DEAR FRIEND,
I have been questioning myself about the complex and changing world we live in, its trends, and the key challenges and opportunities it poses for leaders.
For me, more than ever, today’s leaders need to have a strong collective vision, lots of courage and determination, and the capacity to remain competitive while preserving their integrity and values.
Not easy, right?
I work with women and men leaders who are willing to respond to these tough requisites, by creating a shared sense of purpose; welcoming change and diversity as a strategic opportunity; and inspiring others to become better than they ever were. Are you one of these?
DEALING WITH ETHICAL DILEMMAS?
A key question for me is how can those who hold power and influence take effective decisions in our very competitive world while preserving a value-driven decision-making approach.
As part of this reflection, I’ve recently had the pleasure to exchange ideas with Prof. Paul Woodruff, leading philosopher and Dean of the Univ. of Texas.
In this panel, organized by the Vlerick Business School and chaired by Prof. Katleen De Stobbeleir, Paul delivered a powerful message for leaders (and managers): they have the responsibility to become their “best Self”, to act courageously and speak up for what they believe is right. We agreed that leaders – and all of us – normally have more options than they normally think. Click here to read the details of this “conversation”.
My decision-making golden rules:
- Important decisions should never be done in a rush nor without priorly considering goals, facts, emotions, options and ethical consequences.
- Discuss with (diverse) “Others”, re-assess as you evolve through the decision process, and learn from mistakes.
- Resist temptation and requests to act unethically as the consequences are frequently disastrous. Remember Enron, Siemens, Toyota or Volkswagen…
LEADING THE WAY FOR MORE DIVERSITY
Corinna Hoerst and I have been working hard for nearly two years to collect the stories and wisdom of women leaders in Europe. The book titled Women Leading the Way in Brussels” (John Harper Publishing) is now in its final writing stages. The JUMP Forum, one of the biggest events in Europe dedicated to gender equality in the workplace, gave us the opportunity to share an “appetizer” of our book with a fabulous audience.
THE POWER OF ROLE MODELS
“You can’t be what you can’t see”. Our panelists – remarkable women and inspirational role models who contributed to our book – shared their experiences and views about leadership today, what challenges and opportunities exist for women leaders-to-be, and how to reach gender equality at the top of different sectors: business, politics, public administration and civil society.
“LET OTHERS SHINE”
Pastora Valero, Vice President of CISCO, stressed that a good leader needs to empower her/his collaborators and have the courage to help them become the best people and the best professionals they can.
Danuta Hubner, Member of the European Parliament and former Vice-President of the European Commission; Francoise Pissart, Director at the King Baudoin Foundation; and Ana Yturriaga, a woman who combines a career in the European Commission with raising eight children, also shared their powerful stories and gave great tips for those who wish to attain a leading position. Check the video with a few highlights of this conference. We will share other insights in the future.
AND FINALLY…
I didn’t want to conclude without telling you this: My team and I have just rebranded. FAIRconsultancy has now been replaced by Redscope Consulting!
We have a new website and logo – and would love to hear your opinion about it. Write us at info@redscope-consulting.com!