Future Forward: Leadership Lessons from Patrick McGovern, the Visionary Who Circled the Globe and Built a Technology Media Empire

Book excerpt: Powerful lessons in forward-thinking leadership from the global business pioneer who turned IDG into a $3 billion technology media and venture capital empireLike Steve Jobs, Patrick McGovern created a worldwide multibillion-dollar industry by thinking differently, disrupting old business models, and embracing new global trends. He drove the future forward and never looked back. His company, International Data Group (IDG), quickly became a global powerhouse with information technology publications in markets around the world. IDG broke new ground in the 1980s by opening offices in China, the Soviet Union, Eastern Europe, and other markets deemed off-limits. IDG thrived across a series of technology and media industry shifts—from mainframe computers to minicomputers to personal computers, from print to digital, and through into the age of the Internet and smartphones—that upended many rivals. Living at the intersection of these classic disruptions, McGovern never missed a beat. And he understood well before most that a revolution in information technology was underway and not only was there money to be made but that this business would soon become the world’s largest industry. His leadership in the creation of one of the world’s leading brain research institutes at MIT only served to cement his legacy. His bold vision and fearless risk-taking made McGovern a legend among leaders. In today’s ever-changing global marketplace, his leadership lessons are more timely and important than ever.In Future Forward, leaders will find 10 essential lessons that can be easily applied to any business, from small startups to giant corporations. These include: “Let’s try it. Encourage entrepreneurial behavior and back it up with serious commitment.” “Decentralize. When building a global empire, every market is local.” “Love your employees. Adore your customers.” Leaders at every level will discover outside-the-box approaches to employee engagement, entrepreneurial commitment, and radical innovation. These are the lessons of a true visionary. This is how successful leaders take risks, take charge, and take the future by storm.