E-leadership is a
permanent issue in European organizations. But in this word, the important
letters are no “e-“ but “leadership”. E-leadership in Europe can simply be
defined as a disaster. But, what can
you expect from e-leadership when you put it in the framework of jus
“leadership in Europe”?
The Greek example of
how NOT to manage a critical situation is a good showroom of our leadership
abilities around Europe. As in previous European conflicts, as in any problem
around the world, the European lack of leaders is a constant: Palestine, Kosovo,
Nigeria, IS, etc.
Another constant is the
role of USA: while Europe debates and debates the problems for months doing
nothing –while people in some countries die and others see that economy sinks-
, it comes to a moment when USA says “Stop losing time and money and let’s act.
If you don’t do it, I will do it”. This creates a final scenario in which
Americans have gained a reputation of being too “rude”, and Europeans are more
dialog oriented.
… If my house in on
fire I don´t want firemen who debate openly, friendly and for hours about the
situation; I want someone to take an action to extinguish the fire.
Greece is right now a
good example of this. Varoufakis is not a good boy. Some manners training would
be very appreciated. But Greeks are European citizens, part of the European
family. And when in a family you have a bad boy you don’t abandon him and let
starve. You take care of him, train him,
feed him, give directions. That is intelligence, that is love, that is common
sense.
At the end, the Greek
problem will be solved by the pressures of USA, or directly by the Americans (two
warnings already, there will not be a third one!). Shame on Europe again.
So, there is no
leadership in Europe (Europe is a kind of big concentration in Puerta del Sol
with better dressed people), too afraid of doing anything politically incorrect
while the situation gets worse and worse. Now you can understand why extreme
political movements from right and left mobilize voters.
This is the leadership
scenario in Europe (if you add a bit of corruption in the South, there you have
the full panorama!: hunting, commissions for buildings, giving doctorates in
exchange of administrative concessions, Honoris causa to members of the Board
of Counselors of your own institution with land properties interests, events
organizing, false invoices, etc.)
Now, what do you expect
from e-leadership? We expect
just LEADERSHIP from a group of guys who love technology. And this makes things
even more complicated. But more exciting. “A más moros más ganancia” (more
risk, more benefit) is said in a 12th century Spanish book (Cantar de mío Cid). These geeks have two
problems: First, they love their work; this leads to a great intellectual concentration
that is little compatible with responding with a smile to futile requests from
business. If you are the coal engine´s master of the Titanic, you will probably
be quite an awful dancer when they invite you to the main deck! You are awesome
controlling the proper feeding of coal into the engines!
Second: you are a great
dancer… so nobody will believe that you
are a great coal engine’s master.
(Let’s translate these
thoughts into clerical language: ITC staff get no business skill at
Universities, and business staff get no ITC skills – sorry, bad news, getting
the latest iphone watch paid by you IT dpt. is not IT skills).
The Solution. I could say I have the answer
to this problem. I could say the solution is: 1. Give business skills to the
ITC graduates 2. Give ITC skills to the business graduates. (Great, Joaquín!).
I’m sorry, the big problem of e-leadership in Europe is a cultural problem. Europe had great leaders in different times
of History: Greeks, Macedonians, Romans, Spanish, French, etc. centuries ago. This
is the time for other cultures (USA, China, Israel), probably in future Mexico,
Turkey, Japan, Poland?
Bad times for old
Europe. Too elderly, too conservative even in their more extreme political
leaders, too egoist. But Europe is just a place, people are people and people
are from nowhere, just citizens of the world.
Africans come to Europe
and we close the frontiers and make them jump a ridiculous fence that,
depending on where you fall down and depending con centimeters and how many
bones you break, you have reached Europe or you go back to Africa. Try again,
we´re daily open!. Europeans go to USA and they close the frontiers promoting
in Mexico the most powerful mafias. Rohingyas go to Thailand and become slaves.
The biggest opportunity in this world is opening frontiers, opening minds,
sharing, being generous (being egoistically generous, in the end).
What you give is what you get (this is Cristian, Islamic, Jewish, atheist, liberal
economic thought). Do it!
Maimonides (Moshé ben Maimón, Spanish doctor, 12th
century, said: “The aim of all societies loyal to God must be the development
of man, not of wealth. Man improves when he develops thinking in plenitude”.
Now, when you think about ITC, forget about
bits and bytes and think about people. They are your business. ITC is not your
problem, it’s your opportunity!
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