The finalists represent an extraordinary group of individuals with a diverse range of entrepreneurial talent. One can't help but be inspired by their vision, determination and leadership. This is the first and only truly global award of its kind. The Entrepreneur Of The Year celebrates entrepreneurs who build and lead successful and dynamic businesses, recognising them through regional, national and global award programs in over 100 cities and more than 40 countries. The international recognition of the awards positions winners as world-class entrepreneurs and provides a benchmark for entrepreneurial excellence.
While I was Superintendent of Wesley Mission I won the Entrepreneurship in a Social, Community or Not-for-Profit Enterprise category at the Entrepreneur of the Year 2002 Eastern Regional Awards. I remember the final when I was presented with my award at a gala dinner in Sydney attended by over 500 business leaders. I was the first Minister of Religion and the first head of a not-for profit organization to win anywhere in the world. But it opened the way, because the next year my friend, Opportunity International's co-founder, David Bussau, AM, one of the first and most influential implementers of microfinance won the Eastern, national and World title in Monte Carlo. Applying business thinking and entrepreneurial principles, David gave poor people the power and means to live sustainably, provide for their families and transform their own lives. In the process he formed a new methodology known as Micro Enterprise Development (MED). In the 18 years these awards have run, none of the 35 participating countries has ever given their national title to an entrepreneur from a not-for-profit sector. But then again, no previous World Entrepreneur of the Year winner – never mind national winner – can lay claim to creating over two million jobs world wide and lifting 20 million people out of poverty.
Among the 500 people at a black-tie dinner to hear the judges' choice of the 2002 Entrepreneur of the Year were finalists from every part of Australia. I was amazed at what some people had achieved. They had lived productive lives, bringing hope, helpfulness and employment to so many people. Like Jason Hart. Jason came from Melbourne. He founded Protocom Development Systems Pty Ltd, when he was nineteen years of age. Twelve years later, it is a multi-million dollar information technology security company internationally recognised by US analysts as the leader in password management solutions. His company serves a 1000 companies covering each continent of the world, including the USA Reserve Bank. Or Brand Hoff, who in 1984 mortgaged his home to establish his business of electronic records management. His company recently won a contract to install software on 400,000 USA Navy computers world-wide. Or John McGrath, who commenced a real estate company fourteen years ago, and which is today Australia's most successful real estate business. Last year he achieved more sales than any other company, closing $1.5 billion in sales. Or Tom Misner, who loves teaching music, and has set up an audio teaching college in the 1990's. Today, his colleges operate in 36 locations round the world, teaching 13,000 students and possessing a turnover of $400 million dollars.
Each of these people live productively. As I stood with 31 finalists and with the judges and executives of Ernst & Young, the State Government and other organisations, I realised that I received the lowest pay and had the least assets of anyone in the room. I remember being warmly applauded when I declared in my acceptance speech: "You can have a great sense of achievement that has nothing to do with money". Yet my award was in part recognition of becoming the only minister of religion in the world to have been responsible for raising and spending one billion dollars to help the needy in my ministry. These awards usually go only to people who have developed large corporations, dot.com. businesses and the like but here was I, the only Minister of Religion leading a charity to receive such recognition. There are many parts of Wesley Mission that show innovation and initiative. Our Homes for Hope, our various Family Centres, our radio, TV, film and video ministries around the world, our rehabilitation and recovery programs, our counselling, education in the arts and healing ministries have all broken new ground. Some of the services I started are today international benchmarks. It was for this reason that twenty years ago I was invited to commence lecturing on Urban Mission in the USA, a program of lectures which I have continued ever since. Then I was appointed Adjunct Professor of Urban Ministry and in July I will again go to lecture my USA students on how to develop programs and initiatives to support the most disadvantaged people in society.
I continue to be invited to be involved with the Entrepreneur of the Year awards and read with great interest the achievements of the finalists. One chapter in my autobiography "Leaving a Legacy" is based on examples of successful entrepreneurial projects which I have completed over the years. (see: http://www.gordonmoyes.com/2006/01/01/entrepreneur/). I have often been asked what the characteristics of successful entrepreneurs are. They are very similar to the characteristics of those people who will be honoured by the Order of Australia Awards this Australia Day. Here are ten such characteristics:
1. PASSION FOR THEIR WORK.
Successful tall poppies always demonstrate a passion for their work. They may even become obsessive about it such is their dedication. It is almost like their hobby has become their work. They would pay to do it they enjoy it so much. They cannot help being a workaholic in their field and to hold a balanced life as a family member and an acceptable social friend, they have to really discipline themselves.
2. VISION FOR THEIR FUTURE.
Successful tall poppies know what they want to achieve, can visualize it and have a long term vision for it. So many who get to leadership positions have a limited vision and plan only for the immediate and only ever for themselves. At the first meeting with my Board at Wesley Mission, thirty years ago, I presented a 500 page strategic plan of where I saw Wesley Mission going over the next twenty years. Less than twenty years later, every part of the vision had been completed and new additional developments were already in place. Recently, our minister son David, pastor of Belconnen Baptist Church, one of the largest Baptist churches in the nation, was leading a seminar of senior pastor's in Sydney on developing churches. They were using as a resource a book called: "Breakout Churches" by Thom Rainer (Zondervan). In the words of the author, "This book is the story of churches and leaders that broke from the shackles of mediocrity to become great churches and great leaders". The Rainer Research Team conducted surveys of 50,000 churches and leaders, drawing on analogies from the book "Good to Great" by Jim Collins, and recommends the type of leader needed to move churches from stagnancy to growth and from mediocrity to greatness. Here is a summary from "Breakout Churches" (p44) of the various levels of leadership.
Those ministers who could be described as a Called Leader, who know of God's call to ministry and who have responded to that call: 98% of people surveyed. Those ministers who could be described as a Contributing Leader, who take time to do well the basics of Christian ministry such as preaching, teaching and prayer: 22% of all surveyed. The Outwardly-Focused Leader who seeks to lead church and self to ministry beyond the walls of the church: 14% of all surveyed. The Passionate Leader who exudes a contagious enthusiasm for ministry; so others gladly follow: 6% of all surveyed. The Bold Leader who is willing to take risks, where success is only possible in God's power: 3% of all surveyed. The Legacy Leader who has a burden for a successful ministry beyond his own lifetime: less than 1% of all surveyed. The study group of senior pastors reflected on the 1% of church leaders that have made an impact on Australian Churches over the past decade. Only a few names came to mind among the group. David sent me some comments from the group and wrote, "You are certainly in that 1%. Proud of you Dad." ("Leaving a Legacy" p 70.).
3. UNFLAPPABLE CONFIDENCE.
Successful tall poppies are willing to admit failure because they know that failure is never final, but part of the process of success. The insecure leader is afraid to admit failure lest his leadership is challenged, but the successful entrepreneur is one who uses failure to gain new ideas and develop new strategies. They have confidence in the worthwhileness of their vision. That is why they are ultimately successful. This confidence is best seen in the people of Christian faith, because they know that God and His resources are always available. The people of Christian faith do no operate from a spirit of fear or timidity, for as Paul writes: (2 Timothy 1:7) "God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline."
4. LEADERSHIP SKILLS.
Successful tall poppies develop the arts of leadership. It is never leadership to bully others, insist that their idea only is right, or to get rid of others with divergent views. That is the way of the dictator and ultimately they fail. Outside of authoritarian organisations like the military, they are rarely able to lead groups of volunteers. We have all seen people elected to office who lack management skills and who soon have about them a totally dysfunctional organisation. True leaders inspire and motivate others to follow because they want to, and in so doing build a team that is loyal and committed. Management training is usually essential to successfully lead large numbers of volunteer followers.
5. ENTHUSIASM FOR NETWORKING.
Successful tall poppies know they do not know it all and know they cannot do it without the help of others. So they network with others in similar fields and use what they learn and the contacts they make. They are not isolationists. In Australia at this time of the year a number of outstanding people are honoured by our community under the Order of Australia awards. Many are nominated but few are honoured. No one is honoured just for the work they do. Their salaries are their rewards. The honours go to those who do much for others beyond that for which they are paid. For example, in 1999, my wife Beverley was made a Member of the Order of Australia (A.M.) for her unpaid work of raising funds for Sydney's homeless. She put together a team of other unpaid volunteers and together they raised $3.5 million. No salaries, no expenses, just additional voluntary service for others by inspiring teamwork.
The largest number of awardees receive the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM., usually for distinguished local service.) Fewer are made Members of the Order of Australia (A.M., an honour higher than the M.B.E., usually for service impacting a large area of the State.) A handful is made Officers of the Order of Australia, (A.O. an honour higher than an English knighthood, usually for service impacting the whole nation.) A small number are made Companions of the Order of Australia, (A.C., the highest honour our nation can bestow, usually for service that impacts the world far beyond our nation). When I was made a Companion of the Order of Australia, one of only six in Australia, and to that stage the only Minister of Religion to receive such a recognition (later Cardinal Pell was also so honoured) the citation read "for service to the community in the delivery and expansion of social welfare and outreach services through the Wesley Mission, fostering networks and partnership arrangements with other agencies to make services more widely available, and to religion." The key point was "fostering networks and partnership arrangements with other agencies to make services more widely available." Networking is always the key to successful development.
6. WILLINGNESS TO RISK.
Successful tall poppies are not timid people. Many of us always travel by the safe route. Many of us are cautious and careful by nature. We fear failure. But entrepreneurs are willing to take risks. They are comfortable in high-risk ventures, because they can visualise the significance of success. Two young Australians this month succeeded in paddling their kayak to New Zealand. Few of us would dare to do that, but the risk did not deter them. Entrepreneurs are willing to take risks because that is necessary to achieve high goals.
7. A SENSE OF DETACHMENT.
Successful tall poppies are never blinded by their own goals. They may be passionate about something they wish to achieve, but if necessary, in order to accomplish a higher achievement, they will detach themselves and go after the new goal. So many leaders have a goal and once achieved they will rest on their accomplishment. But successful tall poppies, know to get out when the timing is right, set new goals, and develop a new passion. Achieving base camp No 1 was an achievement Edmund Hillary sought, but if he had stayed there we would never have heard of him. But he pressed on until he reached the summit of Everest. One of the marks of a successful person is having achieved, knowing when to let go.
8. FLEXIBLE METHODOLOGY.
Successful tall poppies never cling to the methods that have worked in the past. They appreciate them, but they are willing to find new techniques, new technologies, newer and better methods and arrangements. So many other people learn from experience then just keep repeating that experience for years and years. They simply have one limited experience repeated many times. Achievers experiment with a flexible methodology and the latest technology.
9. CONSIDERATION OF OTHERS.
Successful tall poppies are always considering the needs of others. Whether they call them clients, customers, members, partners or whatever, most leaders are happy to have them and content with their support. But the successful tall poppies are always thinking of what further needs others have and how they can be met. They are unafraid to survey their people to see what they really want. They want to acknowledge where they are no longer meeting needs, because they want to develop newer and more satisfying responses to their people. That is the way businesses, organizations, churches, and political parties grow.
10. GLOBAL VISION.
Successful tall poppies see beyond the here and now. Entrepreneurs think globally. Outstanding businesses see future clients overseas. Great leaders hold a vision beyond this country. Growing Churches always have a global mission. Political parties with great leadership see their vision impacting on other nations and future centuries.
In these ten characteristics of successful tall poppies, there may be some that will make a positive contribution to your life and work. Some would definitely benefit your business or church. All of them could benefit our political party. For every political party needs leadership with these characteristics. Members of the Christian Democratic Party should look back over these ten characteristics and ask if they are in evidence in our Party today. There is no successful future for us if these characteristics are permanently missing. Congratulations to all those remarkable achievers who are being honoured this Australia Day. We are grateful for your contribution to our nation.
Rev The Hon Dr. Gordon Moyes, A.C., M.L.C.