Boardroom Talk: Alan Winde’s antidote to derangement: The “First Thursday” open door for all comers

I learnt years ago that it's often the meeting after the meeting which delivers the most value. Those chats after the formalities are over, when the recorders have been switched off and everyone is more relaxed. It was like that yesterday when Western Cape Premier Alan Winde extended our late afternoon chat well after the microphone was switched off. He's one seriously passionate and dedicated public servant, and like his administration, a role model his counterparts elsewhere in SA could learn so much from. The conversation drifted onto my question of how he keeps in touch with constituents – a common problem for those elevated to positions of power. The concept of isolation from normal life that results in what HBS prof and author Richard Tedlow describes as 'derangement', something I wrote about in this letter during September. While MEC for Economic Affairs, Winde opened his office to all from 5pm on the first Thursday of the month. That's been expanded to the entire provincial cabinet – all of whom are available on that day to meet with anyone who bothers to walk into the Wale Street offices. Winde says it's first-come-first-serve and the politicians don't leave until everyone has had their say. He says it keeps him in touch. Also an antidote to derangement methinks..More for you to read: .___STEADY_PAYWALL___.* Wall Street chorus grows louder warning that 2023 will be ugly. Wall Street watchers appear to have made their case: 2023's outlook for the US economy and the stock market is far from bright..* China eases curbs in major shift from Covid Zero Policy. China shifted decisively away from its long-held Covid Zero policy – effectively relaxing a broad variety of stringent restrictions..* Apple scales back self-driving car and delays debut until 2026. Apple is scaling back on its grandiose self-driving project for its future electric cars – delaying the vehicle's targeted launch date..* What the inverted yield curve says about the next recession. The inverted yield curve is leading investors to question whether the next recession will be longer and deeper than before..* Ted Black: Are successful turnarounds due only to brilliant CEO's? Following the rise of multiple "turnarounds" in the media, Ted Black delves into whether flourishing turnarounds are only due to "brilliant" CEO's..* 'Huge, Missing and Growing:' $65 trillion in dollar debt sparks concern. A lack of information appears to be making it more difficult for policy makers to anticipate the next financial crisis.

Boardroom Talk: Alan Winde’s antidote to derangement: The “First Thursday” open door for all comers

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