Gerard Burke, Director, Business Growth and Development Programme at Cranfield School of Management and speaker at www.entrepreneursinlondon.com spoke to www.freshbusinessthinking.com founder Nick James about the parallels between Barack Obama’s presidential campaign and the challenges facing entrepreneurs.

“To borrow a phrase suffused with poetry from US president-elect Barack Obama, if there’s any owner manager out there who still doubts that all things are possible, who still wonders if their dream for their business can be brought to reality, who still questions the power of inspirational leadership, today is your answer.

In a time of great challenge for America, and of great doubt in Americans’ sense of themselves and their place in the world, Barack Obama has offered his countrymen a clear and transformational vision of a different and better future.  He articulates that vision in ways that have inspired millions of his fellow Americans, and millions more around the world, to believe that, by taking responsibility and working together, they can help make that different and better future a reality.

Obama’s dream is deeply rooted in the American dream and summed up in three simple words of hope and belief – “Yes, we can”.

Through the Business Growth and Development Programme (BGP) at Cranfield, I am privileged to work with hundreds of ambitious owner managers each year.  While some are high profile, most of these individuals are unsung heroes of the UK economy – building businesses, creating jobs, providing incomes for families, supporting their local economies and local communities, creating wealth and well-being.  They take control of their own destinies and share Obama’s creed – “Yes, we can”.

Through BGP, we help them to articulate a clear vision for the future they want to create for their business and for themselves, and to communicate that vision in ways which inspire other people to help them make that different and better future a reality.  This clarity, confidence and inspirational leadership enable them to achieve even more remarkable things – “Yes, we can”.

At this moment, as we face more challenging economic conditions than many owner managers will have experienced before, articulating a clear vision for the medium term which inspires other people to believe in that vision, is vital to the effective leadership of our businesses.  Just like the American people, the people in our businesses need a clear, hopeful and inspirational vision of the future in which they can believe – “Yes, we can”.

And just like Obama, it is our responsibility as owner managers to provide that vision of hope and inspiration - “Yes, we can”.

By continuing to believe in our dreams, by being confident about the future, by continuing to offer hope and leadership to our people, we can ride out the downturn.  Once more, in the country’s hour of need, we, the millions of small business owners, can be the unsung heroes of the UK economy – “Yes, we can”!

To hear more from Gerard attend www.entrepreneursinlondon.com