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Wise Choices for Business
You’re the boss. Are you the
organization’s champion?
By Serenah McKay
Not satisfied with traditional the organizational champion.
definitions of leadership, organizational
• They are enlightened.
development expert Mike Thompson
set out to redefine the term in light
• They are connected.
of today’s challenging business • They are change makers.
environment.
• They are opportunity-minded.
The approximately 600 definitions
Thompson says enlightened people
of leadership are “tired and diluted,”
are confident, consistent and self-
Thompson says.
aware.
Instead, “we must
have a core set
“Be the
“They know who they
of principles lived
are, what they are good
out by the most
one who is
at and what they are
extraordinary leaders
courageous in
not good at,” he says,
– champions.”
and they surround
His efforts to
pursuit of new
themselves with people
identify these core and uncharted
who can compensate
for their weaker areas.
principles resulted
in a new approach
waters of People who are
to developing
opportunity.”
connected are invested
and measuring
in others. They pay
leadership. He
attention to others and
describes that process in his recently
are able to build deep relationships.
published (May 2009) book titled “The
“If enlightenment is all about me,
Organizational Champion.”
connectedness is all about you,” he
Thompson, chief executive of
says. “And that’s a healthy balance.”
Springdale-based SVI, spoke at a
They are also passionate people who
recent Economic Summit sponsored
get out from behind the desk and get
by the Springdale Chamber of
involved with others.
Commerce. Thompson coined the term
Change makers are action-oriented,
“organizational champion” to describe
agile and resilient. These qualities allow
transformational leaders who can
them to maneuver around barriers and
make a difference and create positive
to persevere even when things get
change. Through extensive research,
tough.
SVI identified four core principles for
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