Is A Thinker Really a Thinker? Something to think about...

'C K Prahalad, India-born management guru and academician, has been voted the world's most influential living management thinker ahead of hands-on managers like Bill Gates, Alan Greenspan and Richard Branson. Prahalad, who is the first Indian-origin thinker to claim the title, was ranked number three in last year's Thinkers 50 list brought out by Suntop Media.'

This is the opening headlines of a recent article on the web. What importance does this have, who does it effect, what does it exactly mean. And who decided this and what criteria was used? And to who's benefit is it I believe this to be true? This is certainly something to think about. But does it hold substance? Is it accurate to the real world?

The words that the caught my eye, stood out from the rest from the headline, was 'management guru and academician'. That suggests to me that management and intellect is at the top of importance for global economic dominance and leadership that can eradicate poverty. That sends out red flags to me that rise higher than the hay in the fields! The very implication is that management means primarily 'people resources'. This further means corralling, funneling and directing people (managing) for commercial, global, economic purposes that we are told is 'good'. When you really think on it accurately, if someone else manages 'you', you will always be limited to the design and formulation of your life from the outside influences, a MANAGER. It is a master-slave relationship. Hence if you are allowing yourself and your life to be influenced and directly from an outside 'source' you will be a slave to the relationship, always managed. By managed also has historically proved over the years to only pay a limited cap on one's ability to earn money, produce income. The real wealth always funnels up to the top because the design of the corporate structure is a pyramid shape vs. a lateral design. Just read the fine print or listen to the 'gurus'. The CEO makes the most money, next the President(s), layers of Managers, then at the bottom of the structure, the folks being 'MANAGED'- the employees. Do you notice that CEO's, CFO's (the Financial Officer) and public relations people in the same companies not only manage the people, systems, structure, and goods sold interally but also manage the message- all outsiders. They even call it corporate governance. The only piece of the action most people ever get out of this is owning some form of shares... The all blessed phrase 'shareholder value'. The one that leaves YOU with the impression that YOU are the important one in the entire chain. So the answer to the question, 'To who's benefit is it I believe this to be true?' in this case is the corporate structure with one one specifically to blame or make accountable. It does a great job of keeping the structure in place with the most people resources at the bottom of the pyramid- the employees. The ones who make the least amount of money with no influence or decision making.
Would it not be a great thing to have a 'great leader and lateral thinker' amongst us, influencing the world than a 'great mangement and academician'? Was perhaps Gandi and Mother Teresa in this category, just to name a few? These people revolutionised systems and structures in place for a better society, world, with people being first importance in the chain, not last. These people understood poverty and the implications of it from the front lines, the human level. Further the passion of purpose they displayed was from deep conviction to make the world a better place, raise the consciousness and awareness.
It was recently said if you want to change poverty choose to not live in poverty yourself. To think about that and choose that is to become the master over the only domain you can control- YOURSELF. Only a corporate structure that benefits everyone, is lateral, and equal to all, fair, and unlimited in wealth to all people who put a high degree of effort in, can profit everyone- equally. The person who needs to become the expert on 'thinking stuff' is yourself.
I promise to do some thinking on this.
Until the next blog...