Jose Ruiz

Scott Shane supports a startup visa program. But he urges fellow proponents to rethink the arguments they’re using to justify it

By Scott Shane – Businessweek.com

Myth: Immigrants need to be better entrepreneurs than native-born entrepreneurs to justify a startup visa program.

Reality: Recently several influential people advocated a program to grant visas to foreign-born entrepreneurs interested in starting high potential businesses in the U.S. Last week Paul Kedrosky of the Kauffman Foundation and Brad Feld of the Foundry Group wrote an opinion piece in The Wall Street Journal, and entrepreneur turned academic Vivek Wadhwa also wrote a Bloomberg BusinessWeek opinion column to support such a program…

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Por Jose Ruiz (CNNExpansion.com)

Una relación de negocios sana y de respeto nace con independencia de las partes, afirma José Ruiz; el director de Heidrick & Struggles dice que el empleado debe pensar en su trabajo como un proyecto.

CIUDAD DE MÉXICO — La lealtad no es lo que era antes… ni tiene por que serlo.
Hace unas semanas, mi abuelo, quien fue un alto ejecutivo en el sector bancario en la década de 1980, me preguntó lo que pensaba sobre la falta de lealtad en los empleados de la actualidad.

Él estaba sorprendido de ver que, actualmente, el tiempo promedio que un empleado pasa laborando para una compañía es de alrededor de 5 años.

Ante esto, un tío empresario se apresuró a responder con sarcasmo: “¿Y qué opinas de la falta de lealtad que se percibe hoy en las compañías? Ellas piensan a corto plazo y despiden a la gente cuando ya no la necesita este mes.”

Touché. Hey, al final, no es nada personal, se trata sólo de negocios.

Podría sonar frío y cruel, pero no lo es. Sólo tenemos que pensar y analizar algunos paradigmas que se han redefinido durante las últimas décadas.

Para muchos, especialmente en medio de estos tiempos económicos difíciles, la lealtad es algo que se ha descartado en el trabajo, pero lo cierto es que la lealtad sólo ha evolucionado.

Estoy seguro de que concuerdan conmigo cuando digo que es ilógico asumir que una organización puede comprometerse con un empleado de por vida. Igual de ilógico que un empleado lo haga con la empresa.

Podría darse bajo las condiciones adecuadas, pero no se puede asumir o garantizar que sucederá. Las cosas cambian y lo hacen rápido. Las organizaciones y los empleados deben alcanzar su independencia. Ahora, esto podría evocar la idea de egoísmo, pero es todo lo contrario.

Las relaciones de negocios existen para un beneficio mutuo. El empleo no es la excepción.

La lealtad asume que la relación llega a un fin. Considera lo que podría pasarle a la otra parte cuando esto pasa y toma las medidas necesarias en cada etapa para garantizar que ninguna de las partes en la relación se vuelva dependiente.

Una relación de negocios dependiente no es sana. El entorno económico actual ha evidenciado muchos de estas relaciones poco saludables.

Profundicemos más en el concepto de dependencia usando un ejemplo: Bill, un empleado de ACME, Inc. es amigo cercano de su director. Lo ha ayudado cuando eventos imprevistos lo han requerido para hacer algo extra. Bill es un hombre con iniciativa en ACME y se le ha recompensado durante años con generosos aumentos de sueldo.

La economía ha golpeado fuerte a ACME y la ha obligado a cerrar. Bill está ahora desempleado y batallando para llegar a fin de mes. Él era aparentemente leal e hizo todo lo que se le pidió, incluyendo saltar de un puesto a otro. Ahora Bill está disponible en el mercado. Su cambio de cargos no le permitió definir su propia especialidad o nicho dentro de una disciplina -no tiene marca- su CV es un desorden y sus expectativas salariales están muy por encima de lo que el mercado pagaría por sus capacidades.

Bill se hizo dependiente de ACME y ésta nunca consideró lo que podría pasarle a Bill en un mercado laboral abierto. Al no ayudarle a definir un rumbo en su carrera, (tanto interna como externamente) y al pagarle de más, dejaron a Bill en una muy mala posición.

ACME lo hizo dependiente y Bill nunca se dio cuenta que lo era.

Ahora, pensemos en un escenario donde un inversionista aparece, ACME re-abre sus puertas y re-contrata a Bill. Bill sabe que su estilo de vida depende de su actual empleo con ACME.

La relación corre un alto riesgo de volverse tóxica debido a que la dependencia de Bill muy probablemente tenga un impacto en las decisiones que él tome en ACME. El sabe que necesita proteger su empleo. En el mejor de los casos, tomará decisiones con un mayor grado de temor.

Una relación de negocios sana y un respeto real proviene de la independencia de ambas partes y de la confianza que se deriva de esto.

La verdadera lealtad en una relación de trabajo toma en consideración lo que le pasará a la otra parte cuando la relación se termine.

A.J. Smith, Director General del equipo de los Cargadores de San Diego pregona: “Todos somos Cargadores una temporada a la vez”.

Como empleado, uno debe considerar todas las posibilidades, incluyendo que nuestro trabajo puede terminar en un momento dado. ¿Estamos listos para ello?, ¿sabemos cuál es nuestro valor en el mercado?, ¿quien puede necesitar de nuestros servicios? Haz estas preguntas constantemente.

Si estás empezando con un nuevo nombramiento, pregunta cómo esto podrá impactar tu marca personal y currículum. Sin importar qué hagas, o cuál sea tu trabajo, considérate un empleado freelance y a tu empleo como un proyecto.

Condúcete como si cada proyecto fuera una prueba para el siguiente. Sobre todo, nunca olvides que una relación sana se basa en un beneficio mutuo.

Nunca limites las opciones de alguien y ten cuidado con quienes no las tienen.

Si garantizas tu independencia, sin duda te convertirá en un mejor empleado. Garantiza la independencia de aquellos que trabajan para ti y tendrás empleados más leales.

Tienes que ser independiente y leal. Con una nueva clase de lealtad.

| Articulo en CNNExpansion.com

*El autor es Director de la oficina de Heidrick & Struggles en Monterrey, Nuevo León y es miembro de la práctica Industrial global.  Su experiencia profesional incluye más de 13 años en las áreas de ingeniería y administración de operaciones trabajando para organizaciones de manufactura en los Estados Unidos y México.

Es miembro de la Sociedad de Ingenieros Automotrices (SAE) y la Sociedad de Ingenieros de Manufactura (SME).

Es Ingeniero Mecánico Electricista egresado del Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey.

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It’s not a cliche. Leadership is not about the leader, yet many forget.
By Jose Ruiz

If you collected every single article that defines leadership, you’d probably have reading material for a many years and you’d probably go crazy with ideas and suggestions on how to improve your leadership skills.

Leadership is much like parenting. You can read a lot, you can be taught, you can be mentored and guided, but in the end your leadership style will be unique to your experiences and specific situations. There will seldom be black or white answers. However, just like parenting, the one irrefutable characteristic about true leadership is that it is not about you. Good leadership is not reflected in the leader’s actions, it is reflected in the impact and effect of those actions on the team.

This is not a plea for servant leadership, a humble leader, leading from the back, or leading softly. I believe in that, but I don’t believe a good leader can, or should be that all the time.  A leader should adapt to the environment and what the team needs today without losing sight of what will be needed tomorrow and always preparing for that moment when he or she will no longer be there. Guaranteeing the growth and sustainability of the team and the individuals that comprise it beyond the leader’s time is the ultimate trait of a great leader. In fact, the true success of a leader can not be measured without considering the results of the succession plan.

About Heidrick & Struggles International, Inc.
The world’s premier provider of senior-level executive search and leadership consulting services. The firm’s executive recruiters and leadership experts operate from principal business centers in North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia Pacific. In Mexico, Heidrick & Struggles operates offices in Mexico City and Monterrey. For more information about Heidrick & Struggles please visit www.heidrick.com

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By Jose Ruiz

How much?  There is no easy answer for this question but the best way to address is it is to understand a company’s typical thought process.  Regardless of what companies will openly admit there are three things that will determine what a company will offer you when changing jobs:

What you are worth in the Market
This has nothing to do with your perceived value, it is important to distinguish your perceived value from your market value.  Your market value is simply based on what others with a similar skill set and experience (your competition) are currently or willing to make. I have had candidates tell me: “I saved the company $500,000 dollars last year why can’t they pay me 50% more?” And the answer is pretty straight forward, harsh, but straight forward: Because they don’t have to if someone else can save them the same amount for 25% less than what you make.

So, research the market when setting your expectations. Once you arrive at market data it is important to understand how it is used.  If you take market statistics as a reference, consider that companies will try to make offers below the 50 percentile to guarantee room for growth and development. The area above that percentile is reserved for compensating performance and experience at the corresponding level.  If at any point you are able to negotiate above the 50 percentile be cautious of what your future will look like. You might be staring at a few years with below average salary increases.

Your current salary
This becomes a none-issue if you are at market, but if you are under the market it will force a question: Why are you below market?  In many cases there is a valid reason. But beware of how you present your case. Companies will know about other companies more that you might expect. Company names in your resume and your current salary will hint to what your performance has been. Questions marks will fly if you have been with a well recognized organization for the past 4 years and your salary is below market.  Regardless of how well the interview process goes and how good an organization may be when evaluating potential employees there is never a guarantee that a new hire will perform as expected. So if you are below market don’t expect a significant immediate increase to bring you to market level. Companies will typically provide an increase to bring you on board but it will be up to you to bring yourself to market level by performing.  So worry about positioning yourself in an organization that will FACILITATE getting back to market level within a certain amount of time versus trying to find a sponsor that will immediately take you there because they feel for you and believe your story.

It is also important to consider that while companies understand that money is important they will seek a candidate’s decision based on the challenge, expected career path and career development and not on an immediate boost in pay. For that reason, most organizations will shy away from providing sharp increases when presenting an offer. The average increase, assuming that the increase does no put you outside the hiring companies range for the position is between 15-25%. The higher the salary the lower the percentage tends to be. In very few instances do we see organizations that are willing to increase an executive’s salary by more than 25% when they bring them on board. So once again, worry about positioning yourself in an organization that will provide a level of responsibility, training and experience that will allow you to progressively increase your market value and consequently your salary.
Chase responsibility and experience that can be marketed and the money will come.

Their internal pay structure
You would think that the pay structure in most companies would match market data. Unfortunately it is not always the case and not because organizations would not want it that way. External events can change the market quicker than what a company can or would be willing to react to. When we see a mismatch it is typically a temporary supply and demand issue for specific industries and disciplines. In most instances companies will prefer to take more time to fill a job opening or even lose a few employees to a hot job market over turning their cost structure upside down or generate disgruntled employees by increasing the salary range for specific positions while keeping other similar ones the same.

About Heidrick & Struggles International, Inc.
The world’s premier provider of senior-level executive search and leadership consulting services. The firm’s executive recruiters and leadership experts operate from principal business centers in North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia Pacific. In Mexico, Heidrick & Struggles operates offices in Mexico City and Monterrey. For more information about Heidrick & Struggles please visit www.heidrick.com

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What can we expect in 2010 as we continue to see signs the economy is beginning to recover and expand?  Uncertainty is gone. We’re certain it’s going to be a tough year but challenges will be different from those we encountered in 2009.
By Jose Ruiz

When 2009 began uncertainty filled the air and the economy paralyzed. It was like driving in dense fog. Trying to sort out what was around us, while we attempted to move forward with caution, hoping nothing would come out of nowhere and hit us. Swine flu did just that and it was not until June that the fog began to lift. We hit bottom, and it became evident that the recovery was going to take time and it was going to be tough.

Let’s take a broad look back at what happened from the perspective of Connie Consumer and Pete Producer. Back in 2006 Connie Consumer was flying high with a steady job, a house, retirement and investment accounts with values that were growing well beyond inflation. The Consumer family’s net worth was growing at a steady pace and they felt comfortable making major purchases. Pete Producer was doing very well struggling to keep up with demand. Pete and Producer Inc. hired more employees and made investments with an eye to the future. He needed to expand to not lose market share.

In 2008 Connie Consumer began to see her net worth slip as house prices began to drop. The foreclosure of her neighbor’s house put downward pressure on the price of her home and her investments were not performing well. The Consumer family is a responsible consumer so they began to hold back on some spending. Pete producer began to notice the Consumers where not spending as much as before and began to see his demand fizzle. Producer Inc. was already set for higher output. Pete producer made small adjustments but his inventory began to accumulate. Pete felt he had increased capacity too aggressively betting on the come and allowed his costs to get out of control. Towards the end of 2008 he had no choice and began to make cost adjustments and had to let some employees go.

By the start of 2009 Connie Consumer was facing a pay-cut and was uncertain about her own job. She could no longer count on the safety net of her home equity or her investment accounts. If she lost her job she would have a hard time making ends meet. The Consumer family hunkered down and increased their savings trying to spend only on the essentials. Pete Producer felt the pressure as his products stacked up in his warehouse. Producer Inc. had no choice and made deeper cost cuts, letting more people go and shutting down plants. Pete was in trouble. His costs were climbing and his product was not selling. Pete needed cash at a time when his bank reduced his credit line. He knew that increasing his prices would be suicide. In fact he had to provide discounts to empty his shelves. He accepted losses to guarantee cash flow.

At the end of June 2009 Connie felt a bit more secure at her job. Layoffs appeared to be over. The Consumer family was still dealing with lower pay because of the pay-cuts but they felt a bit more comfortable spending. Government programs had helped Pete reduce his inventory and Producer Inc. began to see demand come back.

So this is where we are today. Connie Consumer is cautious but spending. Pete Producer has his production lines working again. His reduced capacity is almost at its limit.

The uncertainty is gone but now comes a tricky recovery.

Pete Producer is seeing demand increase but he is very reluctant to increase capacity. His fear of loosing market share is outweighed by his fear of letting his costs get out of control. He will accept losing some customers to guarantee that he will stay afloat and profitable. Pete will grow at a very slow pace keeping a close eye on the Consumer family betting very little on the come.

Connie Consumer will probably get her full pay back by the end of the year. But her employer will be thinking along the same lines as Pete and will keep pay increases in check. In 2010 Connie will likely earn the same salary she did in 2008.

Now say hello to my little friends: inflation and loss of purchasing power.

2009 was a year characterized by the elimination of excess inventory and capacity (supply). When I talk about capacity it’s not only manufacturing capacity. Restaurants, dealerships and stores were closed, production lines were shut down. Overall, capacity to provide goods and services was reduced in reaction to a dramatic drop in demand. Prices remained mostly in check because supply outweighed demand.

Through the reminder of 2009 and 2010 demand will continue to grow at a slow pace. Supply and demand will even out and we will very likely see inflation levels above those that we saw in 2009. 

Higher inflation levels and a virtual freeze in salaries equals a loss in purchasing power adding another element to the already strong argument of a slow recovery.

2010 will be a year of recovery. But a slow and difficult recovery as Connie Consumer and Pete Producer keep an eye on each other before taking any steps, both protecting their cash and taking nothing for granted.

About Heidrick & Struggles International, Inc.
The world’s premier provider of senior-level executive search and leadership consulting services. The firm’s executive recruiters and leadership experts operate from principal business centers in North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia Pacific. In Mexico, Heidrick & Struggles operates offices in Mexico City and Monterrey. For more information about Heidrick & Struggles please visit www.heidrick.com

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Business trends and the current recession are forever changing the way corporations hire and retain talent.
By Jose Ruiz

Monterrey, Mexico (August 28, 2009).-  These are hard times for finding a new job or making a career transition. The state of the economy and uncertainty has forced many companies to downsize. Yes, downsize. Not rightsize. I don’t hear clients tell us they need to hire 100 people because they are rightsizing. Companies are downsizing and in many cases executing accross the board pay cuts. They have also been forced to rethink their strategic and business plans forcing changes in their talent needs. Requirements and career paths have been forever altered.

In the executive search business we are finding that it’s taking longer than usual for executives to transition and find a new job. It’s frustrating and difficult amid hard times and many executives end up questioning if they might be doing something wrong, if they did something wrong in the past or if they are making mistakes during their job search.  No two individuals are alike and while every case is different there is a broad trend on how corporations are hiring and retaining talent. Understanding those trends can help eliminate frustration.

Short term requirements, speed and reaction time dominate the business environment. Corporations need to plan for shorter horizons building organizations that can execute seamlessly and react quickly while guaranteeing profits and long term sustainability.

Time is money. The need for speed and lower costs has made learning curves unbearable in many business environments and it’s having a profound impact in how corporations hire. It’s not about quick learners. They want executives who have been there, done that and can have an immediate impact.. Executives with the right leadership qualities for the task at hand, industry knowledge, technical experience and proven business success in a similar environment.

Hire for attitude and build aptitude is now relegated to entry level employees. The trend for executives is now hire for attitude, assure aptitude and guarantee success.

Assuring aptitude and guaranteeing success requires a close match and fit at four different levels:

I. A broad cultural fit - Broad cultural fit includes the business and corporate cultures. The culture and business dynamics of a private family owned enterprise tends to be very different from a public global corporation. A broad cultural fit will help guarantee long term success.

II. The “Must Haves” – What we typically see in a job description: Qualifications, experience, knowledge, technical skills and functional competencies. These used to be very broad and have now become very discipline and industry specific. These are key elements to a quick learning curve, a fast start and short term success.

III. A “micro” cultural fit –  The broad cultural fit focuses on a global business and corporate cultural. A micro culture focuses on a regional or site level. At this level it is important to seek a fit in behaviors, leadership and management styles of the immediate team including subordinates.

IV. The task at hand - A position or discipline takes on a different meaning depending on the task at hand. The executive and leadership competencies required for turn-around, growth, a contraction or a stable environment can vary widely. A successful turn-around specialist is seldom the best choice for a stable environment.

A fit at all levels is not easy. Many elements that were once considered intangible are now part of a tangible evaluation process and from the stand point of an executive it’s not about right or wrong, good or bad, it’s simply about fit.

About Heidrick & Struggles International, Inc.
The world’s premier provider of senior-level executive search and leadership consulting services. The firm’s executive recruiters and leadership experts operate from principal business centers in North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia Pacific. In Mexico, Heidrick & Struggles operates offices in Mexico City and Monterrey. For more information about Heidrick & Struggles please visit www.heidrick.com

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It’s not done yet.  But signs continue to indicate that we are heading in the right direction.
by Jose Ruiz

Monterrey, Mexico (August, 25, 2009).-There are internal economic elements in Mexico that can be considered serious weaknesses if the global recession continues over a long period of time. As we continue to monitor key economic data it continues to look like Mexico will dodge the bullet.

80% of Mexico’s exports go to the United States.  The economy in Mexico will begin to pick-up steam when the U.S. consumer starts spending again.

This week U.S. consumer confidence proved that the sleeping giant might be waking up. The index climbed more than forecast at the same time that national home prices increased for the first time in three years.

The increase beyond forecast may be a surprise but the correlation should not be. Most of the net worth of the average American lies in two pots: The equity of their homes and their retirement savings. Both of which had been badly battered in the last couple of years leaving the average consumer feeling unprotected wondering what they would get by with  if they became part of the unemployment statistics.

While the official unemployment numbers are still of concern reports say the proportion of people who said jobs are hard to get decreased to 45.1 percent from 48.5 percent.

The positive environment in the U.S. is already having an effect in Mexico. The peso’s strength is at levels many thought we were never going to see again. It strengthened 0.1 percent to 12.8152 per U.S. dollar today.  At some point in trading it hit 12.7674, a number not seen since November 11 of last year.

The signs are encouraging and it appears we are on the path to recovery. There are internal concerns, but there is reason to continue to be optimistic as long as the U.S. economy continues to show signs of strength.

About Heidrick & Struggles International, Inc.
The world’s premier provider of senior-level executive search and leadership consulting services. The firm’s executive recruiters and leadership experts operate from principal business centers in North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia Pacific. In Mexico, Heidrick & Struggles operates offices in Mexico City and Monterrey. For more information about Heidrick & Struggles please visit www.heidrick.com

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By Jose J. Ruiz – Heidrick & Struggles

Monterrey, Mexico (August 18, 2009).- Positive signs continue to bring hope that an economic recovery, though a slow and long one, has arrived. There is an emphasis on slow and long.

The peso dropped against the dollar by 1.3 percent on Monday, the single biggest drop since May 11, before climbing back and positioning itself slightly below 13 pesos per dollar around noon today.

Concerns were awaken a few days back as Finance Secretary Agustin Carstens said Mexico faces the worst “fiscal shock” in 30 years because of declining oil production. This means there will be little money left to stimulate the economy. However, the biggest factor in Mexico’s economic recovery will continue to be consumer demand in the United States simply because Mexico sends more than 80% of its exports to the U.S.

“The United States was not only at the origin of the crisis, it is central to any world recovery,” said Olivier Blanchard, the chief economist of the International Monetary Fund.

At least for now, the positive signs in the U.S. continue.

Automotive Industry
GM has called back over 1300 union workers as the company prepares to boost production during the second half of the year. In Mexico, GM recently inaugurated a transmission plant in San Luis Potosi. This is a great sign for Mexico considering 21% of exports come from the automotive industry.

Blanchard believes the recovery has started but has cautioned it can’t be sustained by government programs such “Cash for Clunkers”. The private sector needs to be the engine of economic activity.

Demand still needs to recover and it will take years for it to reach pre-recession levels but having inventories drop enough to kick-start plants that had be shut down is a great step forward.

Housing and Construction in the United States
There are still many negative sides to the housing equation in the United States. Foreclosures will continue to be fed by many variable-rate loans that will reset between now and 2012 putting downward pressure on pricing but for the first time in many years renting is now more expensive than buying for those with a good credit rating and cash in the bank.

The amount of deals in the market has stopped the price slide in places like San Diego where the medium price of a home in July stood at $320,000, up from $316,250 in June but still below July 2008′s $364,000. Some builders like KB home expect to show year-over-year increases in sales for the current quarter.

U.S. housing starts declined by 1 per cent in July, ending a two-month winning streak but despite missing expectations, watchers viewed the housing data as a largely positive development. The drop can be attributed to apartments since construction of single-family homes rose by 1 per cent to the highest level since October 2008, for the fifth straight monthly increase.

It’s too early to pop the Champaign bottle but it appears that activity in both the construction and automotive industries may have stabilized to a degree.

Jose Ruiz is a Principal in Heidrick & Struggles’ Monterrey office. As an executive recruiter he has worked on executive search projects for multinational clients in industrial sectors and consumer markets. He can be reached at +52 (818) 8625-6521 or jruiz@heidrick.com

About Heidrick & Struggles International, Inc.
The world’s premier provider of senior-level executive search and leadership consulting services. The firm’s executive recruiters and leadership experts operate from principal business centers in North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia Pacific. In Mexico, Heidrick & Struggles operates offices in Mexico City and Monterrey. For more information about Heidrick & Struggles please visit www.heidrick.com

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America Economia (Agosto 2009)

Por Arly Faundes

Cuando todo parece estar en contra, un buen jefe se vuelve fundamental para las organizaciones. Por ello, las crisis son escenarios privilegiados para descubrir al líder que llevamos dentro.

No es fácil estar en medio de una tormenta y decidir hacia dónde remar. Alguien tiene que guiar al resto para que todos vayan hacia el mismo lado y no termine por hundirse el bote. Ésa es la labor del líder: conseguir que su equipo lo siga y obtener buenos resultados. No sólo porque los demás sean sus subordinados, sino porque realmente confían en él, en su actuar y en que está tomando las decisiones correctas. “Son aquellas personas que tienen credibilidad por lo que hacen”, dice Fernando D’Alezzio, director de Centro de Negocios Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú (Centrum).

Esto se vuelve aún más fundamental cuando la tormenta es una crisis económica mundial que azota a gran parte de las industrias, el consumo, el empleo. A todo y a todos. “Una característica de un buen líder es adaptarse a la situación en particular que se está viviendo”, afirma José Ruiz, director general de Heidrick & Struggles en Monterrey, empresa de reclutamiento y consultoría en liderazgo.

Según Ruiz, en momentos de crisis, una persona pasa por tres cuestionamientos. Cuando comienza la urgencia, se pregunta: “¿qué está pasando?”. Después de identificar la situación, evalúa: “¿cómo me está afectando, estoy en riesgo?” Y el tercer paso es asimilar la situación y ver qué sigue y qué se debe hacer. Las respuestas a estas interrogantes son las que un buen líder responde tanto para él como para informarlas a todo su equipo.

Por esto la comunicación y la transparencia son clave. Lo importante, dicen los expertos, es disminuir la incertidumbre. “En tiempos de crisis económica son momentos en que los liderazgos se consolidan y duran por mucho tiempo”, agrega Ricardo Aparicio, académico de Ipade, en Ciudad de México.

¿Y cómo han reaccionado los líderes en América Latina? “Hay que aprender mucho de esta lección”, dice D’Alezzio. “Tenemos buenos gerentes, pero no buenos líderes”. Según el académico, falta una visión hacia el bien común. Una visión de largo plazo y que se trabaje más allá de los beneficios para los dueños de la empresa, sino para la sociedad. “El liderazgo no permea toda la organización”, agrega Roberto Cabrera, especialista de la consultora KPMG. “Se toman las decisiones de manera adecuada, pero no se crea una visión ni se comunica”.

| Leer articulo completo en AmericaEconomia.com

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You Corp.
Succeed by applying to your personal life and career the same principals that propel leading corporations.

by Jose Ruiz

The exact definition of business is a matter of debate.  But without getting into much detail or controversy a business is a legally recognized organization designed to provide goods and/or services to consumers.  Formed to earn profit that will increase the wealth of its stake holders and grow the business itself.
 
If you are reading this there is a high probability that you work, you are either an employee or an entrepreneur.  It really does not matter.  In the end, you do something (your product) and someone pays for it.  People who surround you or depend on you such as your wife, kids, parents are affected by how you do it and what you get. They, along with you, are stake holders. I’m pretty sure that you and your stake holders have felt the need to increase your wealth. You are a business.
 
Working in executive search I speak to many managers and directors from Fortune 500 organizations. They are masters of business strategy and execution yet, most of the time, I get a strange look if not a blank stare when I ask how they have applied those concepts to their person and how they have used those concepts to get to where they are. I truly can’t say they got there by chance. But I’m also not sure it was always something that was planned and mapped out. There are moments in time which change the course of events, alter the paths of your career and change your professional life. Some are positive and some are negative and for most of us the majority of these events are unexpected.
 
When I ask people who have had successful careers what the secret is, the most common response is “hard work and perseverance”. Check! You won’t be successful without them. But I also know many people who have worked hard, been relentless and have fallen short of their goals. There are no guarantees that you will be successful and achieve all of your goals, but I bet you can increase your chances by applying the same business concepts great corporations use. You might already work for one and apply them everyday, you just might not be applying them to yourself.
 
Identify and understand your stakeholders
People who surround you or depend on you such as your wife, kids, parents are affected by how you do it and what you get. What are their needs today and what will they be tomorrow? Your needs and those of your other stakeholders should be your big objective.
 
Know, understand and develop your product/service 
Know what makes you valuable and think about how your current job or activities will affect that value. In the end, your employer is your client. How many potential clients do you have? Be strategic. Everything you do should be part of the creation of a unique and valuable position. A good strategy may require you to make trade-offs – Your resources are limited. Choosing what not to do is just as important as choosing what to do.
 
Create and propel your personal brand
Yes, you are a brand. Distinguish yourself and make sure you never forget that perceptions matter. People remember you and what you are by what you do and what you reflect. Work on a positive brand.
 
Apply The Hedgehog Concept (Simplicity within the Three Circles)
Good-to-Great companies do what they can do best (as opposed to what they want to do best), what they are deeply passionate about, and they focus on what drives their economic engine.
 
Be effective: Plan and execute seamlessly
Know where you want to go, plan how you are going to get there and when. Be visionary. Spot trends but stay focused and constantly reassess everything.
 
Focus, document and measure relentlessly
Use a central score board and share it with your stakeholders. Goals slip when progress is not being measured…and measured against time. Set milestones at frequent intervals. When gaps occur, question what went wrong and apply corrective actions.
 
Be ruthless with resources and stay financially flexible
We live in a world of cycles. Recessions and economic crisis will happen and most likely a few times in our lifetime. Be prepared, don’t lose focus and be sustainable. Plan long term.
 
Don’t B.S. yourself
B.S. your clients or your stakeholders and it will have an impact on your personal brand. B.S. yourself and you will be on a direct path to failure. Believe your own B.S. and you are done.

Jose Ruizis a Principal in Heidrick & Struggles’ Monterrey office. As an executive recruiter he has worked on executive search projects for multinational clients in industrial sectors and consumer markets. He can be reached at +52 (818) 8625-6521 or jruiz@heidrick.com

About Heidrick & Struggles International, Inc.
The world’s premier provider of senior-level executive search and leadership consulting services. The firm’s executive recruiters and leadership experts operate from principal business centers in North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia Pacific. In Mexico, Heidrick & Struggles operates offices in Mexico City and Monterrey. For more information about Heidrick & Struggles please visit www.heidrick.com

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