To the young CEOs.
You know the “P” in P.E.S.T.E.L (Politics); I never understood the importance from business school but did in watching CEOs before us get burnt by it. The profs with the PHDs in business school teach it from their copied assignments as lectures. And you know when you copy an assignment you really can’t explain it. .
Let businessmen tell you their stories. Businessmen need to understand and infiltrate politics to remain in growth. I recommend the understanding of macro economics variables and politics to any aspiring market leader aspiring for big pie size of the quadrants of that BCG Market Share over Market Growth dominance.
Growing to the top is tough. But staying on top is even tougher. The world is designed to attack the cowboy on the hill and to favor the underdog, classic David and Goliath. But underdogs (youths in business) have to have a mastermind group to exit that class.
Most times they don’t till they begin to aim for number one; then they are cut short. The problem with gunning for number one without caring about nation building, government and governance because you think you are growing excellently is myopic. Saying you are not interested in politics in a country like Nigeria is like drowning in water and shouting “I am not interested in swimming!”. The side effect of gunning for an enterprise empire with traits of total market dominance is that your competitor ends up becoming the government itself. If the bad policies don’t kill you, lack of infrastructure will. Or worse a tout in government or close to it will.
If you plan to become your market leader; to grow in your business, it’s never too early, to begin to infiltrate the polity. This is deeper than rally, PVCs and political endorsement. The plot, the revolution will not be televised. Real change is inside out the system not outside in. This can’t be done on social media or election booth. But parallel to it, disruptively. Get involved. You can start by investing your thought process and building or belong to a closed circuit cell of powerful cartels and minds. Act far but yet so close. Governance.
Eizu, ©Hexavia!
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