By Shaila Nagpal, MSc in Global Health Policy
Is leadership important? What characterizes an effective leader? For me, a leader is someone who works towards achieving a collective vision or goal, recognizes value in others’ opinions and/or ideas, and continuously works towards growing on an individual level and as a leader.
Below are five articles that discuss leadership from different perspectives, dive deeper into the lessons and practices leaders use when engaging with people, and how to develop leadership skills on an individual level.
1) Financial Times – Minouche Shafik: ‘I don’t have to be the smartest person in the room’
By Henry Mance
LSE Director, Minouche Shafik, discusses reassessing the social contract, her book “What We Owe Each Other”, and overcoming difficulties faced throughout her career. Shafik shares her management style, emphasizing that she doesn’t “have to be the smartest person in the room” and makes a strong effort to listen to fellow colleagues. Shafik’s leadership skills led to her becoming the youngest Vice-President of the World Bank, Deputy Managing Director of the IMF, and now the Director of LSE.
2) Harvard Business Review – “Don’t Take It Personally” Is Terrible Work Advice
By Duncan Coombe
Duncan Coombe comments on the popular saying “don’t take it personally” and how this phrase is not beneficial to use in the workplace. He states that to successfully accomplish career goals and be an influential leader, people need to take things more “personally” in their career. Coombe stresses for your own benefit, and your colleagues’ benefit, to “take all of it personally.”
3) Hive – “Don’t Aim to Be a Perfect Leader – Aim For Conscious Leadership Instead”
By Anouare Abdou
In our current era, employees are more conscious of their mental health and how their work environment impacts their mental state. Anouare Abdou discusses the importance of being a conscious leader, with characteristics such as: awareness, authenticity, empathy, and purpose. Abdou highlights beneficial methods to become a conscious leader and how this leadership model creates “sustainable business practices and workplace cultures.”
By Marcel Schwantes
During a time when Xerox was struggling greatly, the CEO, Anne Mulcahy, sought advice from Warren Buffet. He provided her two pieces of advice: “focus on your customers and lead your people as though their lives depended on your success.” Marcel Schwantes examines these two key points, suggesting that while customer satisfaction is the overall goal to keep a business running, what is lost at times is ensuring your employees are satisfied first.
5) Times Magazine – “Time 100 Most Influential People 2022”
The infamous Times list of the most influential people of 2022 features Simu Liu, Zendaya, Issa Rae, Volodymr Zelensky, Tim Cook, and many more. The article breaks down these influencers into sections such as: artists, innovators, titans, leaders, icons, and pioneers. Each piece provides an insight into the work they have accomplished and what inspires them to achieve such success.
