One of my takeaways from the summit is that success in business now depends on how we all connect and collaborate, not just what we do individually or in individual organisations. Photo: Harvard Business School.
May Busch shares some of the advice and information she gained from her attendance at an international meeting of top executives and management thinkers.
I was in London recently for the Thinkers50 Summit — known as the Oscars of Management Thinkers — along with more than 600 senior executives and thought leaders from around the world.
This year’s event had the theme of Regeneration in Business and Leadership, but that’s not why I went.
What made this event a ”must attend” for me was the chance to meet in person people I’ve only connected with on Zoom and WhatsApp, and to make new friends.
During my 24-year investment banking career and as chief operating officer of Morgan Stanley Europe, the full-on nature of my work left me with little time to maintain friendships, let alone invest in new ones, unless they were colleagues at work.
What I’ve learned since then is that having friends is vital for your career — having people in your corner and who have your back is a huge advantage, whether as sounding boards, collaboration partners, or simply people to laugh (and cry) with.
That’s why I’m so grateful to my friend Dorie Clark for adopting me into her Recognised Experts community.
Being part of her group of more than 40 wonderful people created an instant connection and made the event a fantastic experience.
As for the Thinkers50 Summit itself, there were more than 20 speakers. I took a lot of notes, and I’ll share some of the ideas and presentations once I’ve had a chance to go through them.
In the meantime, I wanted to share three things I took from the meeting that I believe will benefit anyone looking to grow as a leader.
First, the future isn’t what happens to us; it’s what we shape: This means showing up with the right mindset — that we can make things happen in our spheres of influence.
It’s not waiting for someone to give us permission to lead; it’s going forward and doing it.
At this point, I would like to put in a plug for my new book. If you want to shape the future of your career, Visible — How to Advance Your Career Without Playing Politics, Selling Your Soul or Working Yourself into the Ground is a great place to start.
Second, our impact is greater together than individually: When we join forces with others, our impact and courage to act are greater.
Just like it’s easier to walk into a room of 600 people with friends by your side — collective courage is so much more powerful than individual courage.
London Business School Professor Lynda Gratton said she saw the future of careers becoming more about the ecosystem of work rather than any individual organisation.
My takeaway from this is that success now depends on how we all connect and collaborate, not just what we do individually or in individual organisations.
Finally, in a world filled with the fear of missing out (FOMO), it helps to keep a clear mind, keep calm, and keep learning. This will help us bring our very best even in the midst of chaos and uncertainty.
Whenever possible, have some fun because we’re all having to do hard things more often — and making things fun makes it easier to do them.
I think Columbia Business School Professor Rita McGrath said it best: “In times of extreme uncertainty, learn as fast as you can.”
*May Busch’s mission is to help leaders and their organisations achieve their full potential. She works with smart entrepreneurs and top managements to build their businesses. She can be contacted at [email protected]. May first posted this article on LinkedIn.
