What are the World's Thought Leaders Thinking? Global Livestream Event Part 2

Your Host Ambassador Terry Earthwind Nichols International Speaker Strategist : Here it is six months later from our first event. There have been some things happening in the world, some banks not doing so well, we are continuing to trash the planet, etc. The question that comes to my mind is ‘who in their right mind trashes their own house?’ Simon and I thought, 'let's continue this conversation'. Let's see how everybody's doing out there now in 2023.?

Co Host Simon Haigh - The GROWth Strategist - MBA, BA (Hons) Law : Leadership is about building a bridge for other people to cross. The leader is just the builder. If you were an alien looking down on planet Earth, you’d be thinking ‘why are they not seeking to maintain and protect it’? There seem to be so many different things coming to leaders from different directions. We don't have the luxury to turn a blind eye anymore. The world is starving for integrity. Leadership is navigating uncertainty, expecting things to go wrong, and working around or through issues. Let’s hear what our guests had to say.

Nicole M. Heimann : The world cannot move fast enough to regenerative leadership. What I see leaders struggling with is really taking a stand. In the past they have learned to be diplomatic, to talk in such a way that we reach everyone and don't lose anyone, not talk politics, and to not talk about things that are important.

Today we want leaders to speak up, take a stand, speak for nature and the climate. This is new, because they really have to unlearn what they were trained to do. They get to relearn and also talk about their personal values, then bring those values into the company and allow people to magnetize around them.?

Many leaders are still not doing that because of the exposure. It's harsh out there on social media. You get reactions all the time, the good and the bad. So it really takes a lot of courage.

Mike Stevenson : Soft power is the new hard edge. We do not persuade people with dictates. Leadership is about learning how to communicate. If you want people to follow government policy, then make it worth their while. Let them see what the vision is going to look like.?

Legacy is more important than success and power.?

Teens are pretty discouraged and/or depressed these days. Yet if you ask them what they want they are quite articulate. They will tell you they want to make a positive difference. They want to see an end to homelessness. They want to see a better distribution of wealth. They want to see the planet restored. They want to see our cities reflect the ideas of young people, which is about more greenery, better functioning public transportation, and city centers where people are inspired, where they gather and where they talk with each other.?

A few billionaires are leading the world because they are funding politics. If you fund politics from private funds, then you get people who are acting on behalf of a tiny proportion of the population. Politics has become a very dirty business. Ask yourself, ‘Who is paying for me to see what I am seeing? And whose interests are they representing?’

H.E. Olusiji Aina, FIIM :? We get to be very intentional in terms of the leadership that a continent is producing. Rather than having a leader influence whoever is going to succeed them, it's important that the system produces the next leader–the right leader–whether young or old. Leaders should not be self imposed, they should be made naturally. That is what's happening in the African Trade Council.?

I'm most grateful to be the youngest board member. Young people are the future of the world.

There's a lot of talk and discussion around climate change. Whether we like it or not, it is staring us in the face. It's high time we begin to address those issues. The sooner we do, the better things will be for all of us in the global space. Younger people and world climate change are two very important things for global leaders to consider at this point.?

Chris Roebuck CCMI FCIPD : I did a six month neuroscience course. And that links into the fundamentals of what's going on in people's minds and why people are leaving their jobs. Those reasons include uncaring leaders, unsustainable workload, no work life balance, no advancement potential, lack of meaningful work, and the feeling that their organization doesn't care about them.?

All those things really hit at the heart of who we are as people.?

Why? Why is this happening? Well, we're not giving leaders the capability to deliver tasks. Every time I talk to a group of corporate leaders I ask, “How many of you have ever been taught how to delegate effectively? Never more than 25% of an entire audience raises their hands. We are also starting leadership training too late and present leadership in an inconsistent and confusing way.?

When I speak to audiences I say, "Come on, be honest, that first leadership role, when you were told you got it, you went, ‘Wow, I got it!’ Then at the back of your mind came that little voice saying, 'Hang on, they haven't told you how to do it!'.”

Andrew Nowak : We are in a very difficult context at the moment. We've got a load of stuff going on, including a war and climate problems. The leaders of today must understand what sort of challenges their people are facing, including inflation.?

If the young people of today can make money without a job or without a boss or without a leader, they will and they are. I have a lot of young people around me, young leaders.?

Leaders challenge the status quo and focus on the future. We must also understand that we don’t have all the answers. Having an accountability partner is key when it comes to leadership.?

“The manager administers; the leader innovates. The manager has a short-range view; the leader has a long-range perspective. The manager asks how and when. The leader asks what and why. The manager has his eye on the bottom line; the leader has his eye on the horizon. The manager accepts the status quo; the leader challenges it… Good leaders make people feel that they’re at the very heart of things, not the periphery. Everyone feels that he or she makes a difference to the success of the organization. When that happens people feel centered and that gives their work meaning.” ~Warren G. Bennis

Hortense le Gentil : Leaders are facing a great deal of uncertainty in the world, as well as with their people. What is happening isn't about change, it's a mutation like we have in nature. In Star Wars, Yoda said, "You have to unlearn what you have learned and begin here”. And I would add, be courageous.?

As a leader, where do you begin? You begin with YOU and how you want to be remembered as a leader

Be aware of your emotions and ask for support. Authenticity is being yourself and aligning with yourself. We all want to be seen, heard, loved, and accepted for who we are. We want to be part of something, and the younger generation wants purpose. Invest in your young people, because they need it and because they are building tomorrow.?

Todd Cherches : I teach leadership in two masters programs, one at NYU and one at Columbia University. So I'm always talking to younger people early on in their career, and then a lot of my executive coaching clients are more senior. I'm covering generationally what people are experiencing in the workplace through different lenses.?

The biggest thing is that the rules have changed. A lot of leaders want to turn the clock or calendar back to 2019 and pretend that the whole pandemic never happened. But the pandemic expedited trains that were already started. For example, work from home or work from anywhere. The goal of being more global was already being sought. This created issues related to collaboration, communication, and building teams.?

There's no one right solution that works for everyone. It really depends on your job, your industry, your function. Everyone is just trying to navigate the new realities and asking the question, "How do we manage and lead in this new environment?" We get the most out of people when we allow them the freedom and flexibility to work in the way that works best for them, as long as the organizational goals and objectives are being met. If we keep doing things the same old way, we're gonna become extinct as managers and leaders. So we get to leverage technology, respect new voices, and become better listeners.?

Mahan Tavakoli : I believe it is important to unleash your team's potential. Leadership is about team members and THEIR achievements. Outstanding leaders support other people's growth and collaborate to achieve team and organizational purpose.

Who is the focus of your leadership?

Business leaders recognize the increasing importance of talent and the role of their organization's HR practices in the agile execution of strategy. However, there is a considerable gap between where they are and their potential. Talent is critical to organizational success. There is SO much we can learn from and celebrate in the leadership of iconic leaders like Rosa Parks. However, we don't all need to be iconic leaders of transformative movements to make a difference. We can heed Rosa Parks' advice and think about the legacy we leave behind through our impact on others.

Lisa Gable : I've been advising people to go back and pull their charters and look at why their organization was started. I think one of the things that happens when the world is set right, and there's money that can be used, people start wandering off and looking at new shiny pennies. The reality is that you were started for a purpose. There is something called job one, which is the number one thing your organization needs to focus on in order to survive and thrive. It's time to narrow the scope of what people are doing, and get people focused back on their primary objective, the reason for their being.?

It's always interesting, when you go back and read the charters. An organization gets started to solve a problem.?

I talk a lot about focus being of primary importance when things are complicated. We take on missions beyond what we should be doing. How do we align our goals so that we're operating off of a standard and selling a financially viable and relevant package to the company that wants to buy our goods and services? And how will that help companies have greater productivity? It's still about people. It's about their financial stability. It's about the ability to fund jobs and meet payroll. That's what's most important, and that's what we need to focus on right now.?

Catherine Brown : People are worried about the state of some of our leaders. I have found that every time I've done things that grow relationships, unite people around a common purpose, and put like minded people together magical things happen.?

I've been able to test that in some of my own sales training communities. In Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, belonging is the third one up the rung. It says a person who cannot self-actualize and work on deeper issues, doesn't feel connected. That comes just after food and shelter.?

We like to talk about psychological safety. How do we achieve that? By implementing basic community building techniques and strategies that help people feel connected to one another. I'm continually amazed in my profession how much this comes up over and over again, and how much people want it. And I think, ‘why am I surprised? I want it as well.’

Jenny Landgren : Connection just magically solves everything. When you're in front of an audience, connecting with them helps us to let go of fear. Leadership is influence. It all wires down through connection.?

As a behavioral scientist, what comes to mind for me is the difference between dopamine and serotonin. Human beings tend to fall into the behavior of shopping and consumption, because it makes us feel good. That’s dopamine, which leaves us with the feeling that ‘this feels good and I want more’. Being a people first leader, connecting with our people and spending time with them feels good and is satisfying. That's serotonin. That is the experience of it feels good and it is enough. When it comes to the difference between their core functions, dopamine brings feelings of pleasure and provides a happiness boost, while serotonin is more of a stabilizer than a booster.

True connection begins as I find the peace within myself and then share that with the people around me. Life is happening for us. This planet is evolving for us. We get to enjoy that journey. It's about the people and connections we make. We discover more about ourselves as we connect with others who are different from us. We learn where we end and they begin. We also learn where they end and we begin.

John Chappelear : What I learned early in life was that being in charge meant I had to be in front of you. What did that even mean? I had no idea. But as long as I was in front of you, I was more successful than you were. If I was flying first class, I was better than the people flying coach. Not better off, better than.?

I am now what I call a Recovering Big Shot. In order for me to find inner peace, all of those ideas had to get absolutely destroyed.?

As a leader, if you have to tell people who’s in charge, the one thing I can assure you is that you're not in charge. For years, I've been talking about the difference between working today and working in the future. As you go up in an organization, you move further and further into the future. When you're a CEO, you're working on the thing that you're going to do in four or five years. You have very little to do with 'Is the store opening on time? Is the phone getting answered?' and all of those things. And yet that's what's key. Because if you don't pay attention to that it doesn't matter what's going to happen in five years. You won't be in business anymore. So it's this microscopic vision that has to expand to a macro vision and then remembering to go back and forth. Am I looking to where I need to be and am I making sure that what's happening today will allow me to be there.?

What we are asking leaders to do isn’t all that hard, it’s just uncomfortable.

Melissa Davies : I spend a lot of time in the military community, working with military leaders as they transition out of their careers into executive leadership positions or working with civilians. Part of that is really capitalizing on the qualities that made them successful. This is a great focus for anyone transitioning to a very distinct role.?

What makes you successful in one environment, does not guarantee success in a different environment. So it’s important to look at those factors.

Leaders, especially those in the military, are mission focused. Not understanding that if they demonstrate empathy and build connection with others, it actually gets them closer to mission success. When the people on their team feel valued, feel important, and feel like they matter, they'll work harder. We're all driven toward the same mission. People get caught up in 'what's not important'. They begin to think that empathy and connection are time wasters, when they are actually trust multipliers.?

We easily lose sight of empathy and connection.?

Scott Ballard : Leadership is about bringing hope. Right after the earthquake in Haiti, I went to rebuild an orphanage and I took a bunch of college students with me. The devastation, the poverty, and how harsh that was for these American kids to go to a place where everything was at an extreme level of struggle and severity took its toll. I immediately noticed that the young people were seeing things as hopeless, they were despondent, and not responding to my leadership. We had work to do and it was important work that was going to make a difference.?

As I was thinking about it one of the students came to me and said, "I think I need to go home". We were supposed to be there for two weeks and serve these people. So I said, "Give it another day".?

It was so hot and oppressive that it was hard to work. I took a nap and I woke up thinking, we need to encourage this young man. He's twenty-one years old, brilliant, and is going to be a leader in the future world. But he's been faced with the reality of how the majority lives in poverty and struggle. He needs to be encouraged so he can serve and make a difference in the world.?

That night after dinner I sat him in a chair and put all the kids around him. We each took turns speaking words of encouragement into his life. We affirmed him and what he could bring to make a difference there. He ended up in tears and was rejuvenated. He was filled with hope in such a way that he led from then on for the next 10 days. We continued that ritual and called it our circle of encouragement. Everyone ended up having a turn sitting in the chair.

I now teach leaders to do the same with their teams and I have seen profound change happen with this one simple exercise.

Garry Ridge : Leaders need to hurt a little more so those they lead hurt a little less. That's the job of a leader. People really want to know two specific things. Do I matter? And do I belong??

We get to remember that our job as leaders is to be a great coach. And a great coach never runs on the field and grabs the ball. A great coach never goes to the podium first, because they understand it takes players to win the game. Leaders understand the rules of the game or the values of the organization. A coach's role is to be on the sideline observing the play, helping the players, and spending a lot of time in the locker room. That is where they build the belonging and connection, which is so important.?

So as a leader, hurt a little more so those you lead can hurt a little less. Remember that they want to know that they really do matter and that they belong. Your job is to be a great coach.?

Dr. Abe Khoureis : Communication is key, especially transparent communication, because it opens hearts. When you communicate with someone and you are truthful and authentic, you're not pretending to be someone else. It doesn't matter how mighty you are, eventually you're going to go down. People will remember what you did for the society you live in.?

Be compassionate. Compassionate leadership is an emerging trend.

Leaders who trust others within their organization in turn receive their workforce's trust and loyalty. There are certain characteristics that leaders of organizations must possess to turn an uncertain event into an effective opportunity. Leaders should develop these abilities in a certain order to make an effective decision: suspend judgment, think creatively, prioritize collaboration, remember to delegate, focus on team development, keep everyone engaged, and celebrate.?

Decision-making is a mindset and an attitude. As leaders, how we cultivate our mindset and adjust our attitude will determine the success or failure of our organizations.

Paul McCarthy : We are in a state where leadership effectiveness is very low. There is a lot of dysfunction around leadership and whether we're prepared for identifying, recruiting, onboarding, and developing future leaders.?

We're very quick to assume everything's going well in the way that we develop leaders.?

My mission is to regenerate the future of leadership to reframe the narrative that we have about disruptive and rebellious leaders. They are the future. They are stigmatized and discredited in today's organizations. But they can pave the way for navigating ongoing disruption.?

The next generation of leaders want a different way of leading. They want their disruption and rebelliousness to be embraced, because that is the foundation for innovation. These leaders are action, purpose driven, big picture thinkers, and compassionate servant leaders.

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If you missed the event, you can join the conversation here:

?https://www.dhirubhai.net/video/live/urn:li:ugcPost:7049380321858899969/

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