Jack Ma: ‘The Steve Jobs of China’
Jack Ma is China’s richest man. He’s founder of Alibaba, an e-commerce titan that’s expanding into a global brand.
Sometimes called “the Steve Jobs of China,” Ma, 51, is a forceful communicator with charisma to burn.
But it’s his distinctive communication skills that differentiate him from many CEOs. Despite his growing international fame over the past three years, he’s still able to connect with a wide range of people.
A former English teacher, Ma knows that lecturing has only a limited impact in influencing others. He prefers to engage them in a lively manner so that they can conclude for themselves that he means what he says.
Rather than just tell employees to have fun at work, for example, he embodies a carefree spirit. He likes to give away cans of Silly String, which brings out a playfulness in his team. He also encourages employees to do handstands at work.
Instead of telling employees to do their job well, he takes action to increase their commitment. For instance, he has given many staffers generous equity shares to retain them and allow them to reap the rewards of Alibaba’s success.
He relates well to customers and enjoys listening to them. He strives to see Alibaba’s products from his users’ point of view, and he often asks for their opinion and suggestions.
Like most visionary entrepreneurs, Ma communicates his vision with clarity. After he founded Alibaba in 1999, he declared that he sought to “win eBay, buy Yahoo and stop Google.” Now he wants to revive China’s sense of purpose and culture.
— Adapted from “4 Lessons in Leadership From Jack Ma,” Luis Gallardo, blog.eonetwork.org.
