Off the back of the Badili Club Personal Development session this week and the recent Badili Club Red Tie Ball, the past month has been the perfect opportunity to reflect on what modern leadership looks like when it’s lived out.
The Badili Club can proudly pronounce 3 of its close associates that are the only Papua New Guineans to have successfully completed the Advanced Management Program (AMP) from Harvard University in the United States of America. A 12 month MBA course crammed into 2 months?
Lesieli Taviri (CEO ? Origin Energy); Johnson Kalo (ex CFO/Deputy CEO ? Bank of South Pacific); Ian Tarutia (CEO ? Nasfund)
They had a gem of an opportunity to network with fellow pupils who are global business leaders with various backgrounds, who are pushed and challenged to interact with one and other and form opinion and actively participate on hypothetical and real life scenarios.
Lesieli’s study mate was the global CEO of KFC! Another student, a multi-millionaire from Saudi whom one day offered a ride to his fellow class mates in his private jet.
From this session I learned that apparently Coca Cola invented Santa Claus?
This Lesieli learned from a Coca Cola case study of Coke’s development and the strategies they deployed compared to that of Pepsi which entered the market in a different era, and how Pepsi’s strategies differed.
Johnson and Lesieli both shared that no matter how far up the executive ladder you stand, there is still more that you do not know, a need to frame a learning mindset, see things from a different perspective and listen to others?.
Their interactive learning programs were formatted through Networking sessions, Case Studies, and Reflection. Lesieli and Johnson both drew from each format and the amount of reading; the spontaneous challenge from the facilitators to pupils.
Lesieli admitted that the self-reflection was a little confronting, however, appreciated that understanding oneself was the home base to check in and align with as an individual for the betterment of those around you.
As it is in all courses, there are always 1 or 2 takeaways from any program that they’ve been able to draw on and apply in a relevant manner to their own businesses.
One can ask the relevance of an American course in the PNG context. Global business is rearing its focus to the bottom billion in which PNG forms part of.
So should PNG deflect such learning opportunities, or rather engage and learn how to capture opportunities?
There are global stories to be heard and lessons to be learned; professional peers and their views to learn from, and for them to learn from us. The world as we know it is in our hands to touch and mould for positive impact if we dare.
At the Badili Club Annual Red Tie Ball, we had the opportunity to hear from Samson Korawali, a tech entrepreneur who grew up in Lae and now living in Sydney offering lectures at universities and driving the growth of their tech business ventures.
He shared with us his early trial and error with studies in surveying and contemplations of legal. When The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles entered the big screen and the video games went global, this sparked an interest in computers and IT that would later align his passion for IT and the development of technological solutions. Since completing his studies in Australia, he has launched multiple successful IT ventures and is currently working on some inspiring projects, including:
- Go Food PNG (online and phone order and food delivery service)
- Reelae (education platform)
- Runway Buy (fashion buyer app allowing the purchase of clothing at runway shows in real-time)
- KK Consultancy (design consultancy)
- TimeIn (biometric technology)
Samson shared his focus on creating value for people and his own team’s culture of pushing their boundaries. He and his partners have their sights set on opportunities to unlock value for Papua New Guineans for various sectors through technology. One such possibility is a biometric electoral process ? government willing!
The Badili Club and fellow Papua New Guineans all look forward to the positive impact and innovations that Samson and his teams can bring to PNG and the rest of the world.
Between the speeches from Johnson, Lesieli, and Samson, and conversations I’ve had with clients and other business leaders recently, some patterns about the characteristics of modern leadership seem to emerge.
Problem solving
The best ideas are born out of a willingness to solve a problem, fill a gap or support a need ? and leaders know this. They won’t look for the next great idea, but the next great problem, and importantly ? a call to action on an idea.
This mentality is the ?why? that seems to drive true leadership.
Adaptability
The reality is that we are living in a world that is changing faster than ever. By one popular estimate, the children who enter primary school today will graduate into jobs that do not yet exist.
A cornerstone of modern leadership is the ability to stay ahead of the curve and adapt to new circumstances. As our economies change and technology advances at a rapid pace, a willingness to adapt will be underpinned by the ability to learn, learn and relearn.
A determination to achieve results
Efforts and results are not one and the same. Leaders know it takes more than a valiant effort to get the job done and push the needle that little bit further in the right direction.
A common theme seems to be the ability to remain highly focused and diligent. After all, it is fruitless to burn the midnight oil if you are not paying enough attention to seize the opportunities around you.
I would be eager to hear your thoughts on the subject. What are the traits that will define modern leadership in Papua New Guinea?