Steve Tappin
CEO Xinfu, Host of BBC CEO Guru & Founder, WorldOfCEOs.com
(1) Defy Convention; Forget Today’s MBA
Don’t automatically follow your parents’ advice. Advice to get a profession, and work for an already well-established and well-known company is rooted in the old world of work. Don’t do an MBA while it’s a Master Of Business Administration. To change my view, it would take better courses to emerge, like an MBL or Master Of Business Leadership.
(2) Take More Risks In Your 20s And Early 30s
“Every time I’ve moved company, people have thought me mad. I’ve left successful positions with great prospects for riskier options because I get frustrated if things aren’t moving fast. The key thing is to keep life fun and not to get bored. Get out there and take risks.” James Bilefield, President, Digital, at Condé Nast International. Fail fast and fail early. According to Archie Norman, failure not only makes you a better leader. “The downside risk is lower than you think at any point in your life.”
(3) Dare To Go Into Startups Early
There’s also never been a better time to join or create a startup. In doing so, you gain a real-world, accelerated experience of far more elements than you are exposed to in a corporation. On the business side, you get a sense of the challenge of building a brand, marketing, and trying to sell a product to people who don’t know your company.
Even if it goes badly, you will gain an first-hand appreciation of what can make a business fail. You’ll realize how important managing cashflow is to any business venture, and how hard it is to get investors to trust you with capital. You are likely to face failure, and the hard reality of relationships going sour with people you trusted.
(4) Work Under A Great Leader As Part Of A “Fast Stable”
In the corporate world right now, we have a small number of highly regarded leaders. They include Virgin’s Richard Branson, Cisco’s John Chambers, Diageo’s Paul Walsh, Alibaba’s Jack Ma and Ford’s Alan Mulally. Such iconic figures often set up “fast stables”, with great people around them. What makes their companies fast stables is that you can go there early on in your career to gain hyperspace experience, with great people around you doing the same.
(5) Go Global Early
If you’re going to go global in your career, then go where the growth is. This means looking to emerging markets. A learning experience like this brings both joy and personal challenge. It’s like, if you can master China, then you have a good chance of being able to make it anywhere.
To Be Continued..
Connect to Steve Tappin via LinkedIn.