Jack Ma Is Cool
Inspiration & Leadership From A Real Entrepreneur
Recently I have been reading about Jack Ma and I find his ideas amazing and refreshing. I believe US business leaders can learn from his work and philosophies about business management. It is clear to me after reading several blog posts and watching a few videos that Jack has clearly found an algorithm of success that works. In addition he appears to seriously consider making it possible for his whole team to win as well.
Ma’s style is totally counter to the current crop of US based mega-ego-headed entrepreneurial ventures that have been worshiped in the US business press. The conversation, I often read about is focused on the sole entrepreneur, their wealth and stock price. This kind of idolatry of egocentric entrepreneurism creates a cycle of greed and misses the point of creating companies and products. For me it’s about providing amazing jobs for employees to thrive in and customers to be delighted by great products and services.
It inspires me to read about a thoughtful business leader [Jack Ma] that isn’t a self obsessed silicon valley kid that is all about the money and personal fame. Ma seems to be looking beyond the cash and prizes and establishing real sustaining practices to build businesses, creating opportunities for employees to be happy at their jobs and developing products that are useful.
He is seeing a higher purpose and that is leadership in a nutshell for me.
Bravo Jack Ma!
Here are several quotes and ideas that caught my attention:
Customers should be number 1, Employees number 2, and then only your Shareholders come at number 3.
Your attitude determines your altitude.
Don’t make complaining and whining a habit
A real businessman or entrepreneur has no enemies. Once he understand this, the sky’s the limit.
Always let your employees come to work with a smile.
Rather than having small smart tricks to get by, focus on holding on and persevering.
You should find someone who has complementary skills to start a company with. You shouldn’t necessarily look for someone successful. Find the right people, not the best people
A leader should have higher endurance and ability to accept and embrace failure
My favorite quote from Jack Ma
Only fools use their mouth to speak. A smart man uses his brain, and a wise man uses his heart.
My friend @blackaller suggested I provide some background on Jack Ma. So I am adding this short postscript on him:
Jack Ma is a Chinese Internet entrepreneur that Executive Chairman of Alibaba Group. Ma was named the Financial Times’ 2013 Person of the Year because he personifies the Chinese internet referring to him as the “godfather of China’s scrappy entrepreneurial spirit.
Jack Ma is the main founder of Alibaba Group, China’s largest e-commerce business whose IPO may be one of the world’s largest this year (2014) if it finally happens.
If you liked this post please recommend it. I want more people to learn about Jack Ma.
