This is my third seminar I attend this semester and it was held in ACK auditorium by Dr. Ahmad. Alshatti, he’s a mechanical engineer, graduated from the state, he got his master degree from Scotland and then he got his PHD from Bradford UK in 2004. He used to work in the oil company sector in Kuwait. Then he went to a big change from engineering to HR position from government to a private sector, from oil company to IT. Every one used to tell him “don’t go to private sector because dismissal and hiring is easy in the private sector, it’s better to go to a government because it is very secure”. He was the founder and chairman of global vision. He did a good job as an HR person as an IT.
Dr. Saad Albarrak moved from ITS (an IT company) to Zain company Saad asked him to join for the change that he will do to Zain, Dr. Ahmad was part of the change for Zain, before Zain called MTC, Dr. Ahmad was the CEO of Bahrain Zain company then the CEO of Jordan which he personally has done so many changes in Bahrain and Jordan then to the middle east. As individual you have to think about changing in career, your status and in yourself. He said “you are not a tree you should move” you should not stand still in one place and this is a change, you cannot move if you don’t have enough skills. The best way to start changing is to have a model so we can change, a model is a representation of an idea, an objective.
He talked about John p. Kotter he did a book named leading change and then he wrote a book called the heart of change and his third book is the heart of change field guide, Kotter said any change leader he has to grab both their heart and minds. Kotter models has three phases in changing management. Firstly, creating the climate for change, (you create the environment for change). Secondly, engaging and enabling the organization. Thirdly, implementing and sustaining for change. Each of these phases has details, for the first one, 1. Create urgency, 2. Form a powerful coalition,
3. Create a vision for change.
For the second phase,
1. Communicate the vision, 2. Empower action, 3. Create quick wins.
For the last one, 1. Build on the change, 2. make it stick. Why we should change? First of all, competition, secondly, because the world is changing, these two are for a successful organization and person. One day he received a call from the CEO he asked him to work wither in Sudan or Jordan, he chose Sudan for one reason because Sudan is part of Africa and he want to enhance his CV with an African experience and he chose it for his own seek, so they can be moving and its difficult and hard but it’s worth it. His advice was “if you have any chance to work outside Kuwait don’t lose it and get it”.
He worked at Zain Jordan as a CEO, they were losing customers (unsatisfied customers), drop calls going up and sales going down, employee’s satisfaction is low (unsatisfied employees) and missed the financial target (unsatisfied interest). In a business they have revenue and expenses their revenue is below. He did something that payed my attention he canceled the attendance because there is a trust between him and the employees, they can work from their office, home or coffee shop he don’t care if you are late or not their but you have time to submit the report in time and professional. Zain Jordan company has Costa coffee shop, nursery own clinic and three buildings. He let the employees set in his disc and act like a CEO for the whole day and attending meeting with Dr. Ahmad, by letting them act like a CEO, that will let him know the stuff very well.
His second program was letting one guy act like a CEO for a month and Dr. Ahmad end up doing nothing, because he wants to see who is the next generation. If you have a decision and you didn’t get it so you are not a good leader. If your organization is looking for creativity, creative product, creative services you have to do some diversity (ages, gender, nationality). There is a strategy called 3x3x3, first three years we will be a regional, second three years we will be international, third three years we will be globally. Zain strategy was Go 365, global brand, operational excellence, 300 million US$ EBITDA, 60% off revenue shares, 50% of market share in Jordan. EBITDA: earning before interest tax depreciation.This seminar was interested I liked the way how he challenged his self to change and to be a better and successful person. To be a good leader you should take decisions.