LEADERSHIP STRATEGY
I ENCOURAGE CURIOSITY AND WELCOME DIVERSITY OF OPINION
says Alardhi . “ I encourage curiosity and welcome diversity of opinion . I regularly invite a wide range of outside experts – not just ‘ the usual suspects ’ – to share their thoughts about global political and economic developments that might affect the business , in both small forums and company-wide town halls .”
He cites the example of the COVID-19 pandemic , adding that Investcorp learned about the potential impact two months before the World Health Organisation declared a global health emergency .
Alardhi admits that this unprecedented shutdown made Investcorp re-examine its priorities as a firm .
“ To be sure , we ’ re still focused on making a profit , but the human factor takes priority – always ,” he states adamantly . “ We want to ensure that our people feel safe and supported . As I said at one of our town halls , ‘ Listen , we all have our difficult moments . It ’ s okay to not always be okay .’
“ While we couldn ’ t predict the severity of an economic crash , we could take precautions ,” he adds “ Equally important , we prepared ourselves mentally through scenario planning . COVID was like falling off a cliff but at Investcorp , we had a parachute .”
That is one essential backup that any fighter pilot will endorse , and certainly one that business leaders should embrace .
50 January 2024