ABSTRACT
This chapter looks at how Ibrahim Abouleish has contributed to a better life for thousands of people working in and around the green oasis that he has created in the Egyptian desert. It also looks at two other examples of responsible leaders, Johannes Gutmann and Helianti Hilman, who were courageous enough to make a big decision in their lives – the decision to leave the well-trodden path of conventional business wisdom and devote all their energy to creating real value. Ibrahim Abouleish vividly illustrates how responsible leaders mirror the roots of real value creation in their own personality and leadership style. Johannes Gutmann also known as the “herbsman in red lederhosen” due to the rather unusual standard outfit that he inherited from his grandfather. Gutmann set up an international organic food business in a very small and quiet Austrian village. Responsible leaders establish their organizations as learning communities, as they themselves have an intense learning orientation.
