Thought Leadership
The context and the need
The demography of the world has changed: 40-45% are less than 35 years old.
The demography of leadership has changed.
The understanding of leadership and what it means to be a leader is changing.
It appears that many leaders are short term in their perspectives and are struggling with making sense of current challenges and how to lead effectively amid an uncertain future.
There is a need to support and build young leaders:
- in becoming resilient and confident people who can think, reflect, and set a course for themselves and others in their sphere of influence;
- to be leaders who are dependent on God and interdependent on each other;
- and to be people who are thought leaders.
“A thought leader is someone who looks at the future and sets a course for it that others will follow. Thought leaders look at existing best practices then come up with better practices. They foment change, often causing great disruption.”
The concept
The proposal is to identify, train, support and mentor ten young leaders (less than 40 years old) who are in positions of influence. The focus will be with those actively engaged in their sphere of influence from any theme of engagement. The primary requirement will be that they are people of faith and engaged in a church or community of faith for their spiritual growth.
The outcome
We expect that participants who go through this programme will be:
- Resilient and confident
- Capable to think and reflect
- Dependent on God and interdependent on each other
- Capable to look at the future and set a course for themselves and others to follow
- Be able to look at existing best practices then come up with better practices
The process and requirements
Those invited to join the training track will commit to three month's of formal training, learning, mentoring and supporting the programme and journey.
The programme includes twelve online sessions on various aspects of thought leadership. Each session will have 20 – 30 minutes of presentation followed by 30 minutes of facilitated group reflections and personal reflections.
The participants will have reading and reflective writing work that they should complete prior to the sessions.
It is expected that participants will commit four hours per week to the programme, which includes sessions, reading and reflecting.
The participants will be offered an ongoing mentoring relationship with the facilitators of the sessions and/or other potential mentors. Participants will be expected to share their learning with these mentors on a long-term basis.
There will be an entry and exit assessment of their personal leadership journey, related knowledge, attitudes, skills and perspectives.
The participants are expected to attend all sessions once accepted on to the programme.
Session Themes
- Overview of the concept of thought leadership
- Foundations of leadership
- Thinking as a discipline and skill
- Questioning and listening as a discipline and skill
- Discernment of thought
- The discipline of reading and learning
- Writing and/or communicating what you are learning and providing platform for others to write or communicate
- Intentional influence as a discipline and skill, life becoming contagious—role modelling through life
- Living and engaging in community in the journey of Thought Leadership
- Accountability structure
- Humility and servant heart as foundational tenets of Thought Leadership
- Putting into practice the learning thus far
Training opportunities
Further cohorts are being planned; click here to register your interest.
