never met before - jazz, latin american and ball room.  The judges have a field day.  The audience gets to vote and you have an even bigger recipe for success than American Idol. 

What strikes me in the preliminary rounds is how contestants react to criticism.  There are those who become defensive and aggressive and others who are accepting or ambivalent, and sometimes defeatist.  I think there is a link between character and a the response though and you really only get to see someone’s ‘true’ colours when they are disappointed or angry. 

In a similar way, talent is adjudicated in the business world on a daily basis either by your peers, colleagues, customers or suppliers.  The days of having a uni-dimensional job (i.e. I do only what’s in my job description and that’s it) is long gone – now employers are looking for flexibility, an ability to multitask and a winning attitude that attracts people to you.  See the parallels to So You Think You Can Dance?  Character is inspirational.  Be inspired.

Kader Asmal

In a previous post I asked the question whether it is possible for a politician to be principled? I think they can be and cynicism aside there are people in government (here in SA and elsewhere) who could be earning considerably more in the private sector but remain in government out of a sense of service to their country.  Whether they are required to compromise their principles in order to attain office (or stay in it) is a moot point – and I for one can’t wait to see what happens to Barack Obama as he moves from being optimistically referred to as “the alternative” while at the same time having to conform to the status quo if he is to appeal to enough middle of the road voters to get him elected.

Kader Asmal (retired South African Minister of Education and Water Affairs) has recently been quoted in the press as believing there is a need for an independent human rights body in SA.  The assumption is that he has fallen out with his party and become disillusioned with the ANC.  According to the good Prof nothing could be further from reality.  It’s simply a principled stand against what he views as an erosion of the authority (and dignity?) of Chapter 9 organizations meant to protect the Constitution (e.g. The Public Protector, The Gender Commission etc). It’s also a sign of a maturing democracy where it is possible for an independent body to reflect on, and review, government performance and the temptation that power creates to define the Constitution in one’s own terms as opposed to what was intended.  So here is Kader Asmal, still a loyal and disciplined supporter of the ruling party and yet he feels comfortable taking a principled stand such as this.  Principled leadership is inspiring.  Be inspired.

Executives in SA have an odd attitude to risk

One of the great things about living in South Africa is we can always be depended upon to buck the trend.  Lesley Stokes, writing in Business Day, quotes a fascinating piece of research on risk – conducted by BT in the UK.  What it shows is that SA Executives have the lowest rating in “the world” when it comes to trusting their own staff (7% vs the world avg of 27%).  No surprises there though considering our unhealthy fixation on all things criminal but – and this is the clincher – we are the least risk adverse when it comes to doing business abroad.  What does that mean?  We don’t trust our own people but will trust anyone else regardless of how different they may be.  And that’s the remarkable thing for me – a lack of trust is always based on differences not similarities – perceived or real.  Why then do we insist on viewing our differences in SA in one light and yet the differences between ourselves and foreign (business?) people in another entirely?    Maybe today is the day to start treating each other with less suspicion and if that is impossible then at least imagine you are doing business with the Chileans, Indians, Chinese or East Europeans?  Be inspired. 

Read the full article at

http://www.businessday.co.za/articles/topstories.aspx?ID=BD4A818101.

Coca Cola

The Coca Cola ad below (click on the YouTube link) is an interesting example of how a corporation can not only highlight political and social issues but can also act as an agent for social change.  Is it ethical?  Is it moral?  Are you inspired or offended?  Or maybe it’s a “spoof” – not really from Coke at all?  Would be really interested to know what you think?  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0Nwrfu1w5E