On May 15, 2005, Indra Nooyi, Indian Woman, to be PepsiCo's
New Chief Excutive Officer (CEO) gave the following speech to the graduating class of Columbia University Business School. Some in attendance viewed her comments, which compared America's position in the global marketplace to a middle finger, as insulting and unpatriotic. When she gave this commencement speech she was Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of PepsiCo's.
Good evening, everyone.
...This evening, graduates, I want to share a few thoughts about a topic that should be near and dear to your hearts: the
world of global business. But I am going to present this topic in a way that you probably havent considered before. Im going to take a look at how the United States is often perceived in global business, what causes this perception, and what we can do about it. To help me, Im going to make use of a model.
To begin, Id like you to consider your hand. Thats right: your hand.
Other than the fact that mine desperately needs a manicure, its a pretty typical hand. But, what I want you to notice, in particular, is that the five fingers are not the same. One is short and thick, one tiny, and the other three are different as well. And yet, as in perhaps no other part of our bodies, the fingers work in harmony without us even thinking about them individually. Whether we attempt to grasp a dime on a slick, marble surface, a childs arm as we cross the street, or a financial report, we dont consciously say, OK, move these fingers
here, raise this one, turn this one under, now clamp together. Got it! We just think about what we want to do and it happens. Our fingers as different as they are coexist to create a critically important whole.
This unique way of looking at my hand was just one result of hot summer evenings in my childhood home in Madras, India. My mother, sister, and I would sit at our kitchen table and for lack of a better phrase think big thoughts. One of those thoughts was this difference in our fingers and how, despite their differences, they worked together to create a wonderful tool.
As I grew up and started to study geography, I remember being told that the five fingers can be thought of as the five major continents: Europe, Asia, Africa, and North and South America. Now, let me issue a profound apology to both Australia and Antarctica. I bear neither of these continents any ill will. Its just that we humans have only five
fingers on each hand, so my analogy doesnt work with seven continents.
Clearly, the point of my story is more important that geographical accuracy!
First, lets consider our little finger. Think of this finger as Africa. Africa is the little finger not because of Africas size, but because of its place on the worlds stage. From an economic standpoint, Africa has yet to catch up with her sister continents. And yet, when our little finger hurts, it affects the whole hand.
Our thumb is Asia: strong, powerful, and ready to assert herself as a major player on the worlds economic stage.
Our index, or pointer finger, is Europe. Europe is the cradle of democracy and pointed the way for western civilization and the laws we use in conducting global business.
The ring finger is South America, including Latin America. Is this appropriate, or what? The ring finger symbolises
love and commitment to another person. Both Latin and South America are hot, passionate, and filled with the sensuous beats of the mambo, samba, and tango: three dances that if done right can almost guarantee you and your partner will be buying furniture together.
This analogy of the five fingers as the five major continents leaves the long, middle finger for North America, and, in particular, the United States. As the longest of the fingers, it really stands out. The middle finger anchors every function that the hand performs and is the key to all of the fingers working together efficiently and effectively. This is a really good thing, and has given the US a leg up in global business since the end of World War I.
However, if used inappropriately just like the US itself the middle finger can convey a negative message and get us in trouble. You know what Im talking about. In fact, I suspect youre hoping that Ill
demonstrate what I mean. And trust me, I am not looking for volunteers to model.
Discretion being the better part of valour...I think Ill pass.
What is most crucial to my analogy of the five fingers as the five major continents, is that each of us in the US the long middle finger must be careful that when we extend our arm in either a business or political sense, we take pains to assure we are giving a hand...not the finger. Sometimes this is very difficult. Because the U.S. the middle finger sticks out so much, we can send the wrong message unintentionally.
Unfortunately, I think this is how the rest of the world looks at the U.S. right now. Not as part of the hand giving strength and purpose to the rest of the fingers but, instead, scratching our nose and sending a far different signal.
Id challenge each of you to think about how critically important it is for
every finger on your hand to rise and bend together. You cannot simply allow the other four fingers to rise only when you want them to. If youve ever even tried to do that, you know how clumsy and uncoordinated it is.
My point here is that its not enough just to understand that the other fingers coexist. Weve got to consciously and actively ensure that every one of them stands tall together, or that they bend together when needed.
Today, as each of you ends one chapter in your young lives and begins another, I want you to consider how you will conduct your business careers so that the other continents see you extending a hand...not the finger. Graduates, its not that hard. You can change and shape the attitudes and opinions of the other fingers the other continents and their peoples by simply ascribing positive intent to all your international business transactions......
Thank you
very much.
and her clarification
I recently had the privilege of speaking to the 2005 graduating class of Columbia Universitys Business School in New York City.
Recognising that these talented new leaders will influence both America and the world, I tried to provide some advice as they embark on their careers.
I chose to speak about the powerful role that America, and we as Americans, hold in the world today. I hoped to encourage these graduates to be sure they make a positive and personal difference as representatives of our great country.
In my comments, I used the analogy of a human hand to illustrate that people in countries around the globe need to join together to make the world work in harmony - just as all the fingers of a hand work together. It is an illustration that I learned when I was a student, and that I have shared with others on many
different occasions.
As part of this illustration, I assigned five of the worlds continents to the different fingers and thumb. I refer to North America and particularly the U.S. as the middle finger because it is the longest and anchors every function the hand performs. The middle finger also is key to all the fingers working together effectively. That is how I view Americas place of importance in the world.
The point of my analogy was to emphasize Americas leadership position. Equally critical is the need for each of us as citizens to take a constructive role in whatever we choose to do in life to ensure the U.S. continues as the worlds helping hand.
Unfortunately, my remarks at Columbia University were misconstrued and depicted in a different context as unpatriotic. Although nothing could be further from the truth, I regret any confusion or concern that I may have inadvertently created. As I shared
with the audience at Columbia, this country that I am proud and honored to call home is a promised land that I love dearly. I would never say or do anything to detract from our great nation and its people who have done so much for so many, including myself.
Thank you for your understanding and allowing me to set the record straight.
Indra K Nooyi President & CFO, PepsiCo
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