#1

Billionaire
Saving the
Planet

Knight
Bachelor

#6 Richest In UK
#272 Richest in
the World

By:
Dhruv
ForBansal
16/2013
Services in
Entrepreneu
rship

SIR RICHARD BRANSON

SIR RICHARD BRANSON

Born July 18, 1950, England
Virgin Group > 360 companies
Companies cost $ 25 billion
55 000 employees

A Frugal Billionaire
Is an English industrialist (business magnate)
The quintessential entrepreneur

Milestones
He was knighted in 1999 for his Servicesto
entrepreneurship
Sir Richard appears at No. 85 on the 2002 list of
100GreatestBritons
Sir Richard was also ranked in 2007's Time
Magazine
"Top100MostInfluentialPeopleintheWorld".
On 7 Dec 2007, United Nations Secretary presented
Branson with the United Citizen of the World Award
for his support for environmental and humanitarian
causes

Myinterestinlifecomesfromsetting
myself huge,apparentlyunachievable
challenges and trying to rise above
them. From the perspective of wanting
to live life to the full I felt that I had to
attempt it.

How he began

When he was 16 years old, he dropped out of school to move

to London and launch Student Magazine, which did relatively
more success.
At 19, founded the Virgin mail order record company.
Success in selling mail order records, opening of a record shop
then launched own record label, Virgin Records.
On May 25, 1973, the Richard Branson biography took on a
whole new dimension with the release of Mike Old fields-the
first release for Virgin Records, which quickly became a best
seller throughout England.
GREAT SUCCESS

Top known companies

Virgin Records music label

Virgin Atlantic Airways (USA)
Virgin Mobile (India)
Virgin Media (UK's fastest broadband)
Virgin Blue Australia
Virgin Galactic

BransonsEmpire

Virgin brand

Branson didnt run his businesses by strategies.

Instead, he keeps a to do list, that he writes at
the beginning of each day.
In recent years, Branson has taken steps to define a
strategy for the Virgin Group- Branded Venture
Capitalism was what his strategy advisor called it.

Some simple strategies

Size does matter: you need to challenge and compete
with big brands to become big yourself.
Take it easy, mix fun with work.
Haggling is possible in every business it brings
down prices.
Mingle like a common man, go ahead like a bullet.
Be camera / media friendly

Main characteristics
Ability to connect with people.
Innovative approach to the business.
Like challenges and always disengage difficulties.
Im not good at theory.Almost everything Ive learned, Ive
learned by doing.
Topping my list of gut feelings is this: business has to give
people enriching, rewarding lives, or its simply
not worth doing.

STRATEGY
Listen to people
Encourage communication
and feedback.
Integrate personnel into
other parts of organization.

CORE BELIEFS AND VALUES

Helping people achieve things that they did not
know they were capable of
Being a catalyst to the success of others
Constantly learning

BRANSON'S SKILLS
Public Relations genius he
understands what the
media wants and gives it to
them.
He is likeable. He knows
when to disappear.

VALUES AND BELIEFS

He says that he never listens to
critics.
He is a sponge for new ideas
Inspire people to think like
Entrepreneurs

Characteristics of Richard Branson

Personality
Quiet, serious, sensitive and kind. Do not like
conflict, and not likely to do things which may
generate conflict
Loyal and faithful. Extremely well developed senses,
and aesthetic appreciation for beauty
Not interested in leading or controlling others
Flexible and open-minded. Likely to be original and
creative. Enjoy the present moment.

ISFP

Introvert

Sensing

Feeling

Perceiving

Leadership Skills
Employee Empowerment
Patiently listens to Employees ideas
Not a conventional business person
Never forces a consensus
Energizes people towards higher performance
Collaborating, Competing, Compromising, Avoiding,
Accommodating

Leadership Style: Participative

Adjusting leadership theories

Blake and Moutons Managerial Grid

Leadership theories

Transformational LeadershipFocused on bringing about changes in organization

by building vision, securing commitment and
empowering people.
Path Goal Theory(Participative Leadership)Leaders to provide information, support and resources
to help followers achieve the goals.

Leadership theories

Situational Theory (Hersey & Blanchard): High

concern for relationship and low concern for task i.e.
Participativebehavior.

Ohio State Studies: He is a consideration type of

leader who believe in fostering informal relations.
Establish warm, friendly and supportive climate for
the subordinates to perform well.

Leadershipqualities

Art of delegation I have to be good at helping

people run the individual businesses
Branson says his philosophy of
"look for the best and you'll get the best" helped him
build an empire recognized for its young, fun culture..
If a flower is watered, it flourishes. If not, it shrivels
up & dies. Employee should be given the opportunity
to do well in a different Virgin Group Job. Firing is
seldom an option.

Leadership qualities

Motivational strategies extend to innovative ideas. The

key to encourage innovation within the Virgin
ranks, suggests Branson, is to listen to any and
all ideas and to offer feedback.
Inspire people to think like entrepreneurs, and
whatever you do, treat them like adults.
One thing is certain in business. You & everyone arou
nd you will make mistakes. You have to trust people
around you to learn from their mistakes.
Blame and recriminations are pointless.

Team Spirit
Family oriented
Good in sports
Flexible
Open-minded
Welcomes different ideas and does not impose his
decisions on employees
Had his own Advisory team
AbileneParadox: Avoids Conflicts

THANK YOU