Leadership is explored through the perspectives of executive coach Patrice Gordon, organizational psychologist Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, former First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon, and educator Shabana Basij-Rasikh. Topics include reverse mentoring, redefining leadership, lessons from losing, reimagining success beyond GDP, changing landscape of leadership, and education and resilience in Afghanistan.
Leaders should diversify their mentorship and leadership circles to gain different perspectives and insights based on ethnicity and gender.
Leadership selections should prioritize talent and merit rather than gender or other stereotypes, focusing on confident, charismatic, and narcissistic individuals may hinder competent leaders from being recognized.
Deep dives
Reverse mentoring at Virgin Atlantic
Patrice Gordon became a reverse mentor to Virgin Atlantic's CEO, Craig Krieger. The program aimed to provide different perspectives and insights based on ethnicity and gender. Patrice shared her experiences as a woman of color working at Virgin Atlantic and suggested that leaders should diversify their mentorship and leadership circles.
Leadership qualities and stereotypes
Tamás Chamorro Premojik, an organizational psychologist, talks about the stereotypes associated with leadership and how they affect leadership selections. He argues that confident, charismatic, and even narcissistic individuals are often preferred over humble and competent leaders. He suggests that we should focus on talent and merit rather than gender or other stereotypes in leadership selection.
Rethinking GDP and measuring success
Nicholas Sturgeon, Scotland's former first minister, discusses the limitations of using GDP as the sole measure of a country's success. She advocates for a broader approach that includes indicators such as income inequality, happiness, and access to education and green spaces. She emphasizes the importance of considering well-being and fair work in economic strategies.
Building a new Afghanistan through education
Shabana Basij-Rasikh, founder of the School of Leadership Afghanistan (SOLA), shares her experience in providing education to Afghan girls. Despite the challenges and uncertainties, SOLA aims to educate future leaders of Afghanistan. Shabana highlights the importance of sisterhood, resilience, and adaptability in empowering Afghan girls to become leaders and contribute to the country's transformation.
Original broadcast date: April 29, 2022. From workplaces to schools to national governments, leaders everywhere are being called on to solve complex problems with humility and bravery. This hour, we consider what it takes to be a leader. Guests include executive coach Patrice Gordon, organizational psychologist Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, former First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon, and educator Shabana Basij-Rasikh.
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