It takes a team to win a game

The Annual Meeting 2012 predicts a need for new models to deal with a world that is evolving drastically and rapidly. The leaders who gather at Davos this year are tasked with understanding and adapting to these great transformations.

Professor Klaus Schwab describes this as a leadership challenge. I believe that the best leaders see that a team can surpass traditional boundaries: it takes more than eleven players on the field to win a football game, and more than isolated approaches to solve global problems. In our interconnected world, it is important that those in power have a real knowledge of the concerns, needs and dreams of their entire team, and can recruit players and fellow leaders to work together towards a common goal. At Davos, I will be looking for leaders who are willing to re-evaluate their own approaches. The complex character of the risks presented in the Report 2012 merit a new perspective.

The goal of the World Economic Forum this year is to define how the future should look and inspire others to follow this vision. streetfootballworld and the streetfootballworld network are committed to the vision of true collaboration – not just at the level of traditional leadership, but at and within every level of society. Collaboration must be more than a way to find solutions; it must be at the heart of the solutions themselves. In more ways than one, it takes a team to win a game.

I am encouraged that this year will also focus on the importance of ensuring that young people have access to opportunities in a growing world population. I hope to see – and take part in – sincere discussions regarding how we can go beyond jobs and economic stability and work together to ensure young people get the support they need to become leaders who understand the power of collaboration and are able to collectively focus on a common goal: equipped for and in tune with a world that is constantly connected, constantly changing, and constantly searching for answers.

Editors Note
Jürgen Griesbeck, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, streetfootballworld, Germany; Social Entrepreneur of the Year, Europe, 2011