The spirited executive

Citation

Ali, A.J. (2009), "The spirited executive", International Journal of Commerce and Management, Vol. 19 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/ijcoma.2009.34819aaa.001

The spirited executive

Article Type: Editorial From: International Journal of Commerce and Management, Volume 19, Issue 1

Current financial scandals and schemes and the recent severe economic downturns demonstrate that certain business recognitions and glorifications seem to be bestowed on corporate executives without careful consideration. Consequently, their promotion, irrespective of content and reality, perpetuates the mythos. For years, Bernard Madoff, the head and owner of an investment securities firm which was named after him, was introduced repeatedly in the media and public places as a philanthropist, a genius business person, a civic leader, and a pillar of Wall Street and the thriving business community in midtown Manhattan and around the globe. His contributions to society and numerous communities were counted with admiration and pride.

Recent discovery of what is claimed to be the largest Ponzi scheme in history by Madoff’s firm has shocked the business community and shaken the foundation of basic business trust. More importantly, it accentuates the need to rethink the role of executives and the necessity of having a business environment conducive to cultivating qualities that uphold ethical and moral conduct. Business schemes, financial scandals, and shady conduct have inflicted untold damages on communities and institutions across the globe and have endangered the global economic system and its foundations.

Indeed, there is an increasing sentiment among ordinary people and the elite that deceptions and fraudulent activities have been tolerated and alarming signals have been overlooked because of the prevailing business culture which celebrates good news and overlooks misdeeds. In this culture, senior executives are granted unrestrained reign in conducting business irrespective of transparency and accountability. Free of restraints, these executives have been emboldened and have felt no need to show responsibility to any stakeholder.

In a culture which celebrates only “good news,” even though it is illusionary, and places considerable emphasis on personal fame and putting short-term gains ahead of long-term growth and survival, responsible executives have been either marginalized or found themselves unable to compete when pitted against those who practice deception and boast imaginary achievements. The scope and depth of the current economic problems make it imperative that different types of executives should take the lead in building confidence in the market institutions and in charting new business paths where moral clarity is cultivated, sanctioned, and reinforced. While competent executives are always needed, unfolding business calamities and widespread corruption and deception have to be eradicated and the culture profoundly changed, especially the rules that govern competitive games.

The question which may be raised is: “what types of executives are needed?” Each era and culture has its own leaders. The current economic crisis is a serious one and, viewing it in a global context, it demands a new thinking and genuine foresight. It accentuates a need for executives who are competent and comfortable in confronting abuses and who will shoulder historical responsibility for regaining the health of the economy without suspending feeling and all sense of value. That is, the new types of executives need to be spirited and gain satisfaction in seeing that the fruits of their efforts are shared and the benefits are widely distributed.

It should be mentioned that the spirited executives may have something in common with competent executives but they differ from them in many aspects, including the capacity to remap their businesses or organizational priorities in a broader context and rethink their roles in the years ahead. Furthermore, spirited executives differ from passionate executives. The latter actively seek attention, publicity, and fame. Their obsession with their personal image and their urge to accumulate personal wealth at any cost place them apart from the spirited executive.

Like their counterparts in the scholarly arena, the spirited executives are consciously aware of their roles in society and, therefore, express the aspiration of their communities and organizations. Consequently, their propositions and designs are genuine, practical, and logical. Spirited executives are remarkably disciplined and certainly not after passing fame. Their motive is not divorced from the reality of their surroundings and is anchored on the grounds of trust and the belief that obligations and entitlements go hand in hand. Their contributions are not confined to a particular community and are not restrained by either personal prejudice or blind nationalism. For this reason, they are at ease in addressing business and societal concerns and never doubt their complementary nature. Consequently, their propositions and designs flow with creativity, practicality, life, and feeling.

Spirited executives may have difficulties operating in a culture that celebrates deception and tolerates fraudulent practices. Therefore, they may not have a long tenure in publicly owned corporations where the board of directors and shareholders look for immediate returns and tangible gains. Nevertheless, spirited executives may be found in privately owned corporations or those which are small or medium sized. Though there are many unknown spirited executives, Ted Turner, in the last ten or 20 years of his career as executive, exhibited the qualities of spirited executives. His dedication to eradicating poverty and landmines in different corners of the world, and his commitment to a peaceful world and to reducing damages to the environment has situated him as an exemplary executive who sees that there is no dichotomy between personal and societal aspirations.

Spirited executives have three major qualities that place them apart from competent and passionate executives: hopefulness, content, and inclusiveness. Both competent and passionate executives may display optimism. But this often is short-term in nature or is linked to goals which are either personal or organizationally driven. In the case of spirited executives, hopefulness spans the horizons and is not geographically or organizationally bound. Indeed, hope enables spirited executives to see beyond current problems, map possibilities, and aim high and act with confidence.

Since spirited executives shun personal fame, immediate gratification, and excessive wealth, they tend to be content. Executives with such qualities know their capabilities and potential, therefore, they are, more likely, not threatened by the competency or achievement of others. Rather, they tend to encourage and offer them opportunities to utilize their potential. More importantly, spirited executives view their achievements to be an outcome of the collective efforts of those around them and are a reaffirmation of the need to strategically link organizational goals to societal interests. Content, therefore, serves as a powerful mechanism to guard society’s interests without sacrificing organizational growth and survival goals.

Finally, spirited executives are holistic in their outlook and conduct. Their inclusive tendency is the norm rather than exception. At the organizational level, they tend to involve others in setting their career paths, mentoring them, and designing realistic successive policies. At the societal level, they see no dichotomy between consumers and employees and between societal and communities’ concerns. More importantly, they do not limit possibilities and, unlike some other executives, they view chaos and instability at home or abroad not as business opportunities that must be exploited but tragic events that must be avoided or contained.

In short, each historical stage has its own leaders. The current financial and economic crises have led to global gloominess and uncertainty, desperation, and fear. Spirited executives may be the only actors who understand the temptations in the markets and the self-destructive nature of unbridled pursuit of selfish interests. They understand their moral and professional responsibilities and link them to the broader society’s interests. Under current conditions and for the years to come, they are the only hope for rescuing market institutions and setting the stage for orderly but fruitful business conduct.

Abbas J. AliEditor-in-Chief