FEEDBACK

Reflections on Leadership

I've just read the October issue of your magazine, and it's a beauty. Every article has relevance, each of them is well-written and, in combination, they represent a hip, yet adult publication of much promise.

What prompted this fan letter (rare for me), however,

Sidney Harman

Executive Chairman

Harman International

Washington, D.C.

Your Editor's Note in the October issue was outstanding. The point that both CEOs and politicians could heed the same advice was striking.

Gerard R. Roche

Senior Chairman

Heidrick & Struggles

New York

I read the Editor's Note with dismay. I served as a Defense Department civilian in Iraq from November 2003 until June 2004. The Iraq I knew was unrecognizable from the mainstream media coverage. Journalists avidly cover every bad thing that happens in Iraq-and most of the bad news they report is probably true. It was clear to me, however, that the press minimizes coverage of progress or success. Judging by the headlines, Iraq seems to consist of nothing more than a few neighborhoods in Baghdad and the so-called Sunni Triangle. Basra, Najaf and the Kurdish areas have essentially vanished from the Western news precisely because they are largely peaceful and making progress.

I routinely traveled to shopping areas, businesses, factories and construction sites, in all of which one saw ordinary Iraqis going about the daily work of making their lives better. And a few weeks ago, Iraqis again turned out in astonishing numbers to vote on the proposed constitution. Preparations are being made for the next round of legislative elections, slated for December. Sunnis, many expressing regret for their boycott of the first vote last January, participated in this round and are readying their candidate lists for the next one. Iraq is a democracy in its infant stages. The process may be eventful and drawn out, but it is real.

Michael Fleischer

President

Bogen Communications Intl.

Ramsey, N.J.

Scouting For Values

The Boy Scouts of America is flattered to be mentioned when the writer of the article about The IndUS Entrepreneurs ("The secrets of Success," October) quotes someone as saying, "It's the Boy Scouts applied to business."

The TiE is dedicated to helping its members succeed in business, and businesses have a long history of supporting Scouting. It's because the values we seek to instill in boys are good business values. Businesses with corporate cultures that are centered around high ideals withstand inevitable cycles to become iconic brands.

TiE members might be criticized for banding together. Germans, Jews, Italians and others did the same. Hooray for them and hooray for TiE.

Roy L. Williams

Chief Scout Executive

Boy Scouts of America

Irving, Tex.

TOP HONORS. Chief Executive has won two Gold Awards-the Eddie and the Ozzie-in Folio's annual magazine competition. The Eddie for best business-tobusiness magazine in the business/finance category was given on the basis of our April 2005 issue ("Your Future Work Force?"). That same magazine won the Ozzie for best cover. Overall, the competition attracted more than 1,600 submissions for 76 categories of awards.

CEO of the Year

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* Leadership and/or vision

* Sustained performance over time

* External benchmarks: Customer value and shareholder value

* Innovativeness

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C-Level executives may nominate their candidates for CEO of the Year, by Dec. 31, on our Web site at www.chiefexecutive.net.

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