2011 Leader Rep Trak: Fed at No. 2

South Africa’s Nelson Mandela topped the list with tennis champion, Roger Federer, second on the 2011 Leader RepTrak™, a new global study of the general public, developed by Reputation Institute to assess the reputations of the world’s most visible leaders and public personalities in politics, business, culture and sports. Reputation Institute created a list of 54 of the world’s most visible leaders and public personalities in politics, business, culture, and sports. 51,055 members of the general public in 25 countries were asked to assess these individuals using Reputation Institute’s RepTrak™ Pulse to measure their reputation on a 0-100 point scale based on four attributes: The degree to which a person is liked, respected, admired, and trusted. The sample of respondents was balanced to each country’s population on age, gender, and region. Fielding took place in April-May 2011 and was powered by SSI International.

1 Nelson Mandela – Former President of S. Africa

2 Roger Federer – Tennis Player

3 Bill Gates – Founder, Microsoft

4 Warren Buffett – Chairman, Berkshire Hathaway

5 Richard Branson – CEO, Virgin Group

6 Steve Jobs – Founder, Apple Computers

7 Oprah Winfrey – Entertainer

8 Bono – Entertainer

9 Ratan Tata – CEO, Tata Group

10 Elizabeth II – Queen of the United Kingdom

11 Ban Ki-Moon – Secretary General, UN

12 Angelina Jolie – Entertainer

13 Tenzin Gyatso – 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet

14 Barack Obama – President of USA

15 Satoru Iwata – CEO, Nintendo

16 Derek Jeter – Baseball Player

17 Fred Smith – CEO, FedEx

18 Jeff Bezos – Founder, Amazon.com

19 Lakshmi Mittal – CEO, Arcelor Mittal

20 Mark Zuckerberg – Founder, Facebook

Does this make Mandela GOAT?

(incidentally, I saw Nelson Mandela in that "Shawshank Redemption" film the other day - he was brilliant!).

bogbrush wrote:Does this make Mandela GOAT?

(incidentally, I saw Nelson Mandela in that "Shawshank Redemption" film the other day - he was brilliant!).

Mandela definitely GOTE and maybe even GOAT bb. What a nice accolade for Roge too!

Actually, it's a gigantic accolade isn't it? This can't just be for 16 Slams so it's for something else on top. I bet on it being because (i) his Foundation work is probably much better recognised in some other countries, and (ii) people can tell not just when someone wins a lot, but when they win it in a certain way.

maybe none of the respondents have seen Roger in a post loss press conference. Just kidding, the guy is a very positive role model and has done a lot for people with a great deal of class and dignity. A very noble and great champion.

It's just such a relief not to see David Beckham in this kind of thing any more.

I am a great fan of Roger and this is obviously an honour for him and an indication of what he's done for tennis - but a poll such as this needs to be seen for what it is, a means of promoting those who create it.

To have Fed, Jolie, Bono, Winfrey, and Jeter in a list of 'leaders' such as this is close to nonsensical. They none of them are faced with making difficult decisions that will change some people's lives for the good and some for the worse, may well end other lives, as well as needing to carry and persuade people along with them. They don't have to decide whether to go for Bin Laden or which taxes to raise or which benefits to cut or which products to throw their company's budget into with a huge risk of failure and so on. They just aren't leaders - we don't begin to know how they'd rise to the challenge and we do ourselves no favours if we compare what they do with genuine leadership - which is becoming a close to impossibly difficult task these days partly because of nonsensical polls like this which confuse what the likes of Fed does with leadership.

I'm interested in hearing what Fed says about tennis, and all power to him for setting up his foundation (which gives a lead of sorts in setting an example - but which is not leadership) but let's keep a sense of perspective about his experience and capabilities.

barrystar wrote:I am a great fan of Roger and this is obviously an honour for him and an indication of what he's done for tennis - but a poll such as this needs to be seen for what it is, a means of promoting those who create it.

To have Fed, Jolie, Bono, Winfrey, and Jeter in a list of 'leaders' such as this is close to nonsensical. They none of them are faced with making difficult decisions that will change some people's lives for the good and some for the worse, may well end other lives, as well as needing to carry and persuade people along with them. They don't have to decide whether to go for Bin Laden or which taxes to raise or which benefits to cut or which products to throw their company's budget into with a huge risk of failure and so on. They just aren't leaders - we don't begin to know how they'd rise to the challenge and we do ourselves no favours if we compare what they do with genuine leadership - which is becoming a close to impossibly difficult task these days partly because of nonsensical polls like this which confuse what the likes of Fed does with leadership.

I'm interested in hearing what Fed says about tennis, and all power to him for setting up his foundation (which gives a lead of sorts in setting an example - but which is not leadership) but let's keep a sense of perspective about his experience and capabilities.

You are quite right barrystar, of course. But it is almost impossible for a true 'leader' to remain popular - it is one job that is guaranteed to end in failure however auspicious the beginnings, unless one is unfortunate enough to be cut down like JFK. Mandela transcends his leadership because he is an icon for triumph over oppression and for hope, and of course for his manner of taking the reins of government and his ability to forgive - that is what he will, rightfully be remembered and celebrated for more than anything his leadership actually achieved.

I think RF's inclusion is a testament to the way sport can unite and engage all parts of the world, despite all kinds of temporal tensions. It's the heroic battle without any of the dirty politicking (is that a word?)

I don;t believe those surveys have any relevance. But I am just curiously surprised to see Federer, the number 3 player in the world of a not so popular sport, who hasn't won a slam for nearly 2 years, getting to that number 2 spot of most trusted people worldwide...whatever that means.

I understand however why Tiger is no longer part of those lists!

time please wrote: But it is almost impossible for a true 'leader' to remain popular - it is one job that is guaranteed to end in failure however auspicious the beginnings, unless one is unfortunate enough to be cut down like JFK. Mandela transcends his leadership because he is an icon for triumph over oppression and for hope, and of course for his manner of taking the reins of government and his ability to forgive - that is what he will, rightfully be remembered and celebrated for more than anything his leadership actually achieved.

I think RF's inclusion is a testament to the way sport can unite and engage all parts of the world, despite all kinds of temporal tensions. It's the heroic battle without any of the dirty politicking (is that a word?)

You are right about leadership. Nearly all political careers end in failure and Mandela certainly had his faults as President, but it is fair in his case that those are balanced in our assessment of him by his extraordinary magnaminity on his release without which goodness knows what might have happened in SA.

I note what you say about sport - I guess a common enjoyment of something can help cross cultural barriers - but it's notable that Federer is there when he excels in such a minor sport and, as Tenez points out, he has not even been No. 1 for more than 12 months and is as low as No. 3.

I always think his popularity is down to the fact that whilst those who get things done always command respect, those who get things done with artistry or a bit of wow command affection as well - especiall if they conduct themselves reasonably in their public lives. It helps the likes of Fed that it is difficult for a tennis player to do something which makes him hated both because of the triviality of sport generally and because Tennis is not supported in a partisan fashion (e.g. plenty in England still hate Maradona because of the 'hand of God' despite acknowledging his greatness as a player).

barrystar wrote:

time please wrote: But it is almost impossible for a true 'leader' to remain popular - it is one job that is guaranteed to end in failure however auspicious the beginnings, unless one is unfortunate enough to be cut down like JFK. Mandela transcends his leadership because he is an icon for triumph over oppression and for hope, and of course for his manner of taking the reins of government and his ability to forgive - that is what he will, rightfully be remembered and celebrated for more than anything his leadership actually achieved.

I think RF's inclusion is a testament to the way sport can unite and engage all parts of the world, despite all kinds of temporal tensions. It's the heroic battle without any of the dirty politicking (is that a word?)

You are right about leadership. Nearly all political careers end in failure and Mandela certainly had his faults as President, but it is fair in his case that those are balanced in our assessment of him by his extraordinary magnaminity on his release without which goodness knows what might have happened in SA.

I note what you say about sport - I guess a common enjoyment of something can help cross cultural barriers - but it's notable that Federer is there when he excels in such a minor sport and, as Tenez points out, he has not even been No. 1 for more than 12 months and is as low as No. 3.

I always think his popularity is down to the fact that whilst those who get things done always command respect, those who get things done with artistry or a bit of wow command affection as well - especiall if they conduct themselves reasonably in their public lives. It helps the likes of Fed that it is difficult for a tennis player to do something which makes him hated both because of the triviality of sport generally and because Tennis is not supported in a partisan fashion (e.g. plenty in England still hate Maradona because of the 'hand of God' despite acknowledging his greatness as a player).

Totally agree.

If it were to honour those already gone the a certain Arthur Ashe would be a better no. 2 than Roger.

Like Bogbrush I'm relieved not to say a certain David's Beckham's name but whatever happened to Wayne the role model?

newballs wrote:Like Bogbrush I'm relieved not to say a certain David's Beckham's name but whatever happened to Wayne the role model?

This is probably why:

Reputation Institute created a list of 54 of the world’s most visible leaders and public personalities in politics, business, culture, and sports. 51,055 members of the general public in 25 countries were asked to assess these individuals using Reputation Institute’s RepTrak™ Pulse

No doubt the list of leaders, the 25 countries, and the "RepTrak" are designed to balance carefully just enough credibility with just enough marketability to encourage PR people who wish to draw attention to their clients to commission the "Reputation Institute" (what a dumb name) to carry out a 'useful' poll for them which can be slipped out in a press release and so on. Given the middle-brow respectability they no doubt crave, even they probably realise that the likes of Rooney, Becks, 50cent, Lady Gaga, and so-on aren't quite what they are looking for.

But Angelina Jolie is?

Is a load of balls but Beckham is hardly treated as low-brow (sadly).

bogbrush wrote:But Angelina Jolie is?

Oh yeah - she's a yoooomanitarian dontcha know - compassionate man's crumpet with a sprinkling of 'danger'.

I woulda thought M. Ali would feature in a list like this...

But maybe he is too old too and debilitated to have much commercial value

I certainly wouldn't trust the likes of Gates, Obama and Mittal.

emancipator wrote:I certainly wouldn't trust the likes of Gates, Obama and Mittal.

But you'd trust Zuckerberg and Branson with your business ideas?

The worst on there is Bono: biggest hypocrite on the planet.

Trust can work on different levels. The three that I mentioned are politically influential. For various political reasons I wouldn't trust them. Of course they don't constitute an exhaustive list.

Yes, good spot BB; I wouldn't trust Bono and his pal Geldof as far as I could throw them.

barrystar wrote:

emancipator wrote:I certainly wouldn't trust the likes of Gates, Obama and Mittal.

But you'd trust Zuckerberg and Branson with your business ideas?

Where is Steve Jobs in all this? or Anna Hazare, or Rabbani?

Easy guys - this is just a list of public faces which are most liked, respected, admired and trusted!

This is not a list of people who have exhibited exemplary 'leadership' qualities. That list would certainly include Mandela, Gandhi, Dalai Lama, Churchill, FDR etc etc.

He has not created an impact on the lives of sports watching public but is a testament to the fact that people view him as a fine entertainer who is instantly very likeable and has no controversies outside the court as well. This is a huge recognition for Fed only because of what it means - he should sleep well to know that wherever he goes, he will always have a lot of fan support as prejudices apart, he just has an aura, first time you watch!

Fedex_the_best wrote:
He has not created an impact on the lives of sports watching public but is a testament to the fact that people view him as a fine entertainer who is instantly very likeable and has no controversies outside the court as well. This is a huge recognition for Fed only because of what it means - he should sleep well to know that wherever he goes, he will always have a lot of fan support as prejudices apart, he just has an aura, first time you watch!

And Amen to that - it's a considerable honour for Fed, but as a fan of his it's necessary to call BS when you see it. For all his many virtues Fed does not belong on a list designed to order people according to their qualities which includes Mandela and the Dalai Lama - that's my point, as well as laughing at the corporate-speak of the goons who drew up the list and the predictable round of self-publicists, shysters and self-proclaimed humanitarians such as Branson, Bono, and Jolie.

Richard Branson.

In the words of Jim Royle when Branson was discussed around dinner, "he wouldn't give you the steam off his p**s!".

barrystar wrote:

Fedex_the_best wrote:
He has not created an impact on the lives of sports watching public but is a testament to the fact that people view him as a fine entertainer who is instantly very likeable and has no controversies outside the court as well. This is a huge recognition for Fed only because of what it means - he should sleep well to know that wherever he goes, he will always have a lot of fan support as prejudices apart, he just has an aura, first time you watch!

And Amen to that - it's a considerable honour for Fed, but as a fan of his it's necessary to call BS when you see it. For all his many virtues Fed does not belong on a list designed to order people according to their qualities which includes Mandela and the Dalai Lama - that's my point, as well as laughing at the corporate-speak of the goons who drew up the list and the predictable round of self-publicists, shysters and self-proclaimed humanitarians such as Branson, Bono, and Jolie.

It's what these people represent to the public, not who they are themselves often. We all know the virtues that Mandela represents to all of us. I am expressing this very badly, what I mean is the people themselves aren't important in this kind of survey but the qualities we associate with them - and it almost doesn't matter if this reflects the real person, it is the virtues or qualities that we all aspire to that are being celebrated, and they are given a recognisable human face. I am getting even more confusing - you know how literature teachers tell us 'the text is autonomous'? in other words, the text takes on a life of its own and a different context to each reader, it may sometimes be different to how the author intended but the alternative meaning is still as real and valid because that is how someone has experienced the text? - well it's like that - I wish I were eloquent, I know what I mean, but there will be a prize for the first person to understand my waffle

bogbrush wrote:It's just such a relief not to see David Beckham in this kind of thing any more.

BB, you don't like a lot of people do you?

@timeplease - given a blank sheet of paper nobody with any sense would have a perception of Federer such that he's comparable to the likes of Mandela or the Dalai Lama* when using the same criteria to consider them.

The fact that people are asked to do just that shows the artificiality of the exercise.

* HH the Dalai Lama is believed to have a good backhand drive volley though

barrystar wrote:@timeplease - given a blank sheet of paper nobody with any sense would have a perception of Federer such that he's comparable to the likes of Mandela or the Dalai Lama* when using the same criteria to consider them.

The fact that people are asked to do just that shows the artificiality of the exercise.

* HH the Dalai Lama is believed to have a good backhand drive volley though

I think he is there in an age where 'celebrity' or 'superstardom' in sports often equals excess in private lives and he is a young multi millionaire who set up his foundation early in his career, has made time for it on a regular annual basis and shown a degree of commitment and stability in his private life that is not so usual nowadays. Of course, the same can be said for the other top 4 but Federer to date has an exposure beyond tennis, like Bolt has beyond athletics or Wood beyond golf etc so what I mean is that it is not really Federer, but the representation of those qualities that people vote for.

If you are very young or adolescent, sporting stars a probably more likely to be in your terms of reference than Mandela or the Dalai Lama - and probably in poorer parts of the globe where bars always show Man Utd and the Champions League, but are unlikely to draw in great crowds for World headlines! and the point is if people are celebrating qualities, it really doesn't matter. What is important is that people are actually celebrating the representation of 'decent values'.

I do agree with you that it is an artificial exercise - but look Martin Luther King who is still celebrated and yet he was documented as being an absent father and a dreadful husband (and obviously drunk and raucous at JFK's funeral!!!) Should we reassess his legacy in the light of this information - no, I don't think so because what he represents, and will for all time, is a peaceful approach to the Civil Rights Movement and for inspiring a generation of not only young black people to dream of a fairer America, but young white people too - the message is bigger than the man.

Perhaps (and please understand I am playing Devil's Advocate here) is that having the world at your feet, millions in the bank, but still cherishing the same girl you did at nineteen, leading an uncontroversial life with your family, heading a foundation that you make time for annually when you compare with the behaviour of let's say a Wayne Rooney or Ryan Giggs etc, etc is important to people. Celebrity is very important to the young, and perhaps the fact that RF is chosen to head the 'celebrity cache' is actually a really positive thing - it's the behaviour and values that are actually being celebrated not RF himself. I realise that this looks like 'so what?' compared with Luther King, but actually decency celebrated on a insignificant or majorly significant event is still - decency celebrated.

I am sure that people above 25 make far 'weightier' choices and will do so regardless of the fact that the person is 40 or eighty, or bald or fat, but it doesn't mean that the public values are any better really. Just be glad that it wasn't John Terry voted as good guy by a generation!

I agree - on the face of what we see Fed's got it all. After he grew up from a slightly tempestuous youth he has hardly let the mantle slip during nearly 10 years of intense scrutiny - a few occasions on which he's said things that are a bit smug, a bit snippy, or a bit ungracious, although I always say that actions speak louder than words. If I'd given about 1,500 press conferences in my life many of which would be groundhog day personified goodness knows what I might have said in some of them.

He seems to be liked as well as respected by nearly everyone who knows him at all - although funnily enough his relations with Djoko and Murray are a bit spikey, perhaps they have not shown him the 'respect' that he likes? His tennis is not just effective, but absolutely fabulous to watch - there's almost an aura about him when he is playing.

His family life seems to be a paragon of simplicity and fidelity and he was one of the earliest to set up a foundation to help others.

That's what we see and it's obviously good that people are impressed by such an apparently grounded and decent yet driven and successful person.

Yeah exactly - he ain't perfect by any means, but a lot of people who voted did so on an overall public perception of decency as represented by RF - much, much healthier than citing Katie Price, so let's all drink to that!

Since we are talking about celebrating decency, here is one amazing person...

For the past 35 years Amma has dedicated her life to the uplifting of suffering humanity through the simplest of gestures – an embrace. In this intimate manner Amma had blessed and consoled more than 25 million people throughout the world.

http://www.amma.org/amma/index.html

laverfan wrote:Since we are talking about celebrating decency, here is one amazing person...

For the past 35 years Amma has dedicated her life to the uplifting of suffering humanity through the simplest of gestures – an embrace. In this intimate manner Amma had blessed and consoled more than 25 million people throughout the world.

http://www.amma.org/amma/index.html

To me it's those three beautiful words at the top right hand corner of the Amma Shop homepage where she shows us what her 35 years of selfless devotion are all about

View Shopping Cart

Not to mention the fact that she has selflessly registered her logo of a woman hugging a child as a "TM", just beautiful (sigh)

barrystar wrote:

laverfan wrote:Since we are talking about celebrating decency, here is one amazing person...

For the past 35 years Amma has dedicated her life to the uplifting of suffering humanity through the simplest of gestures – an embrace. In this intimate manner Amma had blessed and consoled more than 25 million people throughout the world.

http://www.amma.org/amma/index.html

To me it's those three beautiful words at the top right hand corner of the Amma Shop homepage where she shows us what her 35 years of selfless devotion are all about

View Shopping Cart

Not to mention the fact that she has selflessly registered her logo of a woman hugging a child as a "TM", just beautiful (sigh)

Don't be so mean! She offers wholesale pricing!

Guys like this fellow obviously don't get it: http://www.cultnews.com/?cat=4

"... The sample of respondents was balanced to each country’s population on age, gender, and region. Fielding took place in April-May 2011 and was powered by SSI International."

Does this mean Western Iconography has conquered the world?

barrystar wrote:Guys like this fellow obviously don't get it: http://www.cultnews.com/?cat=4

Hello



Hmm.. this gives me a business idea.

You can all buy emancipator dolls at £50 a piece; pm me for further details.

I will start making them... NOW

Limited edition only.



emancipator - new spiritual leader/rival to Amma

emancipator wrote:
Limited edition only.

That's only your first mistake - do you think that there's anything limited about what Amma does?

That is apart from "ltd"

barrystar wrote:

emancipator wrote:
Limited edition only.

That's only your first mistake - do you think that there's anything limited about what Amma does?

That is apart from "ltd"

I'm already preparing the 2012 model

barrystar wrote:

laverfan wrote:Since we are talking about celebrating decency, here is one amazing person...

For the past 35 years Amma has dedicated her life to the uplifting of suffering humanity through the simplest of gestures – an embrace. In this intimate manner Amma had blessed and consoled more than 25 million people throughout the world.

http://www.amma.org/amma/index.html

To me it's those three beautiful words at the top right hand corner of the Amma Shop homepage where she shows us what her 35 years of selfless devotion are all about

View Shopping Cart

Not to mention the fact that she has selflessly registered her logo of a woman hugging a child as a "TM", just beautiful (sigh)

At least there is separation of the commercial and spiritual worlds (with two separate websites).