Autumn: Embracing the unavoidable transition

Worldwide, change is taking place beyond nature’s cycles in our educational, political and social environments. While we might hear voices of resistance, negativity, blame, disappointments, frustration and even uproar, this is a time to take ownership of the imminent transition by individually aspiring to change and even transform what we should and can in our own lives: our relationships at home, our workplace, our boardrooms and our communities. Criticizing, gossiping and fueling negativity is not of our true essence; we are capable of much more. Individually and collectively we can inspire each other to lead by example our lives and our organizations. We can act and make a positive impact. We are the source of trust as it begins nowhere else but with ourselves, first.

I am a catalyst for change, transformation and for raising consciousness in how we lead our lives at home, in our boardrooms and in our organizations. I am sharing with you two articles that I have authored that have recently been published by Ethical Boardroom in the United Kingdom. I am grateful for the editor and his team’s efforts and for the privilege of featuring my commentary column “Rebuilding Trust in Big Business – the unavoidable shift from shareholders to stakeholders” on the cover of their flagship magazine’s summer 2016 issue.

Through a major part of my career, I led and advised high tech companies to launch overseas and helped them understand the underlying benefits of the EU, globalization and the operational balance of centralization and de-centralization. I am now a witness of Brexit, a first parting of the EU and of the call for leading beyond power and profit by the UK’s new Prime Minister, Theresa May. There is a wave of inspiring leaders around the globe, such as Richard Branson, Marc Benioff and Howard Schultz, advocating for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). I find myself urging leaders to lead with future generations in mind and conscious of the impactful consequences of our decisions and choices for all stakeholders. To quote Schultz, “balance profit with conscience.” I hear the yearning for aspiration across generations, and in and out of our boardrooms. 

In my article “Achieving Higher Board Effectiveness,” also featured in this summer's Ethical Boardroom, I invite boards to maximize their human potential and the effectiveness of boards with onboarding and integration of new directors, as well as with commitment to aligning on strategy and candidly assessing every director’s contribution. I encourage board directors and leaders to fuel the potential of our human dynamics, not dismiss them or judge them as “touchy feely.” Our humanity needs our humanness.

There are many controllable elements that we ourselves can manage to enhance our immediate relationships and environments. I invite you to reflect about how as a leader in the academic environments you take charge of the change you can positively bring about in the year ahead. As a business leader confronted with the closing of the third quarter and the year's end, creating a new operational plan for the next fiscal year, how do you intend to maximize shareholder value while maximizing the engagement of your employees and genuinely caring to serve your customers and partners? As a leader of your life, how do you honor yourself to be the positive change in your life before you might judge others? Are you individually and collectively focused on the changes you can make?

Join me in not letting change be a leakage of energy. Avoid projecting defeat and spending one instant adding to any negativity that might be permeating. Courageously embrace any transition with the attitude that you can be part of the solution in your own life. Start the positive change, now. Envision what you can create!