Alison Davis-Blake, dean of the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan, addressed BYU students and faculty Tuesday afternoon about the future of business.
Davis-Blake said that in a world full of business scandals, it is sometimes difficult for people to find a balance between doing business and doing good. Some students set goals to work for non-profit organizations once they graduate so they can do both, according to Davis-Blake.
However, she said this is not the only way students can be a positive business influence. By being a good leader, one can have a positive impact.
“Leadership is nothing more than the ability to influence others to achieve a set of goals,” Davis-Blake said. “Leaders must have a positive impact on others one by one. They create organizations where people are thriving and bring their best selves to work everyday, and they use the enormous and positive power of business to make a difference for good.”
Davis-Blake identified the four characteristics that define a true leader as empathy, courage, integrity and drive. Davis-Blake also went on to describe these four characteristics in greater detail.
She said empathy is at the very core of leadership. A leader has to learn that it’s not about them, but rather, they need to focus on the people that they lead.
“As a leader, you must see the good that people do and want to do, and let them know how good they are doing,” Davis-Blake said. “Remember, wherever you are, if you want to have a positive impact on others, it starts by seeing the good.”
Davis-Blake said leadership is often mundane actions that are not always recognized, but these mundane times are punctuated by moments when leaders see opportunities to make a real difference. Davis-Blake talked about how these moments take courage, the second characteristic of a leader.
According to Davis-Blake, insights that people gain from empathy and courage should enable leaders to act with the third characteristic of leadership–integrity.
The last characteristic discussed was drive, and how it can motivate leaders to be a positive influence. Davis-Blake said with drive, leaders learn to not only work harder, but to work in a more flexible and resilient manner.
Through these four characteristics and hard work, Davis-Blake said anyone can learn to be a positive influence in the world of business.
“You don’t have to choose between doing business and doing good, you can do both,” Davis-Blake said. “See the good in others. Count the cost of incivility and do not tolerate it. Choose the best. You can choose to be a leader that makes a positive difference in the world. Inspire others to do more, dream more and be more.”
