Making a difference

Aspiring international career

Before I graduated, I knew I wanted an international career.? I have been fortunate to fulfil that ambition beyond my wildest dreams. My work has taken me to every continent, Antarctica excepted. The variety, the cultures, the natural beauty, the food and always, always, always the people mean every place I have been is special in its own way.?? I am fortunate. Very fortunate.

The darker side of our world

Like many of you, along the way I have also seen the darker side of this world we all share. The inequalities, the abject poverty, the terrible impact of conflict, the degradation of the environment and our seas and the growing fragility communities face from climate change. These are not challenges that have suddenly been foist upon us, but from decades of inaction

Failures of leadership

I usually try to remain apolitical here on LinkedIn, but here I will make an exception.? For leaders who think these are lifestyle choices, they are not.? And don’t kid yourself that you are a leader if hold such views. In fact, it is high time you recognise that you are part of the problem.

Deep reflections

During my quite intense sabbatical reflections I questioned over and over what I have done and achieved? What impact have I really had? And what am I going to do in the future to be more impactful?? I’ve given myself a mixed report card.

But what of those issues that adversely impact the lives of so many where I have not made any difference?? Intractable issues or ones where the political will is absent. Should I, can I, do I brush these under the carpet??? Or is it good enough to do what I can, to do my best?? But is that not failing?? Or is pragmatic realism about my own abilities justified?? I have not found the answer and expect that I will grapple with this for quite some time to come.?

But surely doing good that has some impact every day is better than naught.

So how does this all feed in to the next chapter of my career??

Fundamentally, I believe equitable, sustainable economic development has the power to change lives for the better.? It is why I was an infrastructure banker and why I moved into economic development, striving to see peoples live improve through better and wider employment opportunities.? For sure, there is satisfaction of seeing a commissioned bridge or a new railway line, but it is really about how that bridge, and that line makes differences to the many over many years. ??

Development also must balance the interests and needs of different stakeholders fairly.? Vested interests pervade so many of our systems.? They hold back progress for the many whilst benefiting the few.? Again, that is not leadership. I can think of plenty of adjectives to describe what it is (none would be compliments).

The crucial roles of the public and private sectors

In my experience, development that leverages the best that the public sector can offer with the best that the private sector can be incredibly powerful.? The two essential ingredients are capital and human capital, alongside spades full of passion, patience and persistence.

Getting granular

Having started my career in the private sector and then moving into the public sector, it is now time for me to move back into the private sector.? I want to be closer to the coal face, I want to have levers that can be deployed as swiftly as possible, and I want to role my sleeves up and get granular.

My hopes

I will do so with hope in my heart. With hope to make a difference. Hope to make a positive impact on the life and lives of others in my own small way. For, surely, it is our collective impact that really makes a difference.