Who Drives Your Bus?

Those of you that have sat through a keynote by Jim Collins know that he likes to talk not only about getting the right people on the bus… your business… but making sure you have the right people in the right seats.  You want leaders who can lead, team members who can act like a team, and experience where it counts. 

After hearing him speak, you really perk up when you come across even non-manufacturing examples that completely contradict that very fundamental philosophy.  Such as,

Zimbabwe, a country suffering from acute food shortages and rampant inflation, won approval to lead the important U.N. Commission on Sustainable Development despite protests from the U.S., European nations and human rights organizations.

Kind of makes you wonder, and shake your head.  And hopefully resolve to do a better job selecting leaders in your own organization.