Superior_Leader_Project__Behaviors_List

Superior Leader Project: Behaviors List In this paper, the learning team will list five well-known business leaders. This paper will list what each business person does and what makes them a good business leader. The team will identify actual situation, behaviors and traits in action; each team member has contributed behavior trait for their chosen Business Leader. The list identifies what personality traits lead to the desired behavior of each leader. BILL GATES Bill Gates Chairman, Microsoft Corp. Microsoft Corporation is the worldwide leader in software, services, and solutions that helps people and businesses realize their full potential. Leadership: Under Gates’ leadership, Microsoft is continually advancing and improving software technology making it easier, more cost effective and more enjoyable for people to use computers. Dedication: In his junior year, Gates left Harvard to devote all of his energy to Microsoft, a company he had begun in 1975 with his child hood friend Paul Allen. Investor: In 2005 fiscal year, Gates invested approximately $6.2 billion dollars on research, and development. Gates, invested $150 million dollars in Africa to move millions of people out of poverty. Education and Health: Gates will transition himself from a day to day role in his company to spend more time on his global health and education work at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Gates offer, New School for Science and Math, provides resources for low in-come students, early learning intervention, and reducing financial obstacles with scholarships. Treatment Action Group received$4.7 million from the Gates Foundation to Expand TB/HIV Research and Treatment Advocacy in Africa and the United States. Diversity: Bill Gates’ published books are in 25 languages, and are available in more than 60 countries. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation focus on improving Health, reducing extreme poverty and increasing access to technology. In the United States, the foundation seeks to ensure that all people have access to great education and to technology in public libraries. In its local region, it focuses on improving the lives of low-income families with the Global Health Program. H. ROSS PEROT SR. Loyalty: Perot funded an operation to rescue two of his employees from an Iranian prison in 1992 Perot also assisted all of his employees affected by hurricanes Rita and Katrina by paying them while not working and giving monetary gifts to help where insurance would not. Driven: Perot was persistent in obtaining his first contract, after founding EDS and receiving 78 rejection letters (Perot, 2002); with Frito-Lay in 1962 the business that started out as a 1000 dollar investment is valued in the billions today. (Goff, 1999) Unconventional: While working for IBM Perot took his idea of providing service to the computer industry from cradle-to-grave, when the traditional computer company only supplied hardware with a warranty, to IBM. Shortly thereafter Perot left IBM to start his own company EDS. (Goff, 1999) Benevolence: Perot created an organization called United We Stand to bring to light the prisoner of war situation in 1969. He also gave more than two million dollars to public schools in 1969. Entrepreneurial: Even to his detriment he is always willing to invest in what he believes to be a good idea. Perot invested 97 million dollars in Pont-Glore, Forgan, Inc in order to keep it afloat due to concerns that the failure of this company would affect the stability of the stock market. He also invested 20 million dollars in a company called neXT, a company created by Steve Jobs the founder of Apple Computers (Perot, 2002). OPRAH WINFREY Honorable: In recognition of her extraordinary achievements and contributions, Oprah has received numerous honors, including the most prestigious awards and highest industry acknowledgments. Committed to Education: Oprah believed that education is the door to freedom, offering a chance at brighter future. Oprah is known the founder and owner of the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls. Actress/ Public Speaker: Oprah took a lead role as Sophia in the movie The Color Purple. Oprah made her debut twenty years later as a Broadway producer for the musical “The Color Purple” which opened on December1, 2005 at the Three Railways Theater in New York City. Compassionate: Oprah has a compassionate sprit when it comes down to people Oprah brings millions of people before the public daily seeking help there situations. She launches Oprah.com premiere women’s lifestyle website, offering advice on everything from mind, body and spirit to food, home and relationship. It provides comprehensive resources related to The Oprah Winfrey Show, The Oprah Magazine and Oprah & Friends. DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER While Eisenhower may not be considered as a traditional business leader, I believe that his role as Supreme Commander Allied Forces during World War II and his subsequent role as President of the United States qualify him to be recognized as a superior business leader. Giving Credit to Others: Throughout his career, Eisenhower was always willing to give credit to those who shaped and molded his life as well as those who participated in and contributed to his many remarkable achievements as evidenced by this excerpt from an Eisenhower biography: “Four years after giving his go-order for the Allied invasion of the Normandy coast, General of the Army Dwight D. Eisenhower addressed the Army War College. He said his thinking about coalition warfare had been molded by the ablest man he had ever known, Major General Fox Conner.” (Parker IV, 2005) Family and Core Values: Eisenhower had a distinct sense of self as well as an appreciation of day to day life. He was a man of value and principal and stood by his convictions. “The Eisenhowers [sic] treasured what they had – one another and a fresh land. ‘Our pleasures were simple – they included survival’ is the way Ike put it. Bible Scripture was read three times a day in the Eisenhower home.” (Sidney, 1990) Leadership: Eisenhower had the natural ability to lead large groups of people. During WWII Eisenhower had more men under his command than any general in history (over 4 million) and of course he led millions during his presidency as well. Integrity: Eisenhower most often made his decisions based on his core values. He stood by those decisions and took personal responsibility regardless of the outcome. Courage: Eisenhower’s courage under fire, both literally and figuratively, are unquestionable. MARY KAY ASH Selection Dawn has selected Mary Kay Ash as a successful business leader whom exemplified personality traits of a leader. In 1963, the Mary Kay Cosmetics was founded by Mary Kay Ash. The company was founded due to Mary Kay’s frustration over favoritism shown towards males in the workplace. Mary Kay Ash was a devoted Christian whom based her work ethics on her values. Mary Kay beliefs were in God first, family second, and career third. Example of Inspiration Before the creation of the Mary Kay company, Mary Kay went on retirement which lasted a month. During the time Mary Kay was home, she wrote a book at her kitchen table in which she outlined the good things she had seen within different organizations and other things in which she would like to see changed (Mary Kay Tribute). Upon review of the list she had created, Mary Kay realized she had created a business plan for a company (Mary Kay Tribute, 2007). The Mary Kay company remains one of the top corporations in the United States and has been named by Fortune magazine as one of “The Top 100 Companies to work for in America” (Mary Kay Tribute, 2007). Charities and Donations After Mary Kay witnessed her husband succumb to cancer in 1980, she committed to the cause in finding a cure for cancer. In 1996, Mary Kay established the Mary Kay Ash Charitable Foundation in 1996 (Mary Kay Tribute, 2007). Mary Kay served as a chairman on the Texas Breast Screening Project which influenced her to pass legislation in which insurance companies provide coverage on mammograms (Mary Kay Tribute, 2007). Awards and Achievements Mary Kay Ash is an author of three books; which all became best sellers. Mary Kay has received numerous rewards for her achievements and contributions to the charities in which she has founded and contributed to. Mary Kay’s awards include, Business Leaders of the 90s award, the Living Legend award, Most Outstanding Woman in Business in the 20th Century award, and Texas Woman of the Century award to name a few. . Resources Leslie Goff (1999, April). Degree of distinction: 1962. Computerworld, 33(14), 80. Retrieved December 2, 2007, from ABI/INFORM Global database. (Document ID: 40257215). Parker, Jerome H.(2005). Fox Conner and Dwight D. Eisenhower: mentoring and application.(Biography). Military Review 85.4(July-August 2005) From General OneFile. Retrieved December 5, 2007, from Gale Virtual Reference Library. University of Phoenix Student Website. Perot, Ross. (2002). In Sheila Dow (Ed.), Business Leader Profiles for Students, Vol. 1. (612-615). Detroit: Gale. Retrieved December 02, 2007, from Gale Virtual Reference Library via Thomson Gale: http://find.galegroup.com/gvrl/infomark.do'&contentSet=EBKS&type=retrieve&tabID=T001&prodId=GVRL&docId=CX3427100178&source=gale&userGroupName=uphoenix&version=1.0 Sydney, Hugh.(1990).Why we still like Ike: a century after his birth, Americans revere Dwight D. Eisenhower’s small-town humanity and commonsense leadership. (column) Time 136.n18 (Oct 29, 1990):p.p45(2). 1411 words) From General OneFile. Retrieved December 5, 2007, from Gale Virtual Reference Library. University of Phoenix Student Website. Author Unknown, (2007). Mary Kay. Retrieved December 4, 2007, from the world wide web at the following website: http://www.marykaytribute.com/HerLife1.htm