Leadership Principles the Speech Is Based On - Nokia - Essay Example

Part I – Leadership Principles the Speech is based on As leadership is about coping with change (Kotter 40), this speech tries to expound the point on how a leader should inspire, influence, initiate and motivate the human resource. All of these elemental components are integrated within this speech. With major references on actual events particularly at Nokia’s industry, there is a strong emphasis found in this speech about how the other companies successfully created major innovations and possibilities. Having a remarkable basis on this, the entire speech tries to convince the crowd of the need to undergo the process of change. Change in fact, is one of the mostly viewed elements for corporate success (Manfred and Vries 7). Apple for instance initiated social and economic change, which has become prior to its actual leadership in its industry and its actual redefinition of the digital age by its visionary leader, Steven P. Jobs (Markoff). With this move, the company is consistently alert to find out what their competitors are doing in order to protect its competitive advantage (McQuillen). Part II - Speech Change remains constant in this world. Believe it or not, we need to change, either for the best or the other way around. The person in front of you today is convinced and is compelled to choose the former. We need to change for good! Look around you, and you will be able to see major changes in our industry. Where do you find us now? Are we heading towards the advancements or are we much left behind by our competitors? Where do we hold our competitive advantage? Ladies and gentlemen, a pleasant day to all! Nokia is one of the dream companies your new CEO hoped to work for before. And it is now a dream come true, but there are still many things left unfulfilled in that dream, for there is a need to involve you in it. Yes, you heard it. Your new CEO would not be able to completely achieve that dream without you. So starting today, let us dream together, and be part of what we must envision as the dream company in the future. It is not impossible to make Nokia that way. With all of you whom your CEO believes to be elemental in the achievement of that dream, together we can make things possible and once again, we could prove to this industry that we have something competitive enough within us that could remarkably spark for change. Technological advancement is imminent. We cannot completely hold our competitors to stop them from investing in technological advancements and changes. They are innovating possibilities, as they try to create needs for their actual product and service offerings (Markoff). They created something which could help them hold the market for their advantage. And we now know that it is just a matter of holding our competitive edge, before it is too late. We might have been holding our competitive point at this moment, but would it be enough for us to sustain our position in the future knowing that from time to time change faces us? We played in an industry where there are many key players and even new entrants trying to join in with us. They might have something best in them they hold or anything possible we have not completely thought and with less contemplation. But it is all just right. We need to focus on our belief that there are many things still left unexplored in the vast blue ocean of possibility. Yes, there are many things we need to discover. After all, who would have had expected that our industry would have gone this far, with many key players that every now and then are trying to produce product and service offerings we have less idea about before? So this remains a proof for us that if together we would be enthusiastic to embrace change then we will be heading towards something. Your new CEO is reminded by this familiar adage, “a rolling stone gathers no moss.” Yes, it is true, but today we need to move, we just do not need to remain where we are, for everybody else is vigorously moving. If they are moving and trying to accomplish something, then it might as well be the right kind of game and role we need to play from now on. As already stated, there is a vast blue ocean of possibility that until now remained unexplored. We can still make this company head to that possibility and be the leading explorer in that area (this is the vision). It is not yet too late for us if we will start now and join forces together to achieve what we think might be the appropriate move we could take in order to head to that vision. Your creativity is necessary in the achievement of our vision. But this is just a simple part of it. What we actually need is for us to go together in one vision, in unity, trying to achieve the necessary, and for us to move along a path and single direction towards our ultimate goal. Your CEO needs all of you for the actual implementation of our strategies, fulfillment of our goals, and eventually for the achievement of our vision. Now, give any reason why there is a need to resist for change? Are we quite satisfied with where we might be now? Are you not seeing yourselves to be the happiest human resource ever working on a company that everybody else would want to emulate? [This is to emphasize addressing the needs, in order to motivate the human resource to go for change] Are you not thinking of sustainability? In our industry, where everybody else goes dynamic, there is no reason for us to be less vigorous with what we are doing in achieving what we want to fulfill. If you are contented to where you might be now, then you are not ready for change. Contentment to our latest achievement would just only hinder our growth. Remember, a beautiful butterfly must essentially undergo the amazing process of metamorphosis, and so we are. We need to undergo that process and it is at this very moment that we need to start. Your new CEO could not promise with you that the process would be smooth-flowing, but one thing that person can assure you is this, the smoothness of that process would depend on the level of your response. [The achievement of the vision relies on the human resource’s response] How could we then achieve our vision? It is simple. It starts within each of us. Now the question is, are we ready to embrace the vision? I appreciate your time for lending me your ear for a moment. Once again, a good day ahead to us all! Thank you! References Manfred, F. R. and Kets De Vries. “The transformational abilities of virgin’s Richard Branson and ABB’s Percy Barnevik.” Organizational Dynamics (1998): 7-21. Print. Markoff, John, Apple’s visionary redefined digital age. New York Times, 5 Oct. 2011. Web. 15 Nov. 2012. McQuillen, William. Apple Sues Nokia, Claims Infringement. Business Week, 12 Dec 2009. Web. 15 Nov. 2012. Kotter, John P. Harvard Business Review on Leadership: What Leaders Really Do? Boston: HBS Press, 1998. Print. Read More