Fujio Mitarai, Chairman and CEO of Canon (Japan)

Article link 1: https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Companies/Time-to-think-outside-the-camera-box-Canon-chief-argues?page=1

In this short interview with Nikkei Asian Review, Fujio Mitarai emphasizes the need for constant innovation in today’s fast-changing business environment.

Article link 2: https://global.canon/en/vision/pdf/20180801.pdf 

This promotional article explains how Canon Chairman and CEO Fujio Mitarai added new business segments (particularly in the field of healthcare) to reduce his corporation’s dependence on cameras and office equipment. In this article, we learn how Mitarai balanced short-term and long-term orientation through maximizing profitability in the existing businesses while also investing in new growth businesses.

Reflection and discussion questions:

- Based on what you have read about Fujio Mitarai in your textbook and in the articles above, what do you think Mitarai considers to be his main responsibilities as a manager?

What did Mitarai do to balance performance and building potential (or exploitation and exploration, respectively) at Canon?

Graham Mackay, former CEO of SABMiller (South Africa/UK)

Video link: https://youtu.be/tP-JyLMChek [7:53 minutes]

In this video, Graham Mackay explains which trends he observed in the market and how he translated the findings from this monitoring process into a managerial agenda.

Reflection and discussion questions:

- What did Mackay do to monitor and make sense of the trends in the business environment?

- What would you say was high on Graham Mackay’s agenda?

- What did Mackay do to implement his agenda?

Sarah Nahm, CEO of Lever (USA)

Video link: https://youtu.be/UUMQMmawJxg [3:34 minutes]

In this video, Sarah Nahm gives us an insight into what a typical day is like as the CEO of a software company with around 200 employees.

Reflection and discussion questions:

- Judging from the content of the video, what does Nahm see as her key responsibilities and tasks as a manager?

- What does Nahm mean when she says that she sees herself as a “Designer-CEO”?

- What role can rituals play in a manager’s work?

Article link: https://inside.lever.co/levers-ceo-sarah-nahm-on-building-an-inclusive-culture-before-recruiting-for-diversity-74be35523c06

In this interview, Nahm reflects on the importance of creating an inclusive culture in organizations.

Reflection and discussion questions:

- In what way are the topics of diversity and inclusion connected to managerial responsibility?

- In the interview, Nahm says that “the hardest lesson was how long things take”? Why do things sometimes take longer than planned in organizations and what does that mean for the job of a manager?

Jack Welch, former Chairman and CEO of General Electric (USA)

Video link: https://techtv.mit.edu/videos/16018-a-conversation-with-jack-welch [Watch the first 28:30 minutes]

Jack Welch was the Chairman and CEO of General Electric (GE) between 1981 and 2001. He was both praised for being extremely successful in increasing the value of GE and criticized for the high performance pressure that he put on employees. In this video, Welch explains the core elements of his management and leadership philosophy.

Reflection and discussion questions:

- What does it mean when Jack Welch says that “my products were people”?

- What is your opinion of the 20-70-10 differentiation that Welch used to evaluate his employees? What are the advantages and disadvantages of such a performance management system?

- What did Welch do to balance managing in the short term and thinking in the long term?

- Jack Welch says that you can see everyone as a mentor. Do you think that this advice could be useful for your own personal development as a (future) manager?