“Hold on! Progression is coming!”
In 1992 a, then, little-known political scientist Francis Fukuyama made a stir in academic circles. Publishing a book called The End of History and the Last Man he essentially pitched the idea that humanity had reached a state in which it would continue to progress towards better democratic and economic states. Prior to Fukuyama’s splashily titled argument, the concept of the end of history had been used to describe “the perfection of civil society”. In the early 90s, many thought we were already there, almost there, or, at least, on our way.
Yet this reading has largely been proved to be incorrect. The rise of populism, fractures, challenges to, and breakdowns in, democratic governance, as well as serious economic catastrophes, have shown that society is, well, not at the perfection stage just yet. In fact, even in some of the most economically prosperous nations there is the spectre of societal schism as well as countless individuals struggling to find quality work that pays the bills and makes life more than just about survival.
This is the backdrop that Bloomberg LP have launched their new leadership development initiative on. When everything seems to be in flux– and the outlook doesn’t always look so rosy – individuals who can find a way through the quagmire are worth their weight in gold. To understand why Bloomberg chose this moment to launch and how they plan for the scheme be successful, including tips on how to internally market new HR schemes, read this edition’s cover interview with Jig Ramji, Global Head of Leadership and Talent Development at the media giant.
Also inside: we look at whether the CV is actually ever going to be phased out; what HR can learn from recent environmental protests; and whether we should be paid extra for being happy at work.
As ever, enjoy.
Daniel Cave - Head of Content
