Inspiring Leaders – World Business Forum (Synopsis Part II)
Inspiring Leaders – World Business Forum in New York City 5th-6th October 2011
A Synopsis by Adrienne Davitt Part II_______________
Other contributors of ground breaking ideas on how to succeed at local, regional and global levels included:
Ben Zander – The Art of Possibility
Conductor of the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra since 1979, Ben is more than just an acclaimed musician and director, he has the gift to inspire. He believes that “we are about contribution. It’s not about impressing people. It’s not about getting the next job”. He also believes that art and music can be used to energise our interpersonal connections, add value to our new global society and lead to innovation and the successful adoption of new practices. By going beyond limitations, taking risks and embracing expectations, we can create new possibilities to transform people and business. He states emphatically that we are moving into a new world and the next 30 years are going to be possibly the most exciting yet.
Marina Gorbis – Toward a Human-Centred Future
Marina is at the forefront of researching and understanding the psychological and behavioural implications of the modern digital world on both an organisational and individual level. She is the Executive Director of the Institute for the Future and believes adamantly in a global perspective. Some areas she discussed were:
- New rules for a new era: how to create, share, cooperate, grow in a world of options and constraints
- Transformative technologies vs existing socio-economic models
- Consumers and their recharged identity: networked, neuro-social and yet autonomous
- Disrupting institutions: how technological innovation, extreme environment and rapid adaptation are shaping the new organisation
Patrick Lencioni – The Unwavering Truths at The Heart of Great Teams
Patrick is an expert on how to build winning teams. Concerned with developing “healthy” organisations, he uses past experience and the understanding of human psychology to help companies realise their potential. He believes that a great team is the ultimate competitive advantage because it produces a group whose best interest is that of the organisation. Both the operational and behavioural components of a business need to be considered in order to understand how to work together. He also emphasises the importance of trust, relevance and recognition creating commitment and organisational clarity. “Teamwork is a strategic choice”, he says.
Seth Godin – Are You Indispensable? Changing the Way Leaders Think
One of the most innovative thinkers in modern marketing, Seth staunchly that to succeed in a world overloaded with information and products, you must stand out. From business endeavours to book marketing, he practices the same strategies he preaches and has turned himself into his own most successful brand. His excitement rather than fear of the implications of the free, unlimited digital world has allowed him to use creativity to achieve success.
Seth rejects traditional marketing, choosing instead to invent his own strategies that give him an advantage in the digital age. The focus of his most recent, best-selling book is a linchpin: someone within an organisation that is indispensable – that is too unique and valuable to be replaced. The only people who can become linchpins, who have any hope of changing things for the better, are those who have the capacity to do “emotional work” at a high level – to be true artists at whatever they set their mind to doing.
Claudio Fernandez-Araoz – Great People Decisions
Claudio is a top global expert on hiring and promotion decisions, repeatedly chosen by Business Week as one of the most influential search consultants in the world. After 25 years of executive search practice, Claudio is convinced that “nothing is more important for your success than making great people decisions” because everything we achieve as leaders will depend on the people we have chosen.
Great people decisions produce extraordinary job performance, great personal development and strong organisational morale. He states two key things: first, the most successful leaders are incredibly focused on people decisions. Second, most of us find these decisions brutally hard and are not good at them – even if we believe we are! Making great people decisions is not an intuition or gut feeling, it is a discipline that can and should be learned for our personal and professional success.
