How do leaders make the world better?
That’s the question I’d most like to answer, so I can do more to help leaders who strive to make our world a better place for us all.
Over the last few months I’ve had the honour of conversing with 4 leaders who I have dubbed ‘Better World Leaders’.
If you’d not as yet had a chance to tune in to these conversations, I’d highly recommend you start here at the half-way point of this first series.
In this Episode I review each of the 4 conversations with the guests below, as well as include highlight extracts from each of the dialogues with recommendations for leaders who want their contribution to be one of making the world a little better each day…
Ep1 – Paul Dunn, 4x TedX Speaker & Chairman of B1G1 “leaders need a purpose higher than themselves”
Ep2 – Simon Glendenning, Global Exec & Entrepreneur “unstoppable teams have values at their core”
Ep3 – Ben Bowen, Aboriginal Leader and advisor “together is how we make achieve the bigger outcome”
Ep4 – Alison Fischer, Abuse Survivor & leadership lighthouse “everyone is a leader in their own right”
“Following purpose gives us certainty”
One of my favourite insights from the very first conversation on Better World Leaders, with the ever inspirating Paul Dunn of B1G1.
More than ever before, leaders are required to provide certainty. But without a clear sense of and connection to purpose, how we can they do so?
Paul is full of insights on leadership opportunities that I believe apply equally to navigating the specific leadership challenges of today, but also providing many examples of how leaders can move forward into the future and create a better world.
“Don’t attach happiness to the achievement of a particular goal. Be empowered by the overall purpose.
The topic of purpose resonates so strongly through the conversations I’ve had over the years with the leaders who inspire me most, and is one of the consistent themes for far on Better World Leaders.
I love this way Simon Glendenning places purpose primally with happiness, and especially in these volatile times of limited certainty and ambiguous targets around which to build meaningful goals – doubling down on purpose and placing your focus there can be a far better way to motivate and sustain both yourself and your team.
“Hit your growth and sustain it.”
This is such a poignant point made so aptly by Ben Bowen in Episode 3 of Better World Leaders.
How often do we find ourselves stretched by the never ending expansion of targets, growth and market share? And how often do resources, investment and development keep up, let alone prepare in advance to achieve this growth?
The point that Ben makes is not about not growing, not about walking away from progress or declining to expand. It’s about how you do it, and why. It’s about the collective endeavour being appreciated first, about resources being factored appropriately and about a mindset of participation, contribution and service.
“Everyone leads in their own network.”
Great leaders connect networks to communicate and build momentum.
Another invaluable insight from my conversation with Ben Bowen for Better World Leaders.
As a leader, seek out the opportunities to link networks within your team, your organisation, your sector, the world at large – looking forward what Ben describes as the ‘hand-holding points’. Connecting this way is all around mutual respect, sharing and openness to understanding and welcoming both differences and common ground. This mode of collectivising contribution can be incredibly powerful for organisational culture and team performance.
“Collectively we make change. Every voice matters, but together we are better.”
I enjoyed this conversation so much, and felt I benefited so much from spending time with someone who has endured so much and emerged with such valuable perspectives on life, business and leadership. The conversation with Alison Fischer is well worth tuning into.
