red helicopter - a parable for our times: lead change with kindness (plus a little math)

red helicopter - a parable for our times: lead change with kindness (plus a little math)

By James Rhee

Released April 9, 2024

In kindergarten, James Rhee received a toy red helicopter after a simple act of kindness—the innocent generosity of sharing his lunch. Nearly four decades later, the lessons from this small gift helped him develop a human-centered framework for business and personal success.

Rhee, a Korean American man with no prior background as CEO, unexpectedly took the helm of Ashley Stewart, an iconic company predominantly employing and serving Black women. The world bet against him, but Rhee trusted his instincts to identify, measure, and unleash the intangible goodwill at the company’s core, a decision which ultimately multiplied its fortunes several times over. Inspired by the values his dying immigrant parents instilled in him, he knew that a radically different—yet familiar—approach was required to lead this twice-bankrupt company from the jaws of liquidation to transcendent success.

Anyone can apply this refreshingly intuitive approach to change.

All it takes is combining the power of kindness with a little math.

James Rhee is an acclaimed impact investor, founder, CEO, goodwill strategist, thought leader, and educator, who empowers people, brands, and organizations by marrying capital with purpose. He bridges the emotional with the mathematical, and gives permission for us to be human. A long-time private equity investor, James also serves as a founding member of JP Morgan Chase’s Advancing Black Pathways, a charter member of Ashoka’s Entrepreneur-to-Entrepreneur Network, and former Chair of the Innovation Committee of the National Retail Federation. In addition to his private sector endeavors, Rhee teaches at Howard University (where he serves as the Johnson Chair of Entrepreneurship), MIT Sloan School of Management, and Duke School of Law. He lives in Boston, Massachusetts.