Good leadership is both an inward and also outward process. Inward because change is all about self-empowerment, the process of values-based personal growth that slowly builds the character of a person
KATHMANDU, JUNE 7
Imagine a group of university students, some of them at the undergraduate level, others at the master's level. Then add in the mix some young professionals, including a medical doctor.
Though they all come from different backgrounds, they are all driven by the idea of promoting the "good leadership". Their unity and sense of purpose come in its promotion and diffusion.
But before moving ahead, what is good leadership? To start with, it is something much more than being able to communicate effectively in public or showing confidence on the stage or being charismatic.
While there is no doubt that these skills are relevant, they are not nearly enough to promote a holistic approach to leadership, something that starts from positive values and the capacity and determination to stick to them.
If positive values and the willingness to be aligned to them are the key pillars of good leadership, then, we will find a promptness, an inclination towards self-initiative.
This element is also propelled by a sheer andpositive sense of curiosity, the almost irresistible need to expand your knowledge.
In short, you are thirsty to know more rather than minding the business of others.
Then we need to add self-awareness to build your career while also doing something good for the society. It can happen in multiple directions - not only while climbing the ladder but also, for example, volunteering and using your job to promote positive social change. Think about inclusion or pursuing policies that safeguard the planet while respecting the rights of the workers and local communities.
Good leadership is, at the same time, an inward and also outward process. Inward because change starts from our inner side. It is all about self-empowerment, the process of values-based personal growth that slowly builds the character of a person.
It is also outward because ultimately a good leader has to step up in the society, on a day-to-day basis, and trying "to do good" becomes an intrinsic part of the self.
In our understanding of good leadership, we also refer to the active dissemi-nation of ideas and knowhow from different fields.
This part of knowledge creation, combined with skills enhancement, can be a powerful recipe to enable positive change in the society.
Trying to live up to these concepts and ideals, we have created an informal, totally pro bono initiative called "The Good Leadership, Good for You & Goodfor the Society".
At the core of it, there is what we call a community of practitioners, the youths and young professionals we were referring at the beginning of this piece. It is informal and totally voluntary.
What holds the group together is personal accountability and a quest for self-improvement.
Since the past several months we have been meeting on a weekly basis, plotting our course of action.
Finally, after so muchwork, we are glad to launch the first full course led by the community of practitioners of the Good Leadership.
It is a five-week-long course on the Sustainable Development Goals, and it will be entitled "Localising the SDGs: for the planet, for my country and for myself".
It will be organised in collaboration with St. Xavier College, and throughoutthe sessions, we will review each of the SDGs, and participants will be supported to explore ways to implement the goals locally.
When we talk about good leadership in the way we are trying to promote it, we should not overlook two other fundamental aspects.
First is policy making. Considering the challenges the planet faces, atop those that Nepal has to tackle head-on, it is really important that youths get involved in the "arena". Webelieve there are multiple ways of doing so but not necessarily by running for an elected post.
Instead, we believe in the power of spread out decision making where citizens have the knowledge and skills to take informed decisions that are vital for the common good. Policy making, at the end, should not just be an exclusive duty of elected officials or high level bureaucrats. In order to enable not only the youths but also other citizens to be "ready" to be involved, it is indispensable that they know the issues at stake and more.
Indeed it is not just enough to understand the nitty gritty of an issue but also to think about solutions.
While it will take time to rethink the way policy making unfolds, we are hoping to lay out the initial pillars.
A second key aspect is citizen journalism. Everyone could write an op-ed piece.
Surely for some it can look like a daunting task, but with the right support and practice, an average person can express herself and her opinion. So far we have been co-writing one article with one member of the community of practitioners, but we hope more pieces will come in the days ahead.
So far it has been a very interesting journey with a lots of learning. The members of the community of practitioners are very busy and are leading whole lives, and sometimes it is not easy to find the time and the energy to move forward.
Yet, step by step, with some ups and downs, we are forging ahead. We have even started working on designing a course on Business and Human Rights, something related to the role the private sector has in upholding and protecting human rights.
We do not know yet how our community of practitioners will evolve and develop.
We are experimenting and piloting, recognising and accepting our limitations while being driven by a sheer sense of positivity, another key element needed to embrace the good leadership. Hopefully, in the days to come, more youths, especially those more at a disadvantage and vulnerable, will join our challenge.
Adhikari and Galimberti are the co-founders of The Good Leadership
A version of this article appears in the print on June 8, 2023, of The Himalayan Times
