A Paradigm Shifting Experience in the UAE
Meeting with the President and CEO of GE MENAT
The coursework involved in ENTR 3217, or Global Family Business Leadership, included many case analyses. My peers and I learned about strategic frameworks, business structures, and innovative tactics within a discussion-based, classroom environment. In class, we applied these concepts to standalone situations (the case studies). I learned a lot by carrying out dialogue with my peers during the eight weeks leading up to our spring break trip. Although, the depth of my learning increased by tenfold after being enriched with unmistakable experiences while in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. In particular, meeting the President and CEO of GE Middle East, North Africa, & Turkey (MENAT) stood out to me more than any other experience on this trip. Nabil Habayeb presented the GE Blueprint in addition to sharing his ideology on the attributes of great leaders. As a result, my interpretation of personal success has completely switched gears.
GE Blueprint
GE was founded by Thomas Edison and incorporated in 1892 making it one of the oldest companies to reach the Fortune 500 list year after year. Nabil Habayeb taught my classmates and I that the key to business longevity has nothing to do with passion or luck. Visions must be mutable, and purpose must be strategic. In order to remain competitive in any business environment, adaption needs to occur. These ideas are the basis of the GE Blueprint, rather the GE company culture. Hearing about the GE Blueprint was a surprise to me because I’ve always associated success and passion together. Although, it makes complete sense. Emotions can be distractions to an overall mission. So, being too passionate in one direction can hold back maximum advancement. This is especially true when passion is the driving force behind a business model that just doesn’t work in a given environment. The solution is strategically redefining the business purpose to align with market context.
Habayeb went on to describe the strategic purpose for GE in MENAT. Staying innovative in an environment with many wars going on is tricky. So, the value-added approach of doing business involves identifying what the market means to the business. The sheer name recognition of GE is a determinant for strategy largely when seeking government compliance. Government compliance in the MENAT region is imperative for reaching optimal stability, efficiency, sustainability, and capability. In addition to establishing a trusting relationship with the government, GE uses value-added strategy when investing in startups. For every industry in GE, each sector is analyzed for growth opportunity. Where there is room to grow, startups are invested in. Allocating resources into startups brings GE innovative technologies, thus bringing competitive advantage.
Attributes of Great Leaders
It was an honor to learn about leadership from Nabil Habayeb as he spoke about his background and how he interpreted his leadership role at GE. According to Nabil, leaders have a specific personality type. Leaders are able to adapt, they challenge their friends to do better, and they have an intrinsic desire to learn. Being adaptable allows a person to keep up with the fast pace of the world. Open-mindedness is necessary to accept change, therefore an adaptive personality will less often be left behind in a rapidly advancing technological space. By challenging friends to grow, a leader sets themselves up to be surrounded by a stable support system, an intelligent brainstorming resource, and a group of accomplished individuals. If friends are challenged, then they will inherently challenge back. Therefore, a domino-effect occurs, where all parties involved strive to be the best that they can be. Oftentimes, being the best version of oneself involves constant learning. A leader’s natural inclination toward learning is grounding. The understanding that everything in life can be a learning opportunity is a great lesson because it opens up many doors and refines skill-sets. Habayeb embodies the three leadership qualities described in addition to being humbly brilliant. Some final words of wisdom passed onto my class were to always keep your name clean and to make a difference in the world. These tips were given to the CEO by his father. The familial association to these words had a “handing over the baton” feeling that made the message very impactful for everyone listening.
Paradigm Shift
The title to this blog post might seem a bit superfluous, but I assure you that it isn’t. Given the incredible diversity amongst my classmates, I felt a bit out of place. I don’t consider myself well-traveled and I grew up in a middle-class household in New York. Before going on this trip, I imagined success as a six digit salary and name recognition. With this taken into account, somehow I expected to be a Fortune 500 CEO by age 30 with minimal effort beyond good grades, reputable co-ops, and a nice sounding major. After experiencing a week out of my sociological bubble and being immersed in the presence of powerful leaders, something just clicked. My perspective on success had been completely redefined.
Success has nothing to do with money, but it does have everything to do with leaving a positive mark on the world. Titles, like “President and CEO”, constitute respect and authority. However, having a title does not equate to success. That being said, many Presidents and CEOs are tremendously successful, like Nabil Habayeb. This situation fits the classic “a rectangle is not a square” conundrum. To say I wouldn’t enjoy money or stature would be a lie. These elements are not in my success equation, but they are a welcomed byproduct. In my journey to success, I hope to leave a positive trail in my path. The journey will present obstacles that I will adapt to overcome, I will challenge my friends by showing them the same obstacles, and I will not be blind to learning opportunities as they present themselves as new obstacles in my way.
