Leadership by Engagement

January 17, 2017

“Markets are conversations.”
-The Cluetrain Manifesto

Change is in the air. The Internet of Things (IOT), artificial intelligence (AI), the explosion of e-commerce, advanced mobility, personalized medicine and wide-ranging changes are shifting the power centers of nearly every industry and community.

The relevance of institutions and activities that are perceived as institutional are under attack. All of this is disruptive, but it is also understandable. Most institutions need to be reformed or at least adapted to serve their stakeholders better, and for most it has been a long time coming.

This week the World Economic Forum will convene. This annual event is something I have come to appreciate for its consistency and for its ability to capture the narrative of the global economy. Some have questioned the relevance of this gathering of top leaders at a time when there is a groundswell of activity from the bottom up.

I would argue that the World Economic Forum and meetings like it across industries are even more necessary in these times. Leaders need to meet, help each other gain perspective, challenge each other and simply digest the upheaval.

As leaders of organizations within our communities it is important that we engage with our industry associations and communities of interest, and do so personally where we can.

Much of the content may make us uncomfortable, and even overwhelm us, but being hands on will likely lead us to find a path forward in the fog of all the change.

-Kenny McDonald

One Columbus Update

  • Last week, the One Columbus team joined JobsOhio, The Ohio State University’s Center for Automotive Research and Transportation Research Center to showcase Ohio as a premier automotive location at the North American International Auto Show. Also during NAIAS, Mayor Ginther joined mayors of Atlanta, Chicago and Detroit for a panel on the future of mobility, moderated by New York Times CEO Mark Thompson.
  • Save the date for the next One Columbus Investor Update. Join the One Columbus team and fellow investors on March 2 at Hollywood Casino. Additional details are coming soon, and in the meantime you can register here.