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FORUM: DACHSER FACE-TO-FACE
Bernhard Simon meets ...
Jolly Kunjappu
“It’s only Rock ‘n’ Roll” – this famous
Rolling Stones’ hit featured guest musician
Jolly Kunjappu. Here, the Indian musician,
painter and philosopher speaks to Dachser
management spokesman Bernhard
Simon about how companies are inspired
by emotions and enthusiasm.
hh Mr Kunjappu, as an artist and philosopher,
freedom of thought is your main
theme. Why is it we often find it so hard
to give free rein to our thoughts?
Jolly Kunjappu: When we come into this
world, we have no idea what freedom is all
about. We simply act and don’t question it.
Somewhere along the line that changes.
After all, we don’t live in isolation, but
in an environment determined by norms:
within the family, in society, at the workplace.
Discovering the inherent freedom we are
born with is a long and difficult process.
But it’s a necessary one, and one that can help
us advance – both as individuals and as a
society.
Bernhard Simon: And also as companies.
I’m often asked what’s behind our name “Intelligent
Logistics”. Can we actually talk
about a company being intelligent? No. But
because it’s made up of a large number of
people, I can give them the freedom to think
about themselves and others. This implies
more than just doing a job well. Intelligence
comes from doing it differently and making
it distinguishable from others. It’s therefore
08 DACHSER magazine
important to continuously reconsider what
freedoms we can create to enable the power
of thought to be set free that will shape
Dachser’s future.
J. Kunjappu: People shouldn’t be inhibited
in their freedom of expression. If they are
afraid of being chastized for expressing
their thoughts freely, they’ll stop doing it.
Creativity and innovation can therefore only
flourish in a liberal society. In totalitarian
systems, this simply doesn’t work.
Every individual bears self-responsibility. That goes
hh for inspiration as well. The result is a multiplier effect –
because inspiration is contagious Jolly Kunjappu
hh Does freedom have a direction?
B. Simon: Freedom always has the direction
of achieving a shared goal. The adage “freedom
is the freedom of the original mind” still
applies. Therefore, I must direct my thoughts
in such a way that I not only satisfy my own
ego, but I also give the associational idea a
chance to develop.
J. Kunjappu: If I have taken a decision to
work for a company, then my freedom must
also bear fruit for that company. Only when
every single member of staff, from the managing
director down to the janitor, understands
freedom this way can it become an
active process.
PERSONAL FILE
Jolly Kunjappu
is an entrepreneur, musician,
painter and philosopher. Born in
India, he came to Germany in 1970.
The world-class percussionist
received a golden “It’s only Rock
‘n’ Roll” LP as a guest musician
with the Rolling Stones and composed
ballet music for renowned
opera houses. His “Dancing to
Freedom” painting on a fragment
of the Berlin Wall is today a
protected monument. The master
of marketing and management
shares his global experience as
an inspiring performance speaker
and coach.
F
www.kunjappu.com
Bernhard Simon
is spokesman for the Dachser
management. The corporate
culture of the internationally
operating family enterprise focuses
on its stakeholders and ongoing
cross-cultural exchange as the
lynchpins of successful market
positioning.