Dishaa (our Venture which connected leaders in the UK and India) was so successful, unbelievably successful, that we have been asked to launch similar Ventures between lots of countries around the world (see www.commonpurpose.org/ventures). Dishaa means direction in Hindi, so we will have Phambili (direction in the Nguni languages inc. Xhosa and Zulu), Dao Xiang [...]
Linking leaders together
June 28th, 2011 · No Comments
Tags: Cultural differences · Development
The future language of leaders
July 29th, 2010 · No Comments
It’s been a pretty big week at Common Purpose, with the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom paying our emerging leaders course a visit in Bangalore. The occasion has me thinking about what is emerging for leaders in India – and Hinglish leaps to mind. It’s the language of the future I am told – [...]
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Old democracy and a new Prime Minister meets a new democracy and emerging leaders
July 28th, 2010 · 3 Comments
When UK Prime Minister David Cameron asked a participant in Bangalore what had shifted in his thinking by being on a Common Purpose course, the participant said: “I knew I was a leader at work but not for a minute had I thought of myself as a leader of Bangalore” This says it all. What [...]
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The many meanings of ‘Maybe’
June 24th, 2010 · 1 Comment
When I went on the board of Common Purpose India a fellow trustee sent me a dictionary of Indian terms. There is one that he has to keep re-sending to me because I forget it every time and get all excited. It’s “yes” means “maybe” and “maybe” means “no”.
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Counting your strengths
May 21st, 2010 · No Comments
I am dyslexic. Can’t even spell dylexic (I bet someone who is not dyslexic came up with the name). It has never got in my way since I left school. In fact it probably makes me a better speaker. But it has got the better of me now that Common Purpose is expanding in India. [...]
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My flight to Bollywood
December 9th, 2009 · No Comments
I am on the flight to Mumbai, home of Bollywood, celebrity and fame. The last few days have been about deciding the business plan with the board and my colleagues in India. We have been working through which of the multitude of opportunities here we are going to do first. And there are almost infinite [...]
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