Ranked #1 in the World
I arrived yesterday to a cold and gloomy Davos. Every conversation starts with some version of the question “how are you surviving the crisis?” After hitting around the bushes for a short while, a group of young global leaders quickly dove into a discussion about the causes, effects and possible principles that can help us get out of it. Not surprisingly, our first reaction is to try to find simple explanations to a very complex phenomenon, and we each try to project our biases and experiences into our favorite narrative around what went wrong.
The fact is the global financial system and economy are hugely complex, non-dynamic systems, impossible to predict with any level of accuracy (most experts honestly didn’t see this mess coming), and very hard to understand, and much less correct. The power of Davos is being able to look at this complex phenomenon through different lenses and to begin to appreciate how multiple interventions will be needed to restart the system.
Today I spoke on a panel on how corporations can begin to turn the corner (more on this later), and I participated in a workshop with Harvard Profs. Kurana and Nohria and a group of young business leaders trying to craft a business oath that could be serve as a standard of professional conduct for practicing managers and managers-in-training. The idea seemed to get good traction. This time around the planets may be aligning and the notion of an oath may hopefully expand beyond Thunderbird. Very encouraging session!
January 28th, 2009 at 12:32 pm
Good article. I appreciate the leadership on this issue and proud that it came from a professional from Arizona.
I am sure you are already familiar with AZIGG, which focuses on international business in the State of Arizona and assisting local companies grow internationally even during this current economy. While growth is important, it should not be at the cost of your ethics.
January 28th, 2009 at 7:08 pm
Hello Dr. Cabrera,
I read you comments and am filled with hope. The first step to a solution is to discuss the issue and brain storm with those that can make decisions and be a part of the solution. I commend all of you there for doing that.
The key missing ingredient from my stand point as an individual contributor to the economy working for a major American corporation is we need true leaders to run our corporations and not managers.
True leaders have integrity, honesty and the drive and desire to do what is right and best for the company. They have ethics, morals, and scruples. They would never be able to sleep at night if they walked out with 250 million dollars and the company they left behind went under financially.
From a political stand point our politicians here in the U.S. have to stop the Democrat vs Republican banter and role up their sleeves and lock arms as Americans and do what is best for America. No more bills filled with pork barrel spending and bridges to no where or worse irresponsible bailouts given to CEOs that have already proven they do not know how to run a company by already running it into the ground.
True leaders again would never let that happen. They would be ashamed of their colleagues and fight to get the wasteful spending removed.
Thank you for allowing the insight into your trip. It is a pleasure to read your insights.
Jim
January 31st, 2009 at 7:46 am
[...] Blogger “Ángel Cabrera” writes that the conference in Davos could be an effective way to examine the financial crisis from multiple lenses. [...]
February 5th, 2009 at 4:12 pm
From Ken Lambert:
Great stuff jefe. Does anything actually get done about these issues once the meetings are over? Do you think the male reporter for FOX network who interviewed you got past sixth grade?
Can I help (with the issues not the reporter)?
K