In a very recent worldwide study titled ‘Understanding CEO Capital ™’ by Burson-Marsteller:

1. Bill Gates and Steve Jobs topped the list of fifteen world business leaders, with Warren Buffett, Michael Dell and Richard Branson completing the top five (no mention of The Donald…”you’re fired” I guess!)
2. There is not ONE single woman on that list (despite pleas from Tom Peters to pay heed to their purchasing power, and the ‘reemergence’ of Martha)
3. The list is predominantly ‘geeks’…rich geeks that is
4. In addition to business skills and results, having a focus on ETHICS and COMMUNITY STEWARDSHIP also figured prominently in the 2005 results. That last factor is the main reason Gates, with wife Melinda and Bono won the recent Times ‘Person of the Year’ award.

Perhaps Servant Leadership is reemerging as a powerful force?

“He who know nothing, loves nothing. He who can do nothing understands nothing. He who understands nothing is worthless. But he who undersands also loves, notices, sees… The more knowledge is inherent in a thing, the greater the love… Anyone who imagines that all fruits ripen at the same time as the strawberries knows nothing about grapes.” PARACELSUS

So much for sour grapes!

I once attended a meeting of about 100 managers for the Mediterranean division of an American company that was a client of mine. The managers were Italian, Spanish, Greek. The meeting was held in Italy and the CEO of the division was Italian. I almost fell out of my seat when he said, “Of course we must love our products. Of course we must love our customers. But our success begins with loving one another.”

Beam me up Scotty…

I meant to say “tough leaders”. I see what you meant with “thought leaders” Dick, I’ll call them genius. However even making this classification there have been many examples in history of “thought leaders” with ideas of force enough to change the world significantly that didn’t reach the laureated heighs of Einstein or Freud.

Dick, your former client’s explanation is truely lovely in its succinctness. We need both great management and great leadership in organizations that prize their sustainability. It’s in this ability for sustaining long-term business where customers find their needs fully met and employees find their uniqueness fully utilized.