Ackerman has two selves. For him, they are two completely different States, but they are equally wonderful. In June, his new life began. Ackerman, a pioneer in the workplace, has become history. Now, he wants to talk about himself, as a "person", his life's career, his wishes and even his image in the history books.
Strict self-discipline-this is the price he pays for his career.
Someone attacked him with newspaper headlines, and his tone was full of contempt. He responded with triple praise, rigorous survey results, cheers from supporters and meticulous letters. There are some things that he can't tolerate.
Some people say that Ackerman has cultivated himself into a leader with extremely strong psychology. However, the fact is that he didn't. He is sensitive, even fragile and vulnerable. He just won't let anyone know about it.
What did his 16 years at Deutsche Bank bring him? After thinking for a long time, he gave the answer: "My career taught me how to be self-disciplined." Self-discipline for self-protection This is a hard requirement for his work. As the CEO of Deutsche Bank, one of the most important banks in the world, he must always pay attention to his words and deeds.
Strict to almost cruel self-discipline, this is the price Josef Ackermann paid for his career. Only in this way can he persist in all these difficulties: whether it is pressure, financial crisis or power struggle.
"For Ackerman, popularity is not important, but being trusted."
Josef Ackermann grew up in Maier, Switzerland. His father Carl was a village doctor and his mother Margaret was a nurse. His parents taught their three sons various virtues, such as unity, persistence and trust, which had a great influence on Ackerman. "For Ackerman, popularity is not important, but being trusted." Writer Elrick Norman gave such an evaluation.
Josef Ackermann agrees with this statement. He happily talked about the trust his parents had brought him: "I always knew that if things got worse, I could go home, where I was always willing to accept me."
He practiced Caesar's famous saying: Better be the second in Rome than the first in the countryside. He tends to choose a "big platform" for his career-the world's top companies: first Credit Suisse Group, and then the larger Deutsche Bank. He has amazing ambition and execution, and wants to change the world on this great platform of Konzern. It's good to be CEO. "Since we have reached this height, why can't we have the desire to compete first?"
In 2002, the wish came true. Ackerman became the first non-German new president of Deutsche Bank. Carl Otto Pearl, the former chairman of the Federal Bank, reminded him that from that moment on, he became "two people", one was Josef Ackermann, who was well known to his friends ("Please keep this original self!" ), and the other is the external face of Deutsche Bank ("For this reason, you will certainly face all kinds of severe criticism and accusations, and you must bear it!" )。 Now, we know that he really did it.
Mannesmann trial (Ackerman was accused of illegally collecting huge compensation and betraying the interests of the company and shareholders during Vodafone's annexation of German mannesmann. ) and his various economic decisions made him involved in the huge wave of protests again and again:
1, he became the only CEO of the bank, which made the manager exist in name only. Before that, a former board member recalled, "We felt like little gods-everyone did." Now, polytheism has become history, and Ackerman is the only supreme God.
2. In the autumn of 2008, during the world financial crisis, Ackerman and Chancellor Merkel worked closely together to alleviate the devastating consequences of the German financial crisis. However, he publicly refused to accept the state's assistance to banks, saying that "it is a shame to accept assistance." Merkel is very angry about this. He later claimed that he just wanted to stop political interference in banking affairs.
Two years ago, he told two economic truths: Greece will not repay its debts; The compulsory debt gap against the will of banks will shake the financial market. Whether refusing to accept state aid to Deutsche Bank or suspecting aid to Greece, he believes that his prediction is accurate. He is very confident, which is just one of countless examples. When he became a "political banker" because of the financial crisis, his self-confidence became stronger. Because Ackerman represents not only the position of Deutsche Bank, but also Germany.
His speech is very smooth and always angers the political circles and the public. Nevertheless, he still wants to stand firm and seek help from his parents' "original trust" and never give in to angry accusations.
With iron self-discipline and a huge news team, he established an "Ackerman model": a president who knows his obligations, a visionary corporate decision-maker, the founder of a global bank, and even a politician. As a "human", Josef Ackermann has been hiding behind the protective wall. Even people who have been with him for several months can't tell how they know Ackerman. Because he will not show his true self to anyone, but hide himself in the elegant, calm and patient armor of Swiss style. But where is Josef Ackermann in the private photo? The boy standing on the ski track with the ski teacher, the relaxed motorboat driver, the impulsive man who is happy to drive the F 1 Ferrari and doesn't care even if he is scarred?
Ackerman exists as a "person", but he has been relegated to the second line throughout his career, and only his wife Pirkko, his daughter Katrina and a few very close friends will meet him. His friend once said that Ackerman never crossed the line even in a relaxed situation. He clearly knows what his behavior means to the image of the bank.
If Ackerman didn't become a banker, what would he be? He once said: Aquarius often becomes a philosopher or revolutionary.
Looking forward to a "new life"
Revolutionary? He doesn't think this is a distant career. He defined a revolutionary in a very narrow range: he changed Deutsche Bank and overturned many stereotypes, and he was also a revolutionary.
Now, he and some friends have set up a foundation in Switzerland, including real estate and restaurants, and own the Berlin restaurant "borchardt". It is a gathering place for many cultural and political figures, and is called "China Restaurant".
Ackerman, who plans to resign in 2009, said that old people like him will stop young people from changing the world, so it's time to leave. Outside Deutsche Bank, Ackerman's trip in June is still inertia. Meetings in Washington and Copenhagen, business trips to Australia, and various meetings of the board of supervisors. He smiled: "From July, everything will change." This is a promise. Not only for my wife, but also for myself. Ackerman, his prosperity faded and he returned to gentle piano music, which is still wonderful.
[Translated from the German magazine Focus]