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The Conference Board Review® Article
Openers
Think Positive, Maybe
By A.J. Vogl
Susan Webber is a generally sunny person, but she's concerned about the sunniness of others: All too many people in the corporate world are sanguine — even in the face of potential dangers and looming disasters. In "The Dark Side of Optimism" (page 30), she decries the prevailing cheerfulness that can undermine the need for practical, hard-nosed thinking and strategic planning. It's a serious article that takes a close look at why we assume we know best, the hazards of assuming that the worst won't happen, and how corporations can strategize to find "the right balance between healthy optimism and delusion."
Granted, one doesn't necessarily need to plan every move ahead of time. Take a look at managing editor Matthew Budman's Q&A with former Southwest Airlines chief James Parker (page 18), who characterizes himself as something of an accidental CEO — one who led a charmed life in the corporate world and retired without recriminations or regrets. Parker's signal achievement is guiding Southwest to safety after the 9/11 attacks, though he gives all credit to the company's employees — and to its employee-centered culture. The airline's ability to maintain that culture in the face of competition and economic realities is somewhat miraculous, and Parker offers an inside view of one of the country's most admired companies.
A lawyer by trade, Parker didn't expect — or intend — to end up in the C-suite, but few junior executives make it so far without careful planning. In "Making the Grade" (page 40), Paula Klein notes that all too few rising stars plan adequately for unforeseen opportunities. She lays out what companies need today in candidates for the C-suite and where most job-seekers might find themselves lacking — most notably, breadth in both experience and problem-solving. If you're hoping to make it to a corner office someday soon, you'll find the career advice useful; if you're already there, you'll appreciate this glimpse into how the next generation is preparing for your job.
Finally, there's our Outlook 2008 section (page 46), with Gail Fosler's economic forecast, Linda Nazareth's look at how the baby boomers' retirement will result in widespread "leisure envy," and a CEO roundtable discussing how corporations can and should go green — and what the government should be doing to make sure it happens.
Speaking of Gail Fosler: In 1990, she joined The Conference Board as chief economist, and agreed to write an economic-forecast article for the magazine's January 1991 issue. Since then, each January she has offered a forecast of the year to come, and as in past years, in this issue she lays out her views about impending shifts around the world and at home. But Gail's 2008 forecast will likely be her last in these pages — in October, she was elevated to the position of president of The Conference Board, and she expects to pass the torch for next year's installment. Gail will continue to contribute to the magazine, both as writer and adviser, but we'll miss her annual dose of wisdom and prophecy.
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Return to the January/February 2008 The Conference Board Review® issue.
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