Leadership Notes -- Thoughts on Leading People and Making a Difference in Organizations

Word count this issue: 325

Estimated reading time:  2.45 minutes

I had a lovely lunch today with a close friend who is also a leader in the world of international trade. We had a great meal talking as friends sometimes do about the world, politics, leadership and economics. As we parted on the sidewalk in front of the restaurant he said, “you know, in the end, it’s simply all about the people.”

It’s all about the people.

In the US the corporate profits as a percentage of GDP are at their highest in 80 years while wages as a percentage of GDP are at their lowest in 60 years. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/05/business/economy/corporate-profits-grow-ever-larger-as-slice-of-economy-as-wages-slide.html?_r=0  Simply put, corporations are not hiring people, they are investing in technology. That is very bad news for anyone looking for a job, but raises a huge question about the medium term economy. If these trends continue, just who will be buying the products and services the corporations produce if we are not working?

We will survive, we are a creative and generative species. But, it will not be because the corporations are doing us any favours. It will be because small groups of engaged and creative people band together to change how things get done. Your future as a leader will not be linked to a corporation. It will be linked to your ingenuity, confidence, agility, and commitment to collaboration.

I invite you to connect with other people doing cool stuff. Practice your leadership competencies in an arena that will change the world for the better for all people. The time is now, to know that, it’s simply “all about the people.”