1. Business Forum Review<br />What it takes to be A Leader<br />If there was any point of the business forum that gave me the most insight into the business leader that I strive to be, it would have to be the speech from Malcom Gladwell when he spoke of risk. How risk assessment is one of the most important virtues a leader could have, and how the leaders of today’s corporations and leading companies are taking the wrong types of risk. Another major point that reached me was that discussed by Tal Ben Shahar and how people focus to hard on the answer or solution to a problem, but what needs the utmost focus is the right question.<br />When Gladwell spoke of risk, it hit me how right he was about some of the world’s most powerful changes and the leaders who stood behind them. In the markets of the world today, business leaders and C.E.O’s follow trends and usually tend to do what their competitors due. There are already existing norms and ethics (in some case) that certain industries follow, and to vary from those pre-set guidelines will make their company or corporation stand out in a negative way, this is because they are being seen as going against what is considered to be accepted. The truth is that risk is not a rarity in the world of business, in fact companies and business leaders take risks every single day, the difference that separates them from the ones who are ground breaking and innovative is the types of risks they are taking, operational vs. social. <br />Galdwell spoke of the doctor who was the first in his generation of hematologists that realized he needed to give children all four of the existing drugs at once so that they could kill all of the cancer. This immediately came across to me as wrong when I was first heard the story, but it was not until I understood the logic behind it that I fully grasped how difficult it can be to take a social risk. This doctor suggested a practice of cancer treatment that was basically a form of poisoning to children, and was seen by his colleagues as criminal. The thing was that he knew, that to him, it was at least a shot at something that could potentially save thousands if not millions of lives. This is where it separates the true leaders from the rest in the world because it takes a true leader to know his instincts, beliefs and his “True North”. Every other hematologist during that period in time would take risk on dosage, or order of which drugs were delivered at what time, but those are operational risks. Those were already genially excepted practices and were just minor variations to the current process. It takes a true leader to make a social risk and put everything he/she has on the table to make your voice heard, and your ideas excepted. This is when I realized that to be an elite leader in the industry/industries I decide to pursue, I have to be able to not only think outside of the box, but once my ideas are sparked, to follow them through thick and thin no matter what social risks are potential to destroy my company because I know that I am right. <br />This theory could be used more in the world of business today due to the amount of companies and corporations that follow trends simply to increase profits and maintain the desired social standard. Though, in reality if those same companies were to make a drastic change such as, a gas company selling off all of their oil sands so that they can buy up agricultural land for solar power development, they would be laughed at and not taking seriously. If that company was true to its beliefs and stayed strong throughout the downfall within a couple years would most likely have more social support for “going green” as well be the pioneers of a new generation of energy provides. The upsetting part is that it usually of takes one, to change how all think, and therefore live. <br />The second great point that hit home with me was that as a society we have developed a lot of our processes on how to fix the bad, and worry about the right answer before we even necessarily know what the right question is. Studies have proven that to focus on a positive thought is more than twice as powerful as a negative thought, yet in 90% of the worlds situations the negative is the first thing addressed. Whether it is an athlete’s performance, the weather or even students academics, people in general tend to focus on the negative. Tal Ben Shahar said, “We need to focus on what works, and then focus on what doesn’t, and rather focus on why certain people are successful, not why others are not.” This quote says it perfectly in my mind and helps me bring a positive outlook on my future. Knowing at the same time that there is always going to be times of struggle and hardship, but it is potentially the positive factors that which I am good at that will guide me through them. <br />These are just two of the many ideas and concepts I learned at the Business forum and truly believe that it was a great experience and I have defiantly benefited from it. Knowing that I need to stay true to my beliefs and once there are founded I will have justified them by asking the right questions. With the right questions, the right answers are created, answers that will allow me to withstand hardships because I can use the positive tools and strengths that I am good at. This allowing me to succeed on following my “True North” because I know that I can endure the social judgment of my decision, because in the end, I know that I will be right. <br />Mark Kerr.<br />