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Leadership isn’t a title—it’s a journey, one that demands constant growth, adaptation, and collaboration. The truth is, no leader can thrive in isolation. It is through shared learning, diverse perspectives, and intentional action that we evolve and unlock the full potential of leadership with ourselves first.
During the inaugural LeadershipCraft Forum, 12 November 2024, we explored how leadership can be elevated through the intersection of neuroscience, emotional intelligence, and purpose-driven strategies.
A New Lens on Leadership: Crafting Leadership for the Future
In today’s dynamic and fast-paced world, the challenges of leadership extend far beyond achieving organizational goals. Leaders are no longer measured solely by their ability to deliver results; they are defined by their capacity to inspire, connect, and foster environments where people thrive. Leadership, at its essence, is not just a role—it’s a craft. It requires intentionality, adaptability, and a commitment to continuous learning. This is why the event was addressing importance of self-leadership and focusing on developing fundamentals to strengthen you as an individual. This rewired attention helps to understand your mindset, inner culture of communication, defining limitations to evolve towards well established self-awareness to serve others from the perspective of leadership principles.
Redefining Leadership in Modern Times
At Vision Leadership Management (VLM), I believe leadership goes beyond titles and hierarchies. True leadership begins with self-awareness and a deep understanding of how our actions, values, and decisions impact those around us. As leaders, we have the responsibility to navigate complex challenges, inspire growth, and foster well-being—not just for ourselves but for the people and communities we lead.
This vision demands a departure from traditional leadership frameworks. The leaders of tomorrow must embrace a new lens—one that integrates neuroscience, emotional intelligence, financial acumen, and purposeful networking. It’s about equipping leaders with the tools to make decisions rooted in empathy and insight while creating a culture of psychological safety and inclusion.
The Science Behind Leadership
Leadership is as much a science as it is an art. Neuroscience tells us that decision-making is deeply influenced by how our brain functions under pressure. Understanding these mechanisms allows leaders to build resilience, manage stress, and make thoughtful choices. Similarly, emotional intelligence—our ability to understand and manage emotions—has proven to be a cornerstone of effective leadership, enabling us to connect authentically with others.
Yet, leadership doesn’t stop at emotional awareness. Financial management, purposeful networking, and strategies to tackle disengagement are equally critical. For instance, financial decisions are not just about numbers—they shape the trajectory of our teams and organizations. Purposeful networking helps leaders foster connections that elevate both personal and collective well-being. And addressing disengagement—the silent killer of workplace productivity—requires leaders to confront difficult truths with compassion and strategic action.
Take a moment now and step back from this organisational jargon - look at your spending's? How did you invest in yourself recently? How do you make decision on what its important to have or not to have, no matter how expensive it is? What are the key emotions when in conflict with others in personal life? Who are you surrounded by?
Today's perception of leadership ignores the fact we have past that shapes our behaviours today. Certificate does not solve the problem. Having true purpose to make change in other people lives and organisational goals does huge difference in the way we lead. Before you become/became a leader its important to remember we are individuals first. Are we having rightly set up integrity within us before we will be teaching others? Don't get me wrong here. I am not calling for perfectionism - its does not exist - but self-awareness and start taking an action to become simply a satisfied person.
Leadership as a Craft: A Personal Philosophy
Having spent over two decades in leadership roles across private, academic, and government sectors, I’ve witnessed firsthand the transformative power of leadership. My approach at VLM emphasizes holistic development, where personal growth aligns seamlessly with organizational success. Leadership, to me, is about empowering individuals to lead with courage, empathy, and authenticity.
Whether guiding teams to achieve high performance, fostering mental health in the workplace, or nurturing individuals to discover their strengths, my mission is clear: to craft leadership that is sustainable, inclusive, and purpose-driven. And the key is to see the potential in others as usually they are not or have no healthy attention to embrace it. Leadership in its pure nature is a sociological factor to create an empowering environment for those who follow you. Not just for yourself to shine with title on your office door.
Did you know that: one negative comment to your child makes damage in a brain that can be covered by 7x positive comment. And its not about plain "you look good" or "I love you". Comment that makes wings of encouragement, trust, confidence grow. 1:7! Brain does not stop developing when we become adult. Every negative comment, judgement you do to your team mate, has strong impact on mental health and overall development. Remember that for next performance review.
A Movement, Not a Moment
The inaugural LeadershipCraft Forum held in November brought together leaders who share this vision. We explored topics like neuroscience in decision-making, emotional intelligence, and addressing disengagement, reinforcing the idea that leadership is a craft that requires collective learning and collaboration. It was a reminder that leadership is not a moment in time but an ongoing movement—a commitment to growth and transformation.
This movement continues as we prepare for the second edition of the LeadershipCraft Forum in May 2025. With an even more engaging agenda, the forum will delve deeper into the nuances of leadership, offering actionable insights and transformative experiences for those ready to embrace this new lens. Yet, still driven by the power of self-leadership first.
The Call to Craft Leadership Together
As we navigate the evolving challenges of leadership, let’s remember that the most impactful leaders are those who never stop learning. Whether through self-awareness, building connections, or fostering resilience, leadership is a journey of continuous crafting.
If you’re ready to elevate your leadership potential and join this movement of intentional, empathetic leadership, I invite you to be part of the journey. The second edition of the LeadershipCraft Forum is an opportunity to grow, learn, and lead with purpose. Together, we can craft a future of leadership that inspires and transforms.
🌟 🌟The inaugural LeadershipCraft Forum brought together transformative ideas for modern leadership. Here are some transformative insights from VLM LeadershipCraft Forum 2024, November 12:
The Science of Decision-Making: Neuroscience teaches us how brain function shapes our decisions. By understanding our cognitive processes, we can strengthen our ability to lead effectively, even in high-pressure situations. It was a great privilege for me to have an opportunity to discuss with Dr. Sepehr Mortaheb, Postdoctoral Researcher in Neuroscience, Department of Science, University of Antwerp, on how brain works and functions for decision-making processes.
Emotional Intelligence in Action: Great leaders don’t just manage teams—they inspire trust and connection. Cultivating empathy and self-awareness is the cornerstone of building resilient, engaged teams. Our guest Petra Zaremba, Soul Purpose and Transformation Coach, has shared pragmatic formulas on how to practice your mind and emotions to find inner alignment.
Financial Empowerment: Limiting beliefs around finances can act as barriers to our potential. Leaders who master financial literacy not only grow their own impact but empower their teams to thrive. Mary Ann Stenquist, Spending Coach & CEO, Money Makeunder, has shared with us healthy tactics to identify behaviours that may help to rewire our attitude towards money spending culture
Purposeful Networking: In leadership, intentional connections are everything. By surrounding ourselves with a growth-oriented community, we strengthen our capacity to lead with purpose. Andrea Alonso, Business & Mindset Coach, inspired us during this session with effective ways to unlock inner "shyness" in building connections and how crucial it is to be aware "why" we build those connections.
Tackling Disengagement: Workplace disengagement is a silent killer of productivity. Leaders must actively create environments where employees feel valued, seen, and empowered to contribute. Samena Brinkman, Founder & Consultant, SBL People Solutions, underlined the whole event with balanced shared knowledge on disengagement factors we shall be aware within ourselves and how it effects workplace culture.
Thank You Everyone who joined the first
VLM LeadershipCraft 🙏
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