A decision to make – and what really matters
In a life of a CEO there is a lot going on, nice things and moments and less desirable ones. Sometimes, we feel compelled to complain about things not working, point to people who did not do their jobs, try to find the reason and answers somewhere else than where the real problem is. Well, this is the time when we need to remind ourselves that we are the ones who need to fix the issues, that we are the ones who have the responsibility to show our people the way and find a win-win solution.
But sometimes, situations develop in such a way that no one can win, where every option is wrong. The so-called “Khashoggi crisis,” the death of Jamal Khashoggi, is such a situation.
I’ve received hundreds, if not thousands, of e-mails and social media posts urging me not to attend the Future Investment Initiative Conference (FII) in Riyadh, the so-called “Davos in the desert.” Only two people recommended that I go. It's worthwhile noting that these two people understood well how complicated the situation is. Yes, it’s complicated to manage a company that has an impact all over the world and therefore receives a lot of attention and scrutiny. And, yes, it’s not always easy to find the right balance between values, interests and timing.
I would like to extend my sincere condolences to the family and fiancée of Mr. Khashoggi. As soon as I heard of his death, it was clear to me that we couldn’t simply move on and do business as usual.
The statement by the Attorney General of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was widely criticized and rightfully so. There must be a reaction to the issue at hand. But what should the response of the CEO of a global company be? From my point of view, I had three options:
Option 1 was to just refuse going and hide among the “mainstream,” like most. Very interesting to see how close the correlation was between dropping out quickly and the business interest associated with the matter. The smaller the business, the quicker the ball –or should I say the standing- dropped. Just as Milton Friedman said in the 1970’s: “The business of business is business.” Make your numbers and stay out of trouble – especially if it comes to complicated political and social matters. But what would happen if all international leaders did that? Yes, they’d stay out of trouble. But wouldn't trouble further escalate because no one would be there to speak up to address and solve the issues? We in Germany should know from our history what it can lead to if people stay out of trouble and don’t speak up till it is too late.
Option 2 was to send a representative from the 2nd or 3rd row, like some other companies did –among others, some of our competitors. It has always been clear, that the 2nd option would not work for me. Leadership in my view is not hiding behind your people when the bullets come from the front.
Option 3 was to go and speak up on the issue. I considered this option for a long time. While option 1 is the easiest and meets widely held expectations, option 3 would have been the most courageous one – and the honest one in my view. As barbaric as the death of Mr. Khashoggi may have been and as hard as it is to believe the "accident story," the crime was not committed by the 33 million mostly young people in the Kingdom nor by our valued customers, nor by our partners like Saudi Aramco, SABIC, SEC, the Abunayyan group, our longstanding partner the Juffali group, or many others. And first and foremost, none of the 2,000 Siemens employees in Saudi Arabia was involved. All of these people deserve respect and close allies who speak up and demand full transparency and justice.
So, why did I wait so long to make a decision?
First, there still was time and there could have been further clarifications.
Second, there were other important and urgent issues to attend to, for example, the mega-projects in Iraq that will help rebuild that country. These projects are a major step forward for the Iraqi people. Big promises require a leader to be present, rather than responding to e-mails and tweets.
Third, as harsh as it may sound, managing a company requires more than being shocked by a barbaric act, like the one in Istanbul. While we’re all humans with emotions, concerns, fears and worries, it’s a CEO's responsibility to find answers to challenges and act on them.
The expectations placed on CEOs are high. Customers trust us to deliver what we promise, employees rely on us to protect their jobs, national governments want us to put their own countries first, sometimes confusing "my country first" with "my country only," and shareholders demand decent and at least industry-leading value creation.
That’s why I've taken my time deciding whether or not to attend the Future Investment Initiative in Riyadh in 2018. I wanted to consider the interests of all stakeholders, the purpose and reputation of our company, our trusted partnership with customers in the Kingdom and the Arabic world, a business opportunity worth up to US$30 billion dollars by 2030 and, last but not least, thousands of jobs in the Kingdom as well as elsewhere in the world.
In the end, I chose option 1. I will not attend the FII 2018. It’s the cleanest decision but not the most courageous one.
And it’s not a decision against the Kingdom or its people – it’s a decision based on how much responsibility one can assume at one time. Siemens has been a reliable partner to Saudi Arabia for decades and supports its great Vision 2030. But for now, the truth must be found and justice must be served. Going forward, this should be the underlying principle in developing the Kingdom for the greater good of its people and the whole region.
Time will tell how things will develop. And I do hope there will be clarity, transparency, and justice sooner rather than later. It's in the best interest of the whole world for leaders to engage in dialogue. History shows that when things are complicated, the better option is to talk with each other rather than about each other. The latter never produces good results.
That's why dialogue and an open, honest speak-up culture are so important. And that's why I believe it’s unfair to collectively and indifferently blame an entire country in order to punish the crime of a few. It's the task of the authorities to find out what really happened; they have the means to do so. Blaming companies for keeping the lines of communication open and for protecting people and jobs is simply cutting it too short.
?? Every day is a new chance to do what you want, you have to be ready to do things ??
5 年? Nur Gemeinsam sind wir stark ?? ?? Jede Meinung und einzelne Stimme z?hlt. Jeder Mensch hat etwas, das ihn t?glich antreibt!?Das Bedingungslose Grundeinkommen verschafft uns viel mehr "Freiheit" in Form von Selbstverwirklichung und das auch mit Besch?ftigung und Aktivit?ten, die nicht mit Erwerbsarbeit bezahlt werden. Das Grundeinkommen würde die erwerbslosen Menschen Gruppen beenden, somit die Menschenwürde! Wahren und das Grundrecht! Auf Besch?ftigung st?rken. Es schaffe mehr soziale Sicherheit, erm?gliche eine gleichberechtigte Teilhabe an der Gesellschaft, vermindert die Ausgrenzung und f?rdert die Realisierung alternativer Lebenspl?ne wie etwa mehr Zeit für die Familie! Bildungsphasen! Oder seine Leidenschaft zum Beruf zu machen! Business Gründen! Menschen unterstützen! ? JETZT mitmachen! Voranbringen! https://www.meinbge.de/fuer-dich/bc3e18945934a1c94517
Instrument and Control Engineer
5 年I now realize how CEOs think! .. Great move, Sir.
Praxisbezogene philosophische Realit?tsanalyse für Wahrnehmung, Erkenntnis, Bewusstsein und Handeln; Strategiesparrings
5 年Thank you for this didactic play.
Electrical Engineer ( Green Hydrogen and Energy Sustainability Geek + Power Systems Engineer + PMP - PMI : ACP - Lean Sigma Certified ) + Corporate PMP - Agile Trainer + Content Writer + Life & Relationship Coach!!
6 年Dear Sir, Firstly, I would like to say that it is so humble of you to have written an article to describe the thoughts flowing in your mind. And secondly we all respect you for the decision you have taken. Writing is a wonderful way of bridging the differences, if any. It is the best way to articulate your thoughts as a CEO. Well Done. I recently got to know your passion for writing after reading your articles on critical issues seeking immediate cognisance. I, myself, being an avid writer really connects with this habit of yours and resonate with it.? Views, both supportive and condemning, will greet you in your face but by penning down your thoughts, you have acquitted yourself in a big way by expressing the true feelings, you went through as a CEO. We really appreciate it. Keep posting,