n.05_September_October.2009.Englisch._

• EDITORIAL

Tlps from the top

Keymessages

forleaders:

MIcheIle

Obama.the

charismatic

firstlady

Thinkbacktothistimelastyeartoseejusthowmuch

politicallifehaschanged.Ayearaga,theUnitedStateshada presi-

demwhowaswhite(asusual),aman(asusual)and,weil,ler'sjust

say,notuniversililyrespectedforhisintdlcct(thishappenssome-

times,unfortunarely).Theonlythingthathasremainedconstantis

thatthecurrentpresidentisalsoaman.Nolessimpressivethan

BarackOhamahimselfhasheenhiswife,Michelle,thecharismatic,

strongandintelligentfirstlady.InourWharI'veLearncdsection,

MichelleObamasharessameofherthoughtsonmanagementand

leadership."InArnerica,wespendmoretimetalkingabolltwhat

can'tgetdone,whatisimpossible,andwepassthatontoourchil-

dren,"shesays,ina srarementthatmightsurpriscmanyEuropeans,

whousuallythinkofthcUSasa "can-do"culture.TareadMichelle

Obama'sothercommentsandinsights,turntopage62.

Thisissue 01 BusinessSpotlightseesthestartofa signifi-

cantnewpartnership.Wehavejoinedtogetherwithleadingman-

agementconsultantsBain& Companytoexplainthemostimpor-

tantmanagementterms.Forourfirstexpression,wehavechosen

theconceptof"benchmarking".Aswithalltermsinthisnewscries,

welookarthreeaspccts:a descriptionofrhetenn,thcmethodology

behindit andsameofitscommonuses(seep~tge64).Akeygoalof

benchmarkingisroimproveyourperformanceinaparticulararea

hylookingatwhatotherpeopleorfirms aredoingbeTterthanyou

are.AtBusinessSpotlight,weaimtodaexactlythatwirhallour

producrs.WhynotmakethatYOlltgoal,wo?

lanMcMaster,edltoT·In-chief

Contact:i.mcma5Ier@5potlight·verlag,de

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