With all the talk of corporate jets and massive bonuses for the CEO's of failing companies, here's a jolt of true leadership inspiration. Haruka NIshimatsu, CEO of JAL (Japan Air Lines), is featured in this YouTube clip, and there are many lessons. Perhaps this clip should be forwarded to the likes of Wagoner, Mulally, and Nardelli. Take two minutes to watch this, then we'll return to discuss a bit.
Great story, eh? Let's see, here's a CEO of about a $20 billion company undergoing some tough times. Let's count the leadership examples:
- He takes the bus to work (and not even a private bus!)
- He works in a large open office area with his staff
- He eats in the same cafeteria, standing in the same long lines, as his entire office building
- When he was forced to cut jobs, he cut "every single one" of the executive perks
- He slashed his own pay to $90k, less than most of his pilots
- He understands that "businesses that pursue money first, fail"
True leadership is humble. How many of you see your CEO, let alone eat with him... or even make more than him? Do you have the guts to forward this to him?