FirstCuts ezine Issue 7.0

FirstCuts A Framework Consulting Online eZine High-Stake Interventions -- Issue 7 January 15, 2007 Developing a "Caribbean Manager" by Francis Wade

Editorial While I was in Johannesburg, South Africa over the holidays, I was able to take tours of 2 townships: Soweto and Alexandria. While visiting I was struck by the wickedness that was the Apartheid system, and how long it will take that country to integrate all of its citizens into a seamless whole -- something that has never existed. Here in the Caribbean we have a similar challenge: to create an economic force that has never before existed. This issue is devoted to the idea that a truly "Caribbean Manager" is the basic building block, because if the mindset is not there at an individual level, then all the CSME activity will be wasted. Francis

Developing a "Caribbean Manager" ==================================================== Developing a "Caribbean Manager" ==================================================== The upcoming Cricket World Cup arrives in the Caribbean in March 2007 and brings with it several interesting possibilities. One possibility that it brings to mind is that we, as a region can find a way to emulate the success of the West Indies cricket team in the 1980's and 1990's -- off the field. One lesson that we might learn from our Test cricketers and their collective success, is that they each had to undergo a personal transition from being merely a representative of their country, to being a member of The West Indies cricket team. I am certain that the transition involved more than just a change in team name, particularly when we were world beaters in the 1980's and early 1990's. The players of that time were able to set aside their local preferences, biases and idiosyncrasies, in order to build the kind of unified force that politicians and business-people have, to date, failed to create. While our politicians are making little headway with the implementation of CSME, it is our business-people that are more closely following the example of our Test cricket team. Assisted by the liberalisation of the region's economies, they have been able to export capital, and use it to build regional conglomerates in manufacturing, distribution and banking. In our work, Framework has defined a term that we have been sharing with our clients that we hope to make synonymous with the power that "West Indian cricketer" has around the world: "Caribbean Manager." Why should we care about becoming Caribbean Managers? Who or what are they anyway? A Caribbean Manager is a manager who has undergone a mental shift or transition from being a local professional to one who sees themselves as part of a wider regional fabric. It is a change that one makes for oneself, and with it comes a broader context within which to make decisions to invest time, energy and capital. For example, a Caribbean Manager cares about the latest business happenings in other countries in the region, and seeks out sources of news and information that may give her a competitive edge. How does a manager make the transition? In our work, my colleagues and I have identified three characteristics that can be learned by regional professionals: learning to collect different and varied first-hand experiences, using heartfelt interests as a tool for natural networking and being willing to identify and surrender mind-sets that are obstacles to becoming Caribbean Managers. ================================================== A Collector of Different Experiences ================================================== Perhaps the first part of the transition that a manager must make is to become committed to having a variety of different experiences across the region. While there is a great deal that can be learned from reading books and using the Internet, nothing does more for a manager than direct experience of other countries in the region. I can vividly recall my first trip to the Point Lisas Industrial Estate in Trinidad. When I surveyed the number of heavy industrial companies in the area, I immediately understood that Trinidad had a very different economy than Jamaica's, and that seeing the estate was very different from reading about it. The Caribbean Manager yearns for experiences such as this one, because they help him to understand the deep underpinnings of business in a particular country. He is never satisfied with an understanding of his own society, and in fact finds that travelling to other English-speaking countries in the region help him to understand his own country. These experiences cannot be scripted, as trips to different territories become opportunities to combine markets, suppliers and products in ways that cannot be determined from merely doing market research. These unique combinations can only be created by business-people who understand the region and its needs from direct experience. Some examples of unfilled opportunities include the lack of a real jerk restaurant or patty shop in Port of Spain, and the fact that authentic Trini roti is impossible to find in Kingston. These are both waiting to be filled but can only been seen by those managers who can see the need based on their experience. Also, travelling across the region in search of these experiences help to teach a budding Caribbean manager how to manage the people in each country. In a recent study conducted by Framework, Trinidadian executives admitted to being surprised by the degree to which Jamaican business culture differed from that of Trinidad. They may have been better prepared if they had simply spent more time working in Jamaica , managing Jamaicans, before accepting their assignments. Travelling and working across the region gives the Caribbean Manager valuable insights into another culture, but they can also learn a great deal about their home culture. Furthermore, they can also learn to adapt themselves to the strengths and weaknesses of the Caribbean management style. There are too many managers across the region who are, at best, local managers with very narrow interests. They have not visited another Caribbean country, do not read regional newspapers, and are more acquainted with Miami than any of the region's capitals. They do both themselves and their companies a disservice. ================================================ A Networker Who Builds on Natural Interests ================================================ The idea of regional networking fills most professionals with a feeling of dread. The idea of hob-nobbing with a power-elite over golf or tennis at the country club seems foreign to everyone other than the few who are already members. We have found that the savvy Caribbean Manager builds networks around areas of authentic interest. They start with what they are already interested in, and broaden the scope of their interest to include the entire region, way past the limits of their country's borders. For example, a collector of exotic orchids who happens to work in a bank, could decide to build their network around this particular hobby. Using this pastime as a starting point, and the Internet as a tool, they could engage in the following activities: - find contact information for orchid growers across the Caribbean region - join paper and electronic newsletters and mail-lists - join or start electronic discussion lists - travel to attend orchid shows, and pass send around trip reports - become knowledgeable about the laws regarding the import and export of orchids Taking these simple steps (based on my absolute dearth of knowledge in this area,)could enable someone to become a regional expert on orchids, simply by pursuing their interest in a wider geographic sphere. How does this apply to the Caribbean Manager? It turns out turns out that developing an expertise in a single area can be just as effective a networking tool as any other. As one's expertise grows and deepens, the likelihood increases that relationships will be created with other experts in the field across the region. These other experts will themselves have connections with professionals in each field, including banking. All without learning how to serve, and without trying to perfect a back-swing. Caribbean Managers have found that the relatively small size of our societies lends itself to authentic networking, and that business- people are as likely to be found on the golf-course, as they are to be found at a local pan-yard, race track or orchid show. The savvy Caribbean Manager sticks to their areas of interest, and trusts that their passion for the area will be attractive to others. Their only duty is to stay true to their heartfelt interests, honouring their passions while avoiding the dark thoughts that they should buy a set of clubs in order to meet this quarter’s sales goals. The practical side benefit of following an interest are easy to see. While the banker described in the example above is visiting Georgetown at the annual Orchid Festival, it might be quite easy to stay an extra day or two in order to meet the President of the Guyana Association of Bankers (who just happens to be an old school-mate of the Vice President of the Orchid Society.) I benefited tremendously from an extra three days in Trinidad after recovering from Carnival 1996. After meeting with a few businessmen, I realized that not only could I do business in Trinidad, but also that the talk in Jamaica about Tricky-dadians was overblown -- "old talk." =============================================== Willing to Surrender Mind-Sets =============================================== A mindset is simply a way of being, or a lens, that colours the way we see other people, countries or situations. We, more often than not, don't realize they are there, and come to believe that the way we see life is the way that life is. The problem comes when we are wrong, and fail to see what is in front of us, or in other words, what is in our blind-spots. The talk among business-men in Jamaica about “Tricky-dadians” and the inability to trust them is still widespread. Today, it stops some Jamaicans from even attempting to do business in the twin-island republic. Caribbean Managers are able to transcend such limiting mind-sets. They realize they exist, but they are willing to question them, and to compare them to actual, first-hand experience. This process of constant checking is more than just some parlour trick — it is the key to seeing possibilities and opportunities where others cannot see them. In business terms, it is the key to finding new sources of profit. How does a manager improve her ability to shed mindsets? There are a variety of commercial approaches that are available for the individual who is interested in being trained, and the one I most recommend is based on the work of Byron Katie, which can be found at www.thework.org. =============================================== Summary =============================================== Companies that are the first to develop a cadre of Caribbean Managers will gain an undeniable competitive edge. Unfortunately, I am unaware of any company that has put in place a systematic programme of training, exposure and awareness to bridge the gap. While it is clear that not having Caribbean Managers is costly to regional firms, there is no easy prescription on how to put these programmes in place. A Caribbean solution is needed. Perhaps the Cricket World Cup might provide the impetus we need to develop more than just regional cricketing talent. The FirstCuts Bottom Line: Start developing yourself as a Caribbean Manager TODAY. * What are some of the things you are doing to develop yourself as a Caribbean Manager? Let us know at the Framework blog by following this link: http://tinyurl.com/y2z9qs Useful Stuff Tips, Ads and Links Framework's One-Page Digest has been launched and can be viewed at http://tinyurl.com/y9b6ev. It includes a list of links to information that I think is invaluable to Caribbean executives. Subscription details can also be found at the link above. Update: I plan to release a new issue every 2 weeks Back Issues of FirstCuts can be found at http://tinyurl.com/pw7fa We are on the lookout for possible contributors to FirstCuts. If interested, send email to francis@fwconsulting.com to be included in a future mailing. To manage this newsletter, we use an excellent programme called AWeber that you can explore here:- http://www.aweber.com/?213577 Subscriber Q&A None this month General and Newsletter Subscription Info To contact us with feedback, questions or praise, email newsletter@fwconsulting.com To subscribe, please email firstcuts@aweber.com from the email address that you which to be subscribed from Please feel free to use excerpts from this newsletter as long as you give credit with a link to our page: www.fwconsulting.com FirstCuts © Copyright 2007, Framework Consulting, except where indicated otherwise. All rights reserved worldwide. Reprint only with permission from copyright holder(s). 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