Dare to Take the Leap Into the Abyss

Succeeding in the world’s business landscape is tougher than ever according to Marvin Zonis, who spoke on the need for creative leadership at the Global Leadership Series in London. The May 16 event, attended by alumni and friends of Chicago GSB, was held at the school’s campus at Woolgate Exchange.

“We live in a time of rapid change” said Zonis, professor emeritus of business administration and globalization has been the “grandest recent change of all”. While globalization brings opportunity, it also brings danger for outmoded companies. In the 1920s and 1930s, the average American company in the S&P 90 lasted 65 years; in the 1990s, the average was 10 years. In 1997 only 74 of the original 500 companies in the S&P 500 remained.

Combine this with a weakening dollar, rising oil prices, and political instability in Iran and the Middle East, Zonis said, it is clear that today’s leaders cannot afford to be complacent. Alluding to bypass surgery patients in the US—90 percent of whom have failed to change their lifestyles after two years—Zonis reminds us that companies, employees, and leaders often cannot see, or do not want to confront, the obstacles which lie ahead.

The solution, Zonis said, is that leaders must be able to foresee and understand the changing context in which business operates. They need to do so not only to dare to take the leap into the abyss, but also to arm themselves with the skills to overcome the dangers and harness the opportunities that exist there.

However, this is too much for one individual, argued Zonis. The ‘messianic’ model of leadership is probably impossible in modern times. Companies need teams, they need informed consultants, and they need to get rid of the ‘yes’ men.

Zonis told the audience was told to discard self-help books and find the essence of the leader-follower relationship in emotional connection. Creative, successful companies, concluded Zonis, are driven by passion as well as traditional business strategies and talent.

Peter Maas, ’05 (EXP-10), said, “I came away with an appreciation of the type of leadership that is required in today’s world. Zonis drove home the message that all the progress, scientific advancement, and sophisticated technology available to today’s global companies means little without creative leadership.”

Zonis also spoke on creative leadership in Frankfurt and Moscow as part of the GLS. These appearances provide forums where members of the international business community can gather to learn and share valuable insights into issues they face every day in their careers. 

—Claire Prentice