Disruptive Leadership

I recently saw an interesting question posted by Jason Alba of JibberJobber on LinkedIn. It was:
Do you think these economic times (recession, etc.) will change the way we think about jobs and careers?

My take on this is that these economic changes will fundamentally change nearly all aspects of the economy AND economics; industries, government policy, corporate structure, and more will be different. But from a job/career perspective, I believe they will probably just accelerate the need to manage one’s career constantly vs. “only when I need a new job.” This was the theme of the very excellent book Career Distinction by William Arruda and Kirsten Dixson.

But the real question for me is: will this really change the majority of people’s actions?

Both effective career management and finding that next job is really made of four components: laser focus on the “core you” (personal brand), networking, timing, and serendipity (luck). The only two things that people have control over is finding that core “you” (strengths, talents, key value adds, etc.) and networking.

The more focused you are on what you are good at and want to do, the more directed your career path will be, not to mention how passionate you will be in engaging with people on “your life’s calling.”

The more you network, the better chance you’ll have to be in the right place at the right time, while increasing your probability of finding that next job.

But in reality, how many people actually 1) do the self exploration necessary to find their personal “core,” and 2) spend the required time to actively network BEYOND their current company/job sphere.

In 10 years, when this crisis has created new economic theories, restructured government/industry policy, and created new industries and Googles, will people’s actual behavior have changed that much when it comes to their career? Probably not, but I do think tough times bring out the best in people, and for those that have the career intelligence to take control and make these two behaviors a habit, good things are in store for them.

They will definitely emerge stronger.

A little while ago I wrote an article on “10 things you must do to win in emerging markets.” China is still considered an emerging market for technology products, given that the majority of the people still live and work in areas outside the reach of technology (mobile phones being, or at least becoming, the exception). Therefore, I believe these 10 principles hold true in China as well.

But even though China is seen as THE market to target, given its population and spectacular growth, many companies that are successful in emerging markets find themselves either failing in China or “afraid” to approach it. I recently talked to some people at a wildly successful, multibillion-dollar US-based software company who are avoiding China initially and focusing first on India as they begin their expansion into emerging markets. They thought it would be easier to “crack” India first then bust their chops in China.

This trepidation is well founded. While China arguably has the most “untapped” market potential, the nuances and vagaries of doing business in China, due to its history, culture, and existing government structure, make the approach to being successful in China a unique and more challenging one.

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I recently read an article titled Negroponte – missionary not manufacturer, in which the author makes the argument that, well, Negroponte is a missionary, not a manufacturer. This is a very interesting point and it caused me to ponder the definition of success.

Negroponte has been pilloried in the press and the blogosphere and by analysts around the world and even to an extent, by me. You can see this in a three-part blog posting that I wrote.

While some of the criticism may be valid, if you actually change how you view his role … from someone trying to manufacture and sell millions of laptops, to someone envisioning the computer as a key tool for accelerating learning and technology adoption, then his cause could be seen in a different light. And that is exactly why the world embraced him in 2005 when he first introduced his OLPC project. [Read the rest of this entry...]

This is Part Two of a two-part series on the economic crisis and what disruptive leaders everywhere should do to survive and thrive.  Go here for Part One.

“You can’t save yourself out of a recession.”

This quote was used often in 2001 by Craig Barrett, Intel’s then CEO.  He meant that companies can emerge stronger after a recession but only if they continue to invest in innovation, sales, and business development.  It does not mean that you can ignore the environment and continue to spend like before.  Companies must cut back in nonperforming or noncrucial areas, but maintain or increase investment in product innovation and development.

In 2001, after the dot-com bust and 9/11-induced recession, Intel increased its multi billion-dollar investment in R&D and future manufacturing expansion, and tripled its multi million-dollar budget for business development in emerging markets.  But Intel also cut back spending in other areas, laying off thousands of employees and shutting down many unprofitable business ventures (Intel Online Services, their failed data center operation, is just one example).

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