Last year, my Forum decided to truly go global. The idea was to study a new country from all aspects— its culture, heritage, tradition, business values, lifestyle and people, and also to explore opportunities in and with that country. This development, called the Global Initiative Programme, would give us an up-close look at some of the world’s most unique countries.
We had prepared a list of countries we wanted to visit, and we wound up selecting China. When it came time to plan, we zeroed in on the things we wanted to learn and see. This included production facilities, the service sector, showcase cities and the Olympics. As it turned out, the country proved to be the perfect venue for learning and entertainment.
When we arrived in Beijing, we began our adventure immediately. For starters, we wanted to glimpse the Bird’s Nest, where most of the Olympic events were being held. We waited for two hours before attending boxing qualifiers, and it was completely worth it! Soon after, we enlisted the services of a local tour guide. He was friendly and excited to educate us on the impressive history of his country. Over the course of a few days, he introduced us to Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, the Imperial Palace … and then he deserted us at the Great Wall of China.
It was a particularly rainy afternoon; he argued that he had a career to build and could not take the risk of climbing the Wall for a few tourists during periods of heavy lightning. Apparently, a little while earlier, six Americans were electrocuted while scaling the man-made creation. He left abruptly, leaving us to contemplate the importance of experience over survival. As it turns out, three EO buddies took the risk, figuring they had come too far to not experience one of the Seven Wonders of the World. That’s entrepreneurs for you, always taking a risk in pursuit of their passion!
The remaining seven of us sat at the coffee shop downhill sipping hot chocolate, feeling somewhat betrayed by our own emotions. Forty-five minutes later, our three friends returned with happy faces as they described the breathtaking view. Exchanging curious looks, the seven of us, still doubtful, finally stood up and decided to take a chance. We waited half an hour more for the weather to improve, which meant missing our flight to Shanghai, and went uphill on a cable car. Climbing steep steps, we finally saw the view! As they rightly say, seeing is believing, and it was completely worth it.
All in all, we had a blast. We saw Michael Phelps, a paper-producing plant, had an eye-opening tour of the Toyota factory in Guangzhou, observed the intricacies that go into managing in a five-star hotel and met with the Chairman of the biggest mutual fund in China. In nine days, we got a first-hand look at the Chinese infrastructure, their commitment to excellence and their simplicity in doing things. It was an entrepreneurial adventure that gave us a refreshingly different view of doing things more efficiently in our personal and professional lives.
Looking back, our EO journey tested both our skills and resilience on the physical and mental levels— just like the billions of Chinese who are trying to meet the challenges of their growing nation with alacrity, dignity and humility. The overall experience has convinced us that this is what we want to do every year. In 2010, will be visiting South Africa, and in 2012, we’ll head to London. The goal: to continue to take risks, bond and learn more about one another—and other countries—in the process.