Letter from the editor The “Peter Principle” states that in your career, you get promoted until you reach the level at which you are incompetent, and there you remain. This is a humorous counterpoint to the hierarchical systems which venerate leaders for their positions rather than their abilities. Throughout my working life (and I’ve worked in numerous industries), I’ve seen people employed above their capabilities: people who were valued for their skills in a particular discipline and then assumed to have the people skills necessary to be a good leader. The two do not always correlate, as I’ve seen from head of departments in high schools shouting at their subordinates (no, it wasn’t me), and bar managers who systematically alienated their former colleagues once elevated. Management and leadership are far harder tasks than we underlings usually imagine, with an entirely different skillset, and failing to recognize that is a sure path to failure. But what is leadership? I think it has something to do with vision – having a holistic view of the entire organization (weeding out bottlenecks, anticipating problems, recognizing talent, streamlining systems), but also seeing where the industry is going and how to stay competitive. This last is where the real talent makes itself known. Business - capitalism - is endlessly dynamic, and having the vision to foresee possibilities and anticipate dangers is an inestimable quality. It is thus always a pleasure when you meet industry leaders at the top of their game. Since I’ve been managing editor of Agenda, I’ve had the opportunity to meet some remarkably capable executives, directors and senior managers. In this issue, we’re pleased to spotlight several further examples of Beijing’s business leadership. Hotels are leading the way in transforming Beijing’s service culture, it’s a fiercely competitive industry, and their general managers are regularly in charge of several hundred employees – no post for shrinking violets. Meanwhile, we also hear from serially successful entrepreneur Brian Magierski, mobile health app builder Yusheng Zhang, relocation expert John Sun, and radio boss Barry Keohane. And of course we have our tech, HR, law and negotiation columns, reviews, events, and more. Enjoy!
Contents 4 Stephen Ford
General Manager, Westin Financial Street
8 China Negotiation 10 Tech Head - Dating Apps 12 Law Briefing
Merger & Acquisition Hacking
14 Brian Magierski CEO, Appconomy
10 The Stylist - Christmas Tree ABC 26 Insight - Ask An Entrepreneur Yusheng Zhang, Apricot Forest
Michael Cormack, Managing Editor
30 Insight - On The Job
John Sun, Santa Fe Relocation Services
AGENDA
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