In November 2008, Eiji Wakiwaka, CEO of BP Japan, and a speaker in the Kenichi Ohmae Graduate School of Business's MBA in Globalization, launched his new book "What You Need To Succeed As A Global Leader".

Born in a small city in Gifu prefecture, Mr. Wakiwaka is always keen to emphasize that he was not raised in a special environment. Based on his humble upbringing, he says that everyone has the potential to be a global leader. Having a "big objective" from the outset is not necessary he believes. Rather, people should simply have the dedication to achieve small goals one by one. Mr. Wakiwaka began his career as a trader and never thought he would become a CEO. To be global leaders, he advises businesspeople to remain true to themselves and their roots and not change their personalities depending on who they are talking to.

In his book, Mr. Wakiwaka explains the four basic processes he deems necessary in global business - collecting data, analyzing data, making decisions and putting decisions into action. The first two steps are just as necessary as the latter two, he says, or else you are merely gambling, relying on intuition. High quality information gathering is crucial for success at a global level.

He goes onto theorize about the stages in the life of a global leader. From age 12 to 24 is a time to study; age 24 to 36, a time to make business foundations; age 36 to 48, a time to use your foundations to become a specialist, manager or leader; and age 48 to 60 a time to become a better business person, and improve the quality of your role in a specialized field.

Mr. Wakiwaka notes that time management is a vital skill for global businesspeople. In Japan, people work long hours and become "workaholics"; in the rest of the world, it is the opposite. Caring for your family and not placing your job as the top priority is socially acceptable in other countries, says Mr. Wakiwaka: Japanese businesspeople should learn from this.

Later in his book, Mr. Wakiwaka contends that forming solid relationships is crucial in business. He values honesty and sincerity above all other things and advises making five good friends in your field of business who can help you in difficult situations. He also notes that saying "thank you" is a particularly important skill for a leader to have. In stressful situations, a leader is someone who can come in with a warm heart and create a positive atmosphere. Showing appreciation is one of the biggest motivators in business

Lastly, being physically strong is an important aspect of leadership. Mr. Wakiwaka advises, "do not try to become a small perfect person, but rather an imperfect person with a big dream". He advocates that jumping into as many challenges as possible will lead to accelerated personal growth and development.

"Being able to complete tasks and do a job well does not mean someone is a good leader. Sophistication and sincerity is most important."
Quoted from the MBA in Globalization lecture "Global Management Case Study of BP"