Overreaction to Pepsi Co. Pres/CFO Graduation Speech at Columbia

Thu, 26 May 2005 08:26:30 GMT

First of all, I will say that I am very happy that Wharton's MBA Graduation speaker, Alan Greenspan, and the graduating class's response to Mr. Greenspan, were all a first class act. I wish I could say so for Columbia's graduation event. Apparently, many folks who heard Indra Nooyi's graduation speech at Columbia were "shocked and outraged." If you read this critical recap of the speech, without actually reading the transcript, you would think Nooya was an insensitive and unpatriotic American, who despises the US. However, after I read the transcript myself, I began to realize that many people in the US have a very difficult time dealing with criticism about this country of ours, regardless of how accurate or slight it may be.

From what I've read, Nooyi's speech was one of cautious criticism and wise advice to future business leaders of America (or in Columbia's case, future bankers of America). Her basic point was that we, as Americans, carry a heavier burden to contribute to our global world economy than those of our counterparts, since we are not only the most powerful player, but also the player that is most in the spotlight. Any small mistep we make can have significant ramifications and therefore, we must recognize this heavy layer of scrutinty and take on this burden responsibly.

While I agree that comparing the US to the middle finger was not the wisest tactic, its a shame that her audience did not have the patience to actually listen to her message. Columbia B-school students should stick to rapping.

Richard's Reveries and Rantings: Don't believe the hype

Overreaction to Pepsi Co. Pres/CFO Graduation Speech at Columbia