For Peter Drucker, Business had a different purpose than increasing shareholder value, obsessing about share price or EBITDA monitoring. For one of the most respected leaders in the field of management education, our duty as business leaders is to reinforce democracy through education and values as well as pacify the World by a healthier management of its wealth.

Following my habit, I have collected positive and optimistic information emerging in the Press. And here are some of the Heroes I’d like to celebrate by the end of this 2018 year:

Acosta (Jim): The CNN anchor who has been prohibited to enter the offices of his country’s President for speaking too freely with him in an interview…

Banksy: Banksy the famous and anonymous street art giant and idealist, keeps being recognized here, year after year. I specially loved his self-destruction of a piece of art of his, which cost him US$ 1.4 million.

Coursaris (Noella Masters): Top Model Noella Coursaris-Masters shows that with a strong vision, a wonderful heart and a lot of work, a young orphan, sent to Europe by her desperate mother, has been able to challenge destiny and saves now so many little girls (and boys) in her native Congo! If you hesitate where to head your donation, please head towards this page of their site and, as I do, sponsor the studies of a child!

Denis Mukwege: To the whole Congo, Africa and to those wanting to attract the World’s attention on a horrible and totally ignored war (which has claimed the lives of more than 4 million people), Dr. Denis Mukwege’s recognition through the Nobel Prize was just fair. Dr Mukwege risks his life, on a daily basis to heal women, who are the first victims of that barbarian conflict.

Eman Sulaeman: Was born with severely handicapped legs. His childhood’s dream was to play football. Reluctant at the start, by fear of mockery, his parents changed their minds and encouraged him. I can hardly think of the fierce resolve and determination of this young man to get where he is now.

Fans of Senegalese footbal team: There are two clips (here the second) showing the example Senegalese fans offered to the World in this Summer 2018: the first shows their civic sense, cleaning the stadium prior to leaving as they were determined to project a good image from their nation. The second shows how true sport fans should behave: inviting and celebrating their opponents of one night. Humbling!

Gassama (Mamadou): Who hasn’t seen the images of Malian homeless refugee, Mamadou Gassama, escalating, without any protection, a Parisian building to save a child about to fall?

Homeless Jim Georgiou: Jim’s story moves me. Although he had lost everything and was living on the streets in cold New York, he realized “they” would be throwing away part of his city’s artistic heritage (the rooms’ doors of the mythical Chelsea Hotel). So, he picked these up and sold them (Bob Dylan’s door went for US$ 100’000.-) which… earned him a new home.

Izas Fuller: One of my partners whom I enjoy working with, and regularly “saves our programs” when something unexpected happens, has a childhood friend who is wheelchair bond since childhood. My partner goes and visit him, every week for several hours ever since… He never talks about it, he just does it. Izas Fuller has done the same with his friend David Thomas… look at the magic!

Joseph Blankson: Was a confirmed swimmer, so when he saw a boat sink in Nigeria, he threw himself in water. He saved, consecutively 13 passengers and, when he went after rescuing a 14th life, exhausted, he disappeared in the river…

Kansas Afro-American student Linda Brown: Having been bullied (foreigner, then my ears made me look like an elephant and, at adolescence, other kids nicknamed me “The Martian” due to my strong acne crisis) myself as a student, I can not imagine for a second, the courage and determination Linda Brown needed to impose herself in a White only school in Kansas during the dark years of segregation in the US. It is her heroism (followed then by others such as Rosa Park and Dr. Martin Luther King) which challenged the apartheid in that country. She passed away peacefully this year.

Love (David): David Love is… you and I when we go, in a hurry for a quick and shameful bite at a fast food… And when he sees an old man struggling to pay for his check, David pays for him. I think of the restaurant owners of my town, Villars (Switzerland) who invite penniless elderly to discretely eat the menu at their place. You are my everyday heroes!

Murad (Nadia): Is the co-celebrated Nobel Prize of Peace in 2018. Her horrendous ordeal at the hands of people not respecting the dignity of Women, and even more, her capacity to fight back and not let herself be destroyed by unthinkable tortures, will provide Hope to all Women, victims of the worse than “men” can do and be.

Al-Najjar (Razan): Razan was a Palestinian medical nurse, dressed in a recognizable medical outfit. She was shot by a sniper during a demonstration where she was acting as medical staff. My own sister, when working for the IRCC, was subject to the same treatment although it was impossible not to recognize her clearly marked white Land Rover. She survived, not Razan…

Ogah (John) and Pope Francis: The cause of Migrants is sacred for Pope Francis as he hasn’t forgotten that Jesus Christ whom his religion revere was himself the son of Migrants. John Ogah, a Migrant too, was begging outside a shop in Rome when he confronted a thief, armed with a meat cleaver, attempting to steal money from the store. Pope Francis chose to baptize him, opening the door for the grant of a residence for the poor man!

Policeman (playing “Imagine” in Geneva train station): Thank you Officer, for making our Police look much more human and far less distant. I hope this will have granted you a promotion!

Q: Because, the Q letter didn’t match any of the positive news here is a wonderful clip, celebrating, better than my Words, all these sports gestures who give us a reason to believe in Humanity:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gD3J_xujsWc&t=12s

Richner (Beat): After a life dedicated to heal and cure the poorest in Cambodia, Dr. Beat Richner (who was collecting funds through his second passion, classical music) ended up leaving this World. His idealism and his capacity to turn it into real actions certainly made him a Saint, in whichever religion we chose to honour.

Swedish DJ Avicii: Who chose not to continue living and committed suicide. But, only hours prior to committing his last act, he still had the heart and decency to donate several millions of his fortune to the homeless… Be blessed!

Trafic controler Anthonius Agung Gunawan: Is this heroic Indonesian air traffic controller who risked his life (and died) in order to enable the last jets to flee the airport when the Earthquake was destroying his town.

UK Police: Aren’t bad either… and maybe this is a set-up as the person filming obviously knows what is about to take place. Now think about how this has changed the conception of Police for the bystanders and what such wonderful scenes do for Civic Sense!

Voice of the victims of mass shootings: Emma Gonzalez, 18 years old student in a Florida school where another legally armed weirdo assassinated innocent victims. Sometimes a silence is worth a thousand words…

Waters (Roger): The founder of the famous pop band, Pink Floyd, chose to take a personal risk by taking a clear stand against a politician whom he fears will bring his country in a worse state than it is now. Regardless if one agrees or not with his view, one should authorize his speech as long as it is not filled with hatred, rejection or divisive.

X-trail Tarahumara runner, Lorena Ramirez Hernandez: Because I so much respect her story, am moved by her authenticity and because, she demystifies high level sports, by running (and winning) marathons with her plastic sandals and traditional Tarahumara clothes.

Young-Boys and FC Basel fans: Who agreed before the game, to join forces in an original and non-violent protest against the owners of their beloved teams, who had chosen to invest money into e-football rather than in the true game. When supporters unite, instead of confront, football stadiums become a much nicer place to be!

Z movie by Costa Gavras: 50 years ago, French (Greek born) film maker Costa-Gavras, created “Z”, a movie denouncing the emergence of far right extremism in Greece. Ever since, tirelessly, Costa Gavras produced impactful movies alerting us about the dangers and horrible consequences of polarization, extremism and the fate of those seeking to prevent them to happen (Etat de siège, Missing, L’Aveu, Section Speciale).

Thank you for your trust in my team and our ability to support you in the ever increasing challenges of the Disruption Economy. I hope to find the time to resume my blog writing soon in 2019. All our wishes for 2019!