The question was posed to me on Friday.
Who do you admire most in business?
I did not have an immediate answer, feeling the weight of such a question. Prompting a follow-up question:
Who do you respect most in business?
I suppose it would be easy to answer this with some whizzbang entrepreneur (social or otherwise) or an icon of the private sector or even an icon of the 3rd sector (read on!). Or perhaps it should be any one of my 3 business partners, as I do respect and admire them–especially Dawn, for her determination and realisation of the American dream. Made more poignant by the fact that she is a Yorkshire lass.
Perhaps telling (for me) and likely surprising for people who know me, is that the first name that sprang to mind was not someone famous or some kind of thought guru. In fact, it was someone who has had moderate success (measured relative to the size of the question posed) in business. A person defined more by his decisions in business and his raw talent than any particular programme of success. This person is Christopher Jost.
I first met Jost during my days at at&t in Atlanta. He is still a close friend to this day (9 years on). Why he springs to mind when asked the question above:
Jost seeks and then sticks to the truth. This seems trite to say in a world filled with several truths, but what I mean is a bit more complicated than knowing right from wrong. Jost uses a method for determination of the truth that is a cross between a mad scientist and a monk. First | Mad Scientist - he uses every bit of ability to attract both positive and negative data for the business scenario/situation presented. He then looks further beyond the data to evaluate the context of the data and its derivation. If he cannot locate the data or discovers a context/derivation that is foreign, he teaches himself. Yes, that’s right he is a new wave music aficionado, nuclear submarine driving, enlightened literary intellectual, computer programming, master chef, strategic thinking, car mechanic, appliance repairman, master gardener, implementer, bow-tie wearing businessman. I think you get the point. Second | Monk - he then takes this information and acts appropriately. I should say properly. Sound ridiculously easy? Think again. What would you do if the signer of your checks asked you forget some information or amend a report to benefit a leader who was failing in their job. Think. In big organisations, it is easy to go along to get along and I have seen many good people fall prey when faced with this dilemma. Perhaps you don’t work in a big organisation, but you download music from file sharing sites?
One of Jost’s comments to me early on when I queried his determination to do the right thing even when that was not necessary still sticks with me today; "Integrity is defined by what you do when no one is looking". Grammatically this is probably stated incorrectly, but you get the point…it’s easy to have integrity when the spotlight is on, much different proposition when it is not.
Jost is a devoted father and volunteer and friend and lots of other
things….but for the purpose of this entry, it’s the business segment
of his life which I place the spotlight.
I respect Jost for his ability to learn left and right brain things and his determination to speak his mind, even when it is not popular and could cost him his job.
That’s probably partly why I respect and admire Jamie Oliver. (Disclaimer: I don’t know Mr. Oliver personally and am sure he has many annoying character traits – remember, character flaw is a nonsensical description because it assumes an infallible character exists). A surprisingly celebrity choice…
Jamie speaks his mind, seems to be always teaching himself new things (taking on government school food programs!), and continually looking for ways to constructively give back and inspire people. Not many 3o something yr olds worth £30M or so are working so hard to change the world. I suppose there aren’t that many worth £30M either. But, I respect his ethos…he doesn’t have to do what he does. I also respect that he is putting a great deal of this fortune at risk by taking on the school lunch program issue. He is not an idol. I do not worship him. But, he does exhibit many traits of the new successful business leaders of this century.
Many will argue that he is simply a celebrity cashing in on celebrity. I don’t see that. I see an authentic person. I don’t think you can continue to attract attention like he has and maintain image unless you are authentic. Perhaps he is symbolic for me, representing many people who are approaching their lives in the same way.
Who do you admire? Respect? Why? Thinking about this, really pondering it, can provide some insight into your own values and perhaps re-affirm your direction of travel or act as a reference during decision time.
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