By Adrianne F. Tobias
“Disruptor or innovator, campaigner or catalyst, revolution or evolution. How will you change the world?” was the challenge posed by this year’s Global Leadership Forum Asia-Pacific. The event, hosted by Common Purpose, brought together hundreds of leaders from all over the Asia-Pacific region to dialogue on the important aspects of being leaders in the modern age. This was an opportunity for many to hear inspiring stories of innovators and leaders in different fields, such as film, business, and entrepreneurship.
The event kicked off with a keynote speech by Mikhail Sen, acclaimed actor, director, and theatre maker. Mr. Sen discussed his experiences in the world of acting and theatre, brushing on topics such as racism and discrimination in those industries. He went on to describe how he was able to conquer his personal doubts and fears about pursuing a career as an actor, summing it up in a single phrase: “Just take the first step.”
After the opening speech, the participants went to their respective masterclasses. These sessions, though different in terms focal points, mostly revolved around what it means to be a leader, how to overcome self-doubt, and dealing with important issues such as sustainability, diversity, and the futures of certain industries and sectors in the global community.
My first masterclass was on “Understanding the workforce and the workplace of the future”, a talk given by Winnie Lam, CCO of Colliers International based in Vietnam. This was a dialogue session, in which those participating in the session were given the opportunity to ask Ms. Lam some questions on the given topic. Ms. Lam also treated this class as a learning opportunity for her as well, regarding it as an opportunity for her to get to know the potential as well as the future of the global workforce.
The second masterclass was initially on “Fostering sustainability in a diverse culture” by Ratri Wuryandari, Head of CSR for East Asia & Japan Zone, Schneider Electric in Indonesia. Unfortunately, due to some connectivity issues on the side of the speaker, we were redirected to the other masterclasses. I opted for “Sarah’s journey from passion to purpose”, where IGEA Enterprise’s founder Sarah Boateng discussed what it meant to translate passion into projects that serves a social purpose. This session was, again, mainly a dialogue between the speaker, moderators, and the participants. Some participants, who were either smallscale business owners or interested in starting up a business, put forward their pitches, questions, and concerns to Ms. Boateng. Ms. Boateng stressed the importance of going back to the reasons why the business had been set up in the first place, as it Is the cornerstone for everything else that follows.
Katrina Webb, Australia’s most decorated Paralympian, founder and director of Newday Leadership, formally closed the entire program with her speech, titled “How are we going to stand up and change the world?”. Her experiences of being a leader, overcoming adversity, and driving social impact in countries like Australia and Nepal perfectly encapsulated the purpose of the Global Leadership Forum—forming leaders who can stand up, cross boundaries, and become the leaders that they aspire to be. This tied in nicely with Mikhail Sen’s message of “taking the first step”; after all, any endeavor, any journey, or process, all begins with a single purposeful step.
The Global Leadership Forum Asia-Pacific is a shining example of how paying close attention, as well as nurturing the leaders of tomorrow, may be beneficial to the local, national, and global community. Being with so many aspiring (and even practicing) leaders is both reassuring and challenging to think about—reassuring, because the future is safe in the hands of these passionate individuals; challenging, because it serves as a reminder that we must take matters into our own hands and make our own mark on the world, and whether it is for the better or for the worse is entirely up to us.
[Narrative Report from the SAMAHAN Central Board]