What Has President Obama Got To Do With Interim Management?

By Author: green park
Total Articles: 10
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What Has President Obama Got to Do with Interim Management and Executive Search? The election of President Obama has captured the world’s imagination. Why? Well, he is charismatic, intelligent, and a powerful talisman of hope for a better life. But more than that, he’s a man from a traditionally downtrodden and under-represented part of society – he represents a step away from the usual suspects: someone who is likely to bring new perspectives, new experiences and new approaches to leading the world. Around the world, there seems to be widespread agreement: Obama, and his new approaches and ideas, is a change for the best.
Aside from President Obama’s unprecedented charisma and refreshing oratory skill, I think what the world has bought into is the concept that people from different backgrounds will bring new perspectives to age old challenges; new solutions to problems; fresh life to ongoing debates.
It’s a concept that is just beginning to penetrate the corporate world – although it has to be said that the steps ...
... we’ve taken so far are exploratory rather than groundbreaking. Unfortunately, the reality of the situation is that the United States – a country often the subject of ridicule and disgust for bigotry – is probably between 10 to 20 years ahead of us in terms of the moves they have made to embedding corporate diversity.
In the United Kingdom, the diversity agenda has some high profile champions leading it forward. Trevor Philips (OBE), is a perceptive, persuasive champion for minority causes, and with junior politicians such as David Lammy making swift progress through the ranks, there are excellent role models on the political stage in our own country. But on the corporate stage, there are far fewer role models that spring to mind.
In the UK, the linked yet distinct concepts of diversity and equality have received significant investment within the Public Sector. Perhaps one of the most important results came from the Cabinet Office, who undertook a number of in-depth reviews of the current situation before delivering the highly publicised 10 Point Plan (which has since been updated). The 10 Point Plan, which is geared towards ensuring Public Sector organisations practise inclusion and equality and nurture diversity, has been important in promoting the agenda. But perhaps its most compelling impact is that it has led to providing hard diversity targets to Public Sector employers.
The Private Sector has been slower on the uptake, once again generally responding to legislation or increased governance (usually when discrimination cases appear in the media!) rather than taking a positive lead. But the signs are there that change is in the wind.
Now, I am delighted to find that a good number of my more progressive clients hurry me through that part of the conversation, since they have “bought” the concept and want to understand how to make it real. Put simply, I have great hopes for the future, but we’re only taking the first steps of the journey.
With President Obama standing as the most powerful symbol of diversity we’ve ever had, minority executives pushing to be recognised have an icon to emulate. But the fact is they’ve been trying to break through the glass ceiling for centuries. The real change needs to come from employers who want to capitalise on innovation and progress driven by diversity of understanding, approaches and ideas.
I certainly believe that Change Can Happen.
For more information about Interim management, Executive Search and Executive Recruitment, please visit www.green-park.co.uk.

About the Author :- Raj Tulsiani, CEO - Green Park ; Interim Management and Executive Search, Executive Interim Management and Executive Recruitment.