Monthly Archives: February 2011

David Cameron hears from Dishaa Alumni

A small group of Dishaa alumni met the UK Prime Minister David Cameron at a reception in Mumbai, on his current visit to India. As you all will remember, the Prime Minister launched Dishaa on his first visit to India in July 2010. We are delighted that we were able to reconnect him, the Patron of Dishaa with some of the Dishaa alumni on his second trip to India. Some of the alumni who met him were - Raj Gilda, Founder, Lend-A-Hand (also a CSCLeaders participant); Vandana Saxena-Poria, Chief Executive, Get Through Guides; Vidya Shah, Founder, EdelGive and also Board Member of Common Purpose India. She is also a participant on CSCLeaders; Will Muir, Chief Executive, Equal Communities Foundation; and Arup Dutta, Associate Director, PwC India.

Vandana Saxena Poria, Founder CEO of Get Through Guides (GTG) and Co Chair of the British Business Group in Pune, India said, "David Cameron launched Dishaa to help build networks between the next-generation of leaders of UK and India, which genuinely leads to innovation, collaboration and sharing. It in effect catalyses business for both countries and beyond. Through the people I met on the  Dishaa Venture, GTG now has a growing publishing presence in Africa, providing affordable materials to pass exams.  If this is just the result of 3 years since the start of Dishaa Ventures, imagine the success stories we will have in the next decade.'

Raj Gilda, Co Founder, Lend-A-Hand India and Dishaa alumnus said "being a Common Purpose alumnus has already helped me to establish the NGO Lend-A-Hand India in the UK and also find British partners for the skill development program for youth that we carry out in rural India. Having David Cameron as a patron provides a great role model for international leadership and helps raise the profile of this important Venture."

CameronMeetDishaaAlumni

 

Watch video highlights of CSCLeaders 2013 Part One

In March 2013, almost 100 leaders from across the Commonwealth gathered in the UK for CSCLeaders 2013 Part One, delivered by Common Purpose.

Watch video highlights now, including speaker sessions, post-session conversations with the speakers, and daily participant video diaries.

Update: CSCLeaders

On 16 March a group of 100 exceptional senior leaders drawn from governments, businesses and NGOs across the 54 countries of the Commonwealth will gather in London for the first CSCLeaders, a renewal of the Commonwealth Study Conferences.

Over 8 days they will receive briefings from global leaders on global trends, and in small groups will visit different UK cities to investigate the challenge: How do people from communities which have spread across the world become bridge-builders in the global networks of the future?

Through proven Common Purpose techniques and the innovation process, participants will overcome the inevitable barriers and start to form into high performing diverse teams that develop responses to address the challenge which are presented to a Dragons Den panel, and are then reviewed three months later in very different environments: Mumbai and Johannesburg.

The participant group so far is impressive in its seniority, diversity and just as importantly, the mix: a Presidential adviser from Malawi, a gold-medalled Australian paralympian, the CEO of a Malaysian bank, a senior Jamaican diplomat, a poet from Bangladesh, the CEO of an international NGO, an NHS consultant, the Canadian Director of a global agricultural firm, a private Prison governor, a trade unionist from Sierra Leone and a well-known British actor of Pakistani origin.

You can follow the outcomes on the CSCLeaders website, Twitter via @CSCLeaders and #CSCLeaders, YouTube and Vimeo.

Common Purpose UK CEO Adirupa Sengupta reflects on 2012

This is the end of my first year as CEO of Common Purpose in the UK. It has been a long year!

Keeping focused as the UK has struggled, delivering our courses which seem ever more relevant as we continue our efforts to connect leaders locally and nationally across UK cities and taking advantage of the growth of Common Purpose internationally to forge new links for the UK around the world.

It's incredibly exciting that in my first year as CEO of the UK, we successfully launched two new Ventures - Dao Xiang (between London and Shanghai) and Itijah (between cities of the Arab world and cities of Europe) in addition to Dishaa (between India and the UK) - to link leaders in the UK with leaders in other countries. I am truly delighted with the continued support of Prime Minister David Cameron as Patron of Dishaa and Mayor Boris Johnson as Advisory Group Member of Dao Xiang.

All this could not have been possible without the help of our alumni, Advisory Groups and supporters giving us your valuable time to speak and contribute on our courses. Thank you very much, and all of us at Common Purpose UK look forward to working with you in 2013.

Adi

Leading Beyond Culture

In October 2012, we ran a free online leadership event "Leading Beyond Culture - exploring Cultural Intelligence".

Three global contributors shared their experiences of adapting as a leader when operating in different cultures:

  • David Lobo, Chairman, Deejay Group
  • Clare Woodcraft, Chief Executive Officer, Emirates Foundation
  • Konstantin Mettenheimer, Former Global Co Chairman, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer

Each session lasted an hour, during which they explored how successful leaders can make positive change happen even when operating in unfamiliar territory.

To watch the sessions back, visit the Common Purpose 360 website.

Charity started by graduates of Frontrunner for Disabled Students

Throughout the three day course the students met a wide range of senior leaders from organisations including ITN, Big Lottery Fund, Princes Trust, NHS East Midlands and HMP Lowdham Grange who shared their leadership stories and insights with the group. Visits included YMCA, Geldards LLP, Groundwork and One Nottingham, exploring the real life leadership challenges those organisations are facing with the students challenged to find possible solutions to help them move forward.

We were lucky enough to welcome one of the participants of the first Frontrunner for Disabled Students course as a contributor on the last day, Suzi Rees, who has won several awards for her groundbreaking campaign to improve the accessibility of adventure sports. Her charity iDID hosts events all over the UK introducing disabled people to a myriad of different sports. Suzi and three other participants on the course came up with the idea for the charity during the course itself, and it was formed shortly afterwards.

The feedback from the participants was excellent and it included:"This course has been the best thing I have done in my adult life. I can honestly say I have never felt so positive about myself. I have to say I have never met such a group of inspirational speakers and I know I have made friends for life. I can't thank you enough for this opportunity."

The Frontrunner for Disabled Students campaign aims to develop the leadership capabilities of disabled students, empowering and inspiring people who have faced difficult obstacles in their lives. In a recent survey of alumni of this course, 98% said they would recommend the course to other disabled students. The next course will be taking place in Liverpool in February 2013 and we are already excited about continuing to reach out to students with this fantastic opportunity.

AMEX Leadership Academy

Between 13-16 November, 26 participants from various not-for-profit organisations across the UK will explore collaborative leadership, one-to-one coaching and personal and organisational branding, developing some of the key skills required for effective leadership in the third sector.

American Express, in partnership with Common Purpose, are running the American Express Leadership Academy in the UK as part of a 5-year initiative to develop emerging leaders who have the potential to become senior leaders in the not-for-profit sector.

"At American Express, we appreciate the impact that talented leaders have on business, the community and society," said Timothy J. McClimon, President of the American Express Foundation. "We are committed to providing current and future not-for-profit leaders with opportunities to build and hone leadership skills that are critical to the sector."

Laura Smith, Acting Head of Global Xchange, VSO, attended the 2010 Academy which was also run in partnership with Common Purpose. She described it as "a valuable opportunity to reflect on your strengths and weaknesses as a leader and identify clear goals for development, both professionally and personally, with the opportunity to build a network of support and contacts".

Capacity Building Programme in Libya

Since June 2011, Common Purpose has been running a European Union programme of capacity building support in Libya.

This programme financed by the European Union's Instrument for Stability was set up to respond to early Libyan requests for support with training on leadership, organisational and other management skills.

Twenty eight courses and workshops have been run over the first twelve months of this programme and over 1,000 people have participated.  Of the people who attended the courses 58% were men and 42% women. Courses have been run in Benghazi, Derna, Tripoli, Al Bayda and most recently Misrata.

For the most recent update on the programme, please download the report.

Why not read the article published in October 2012 in the Libya Herald on the project?

For more information about the project, please email Alison Coburn, CEO of Common Purpose International.

For press enquiries, please email Isabella Betkowski or call +447958560943.

MisrataGroupPhoto

High-calibre UK and Indian business leaders to tackle the 'skills gap' challenge

LONDON/BANGALORE, 1 OCTOBER 2012

With employers often frustrated that they cannot find suitably skilled new talent despite the millions of unemployed in search of jobs, how do we ensure appropriate skills development to bridge this apparent gap between education and employability?

This is the challenge that participants on the Dishaa Venture, run by leadership development organisation Common Purpose, will be tackling this week in Mysore, India. Dishaa aims to expand, enrich and energise relations between India and the UK by investing in the development of the next generation of leaders from the two countries.

Many of the participants are from member organisations of the India UK CEO Forum (Established by Prime Ministers David Cameron and Manmohan Singh to strengthen economic ties http://ukindiaceoforum.com), their presence showing how crucial tackling this challenge will be for stimulating global economic growth.

Business sector participants will be working with those from the public sector and NGOs to foster discussion and build shared approaches to this challenge. The diverse group of participants, 19 from the UK and 19 from India, are skilled and respected practitioners in their fields and looking to effect change both in their organisations and wider society.

Organisations participating in Dishaa include:

  • Titan Industries
  • PwC
  • Fidelity Investments
  • BESCOM
  • Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement
  • HOPE Foundation

During the Venture, based at the Infosys Leadership Institute in Mysore from 2 October to 6 October, participants will meet with experts including:

  • Dilip Chenoy - MD & CEO, National Skills Development Corporation
  • John Yates - CEO, Manipal City & Guilds
  • Dr. Gayathi V - CEO, LabourNet Services India

Through experiential visits to organisations including Bosch, Raman Fibresciences, Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement and Labournet, participants will meet and learn from the leaders who are tackling this real-life challenge on a daily basis.

The group will undertake research tasks beforehand, develop their thinking and work together to come up with innovative approaches to the challenge. They will then present their findings and models to a cross sector group of policy experts from the UK and India, potentially leading to future policy change that could help tackle one of the defining problems of the 21st century.

The Dishaa Venture is run in partnership with the British Foreign & Commonwealth Office and sponsored by United Business Media (UBM), Tilda, Cisco, and PwC. British Prime Minister David Cameron is patron of Dishaa and launched the Venture in July 2010.

"What the world needs today is a compelling vision to drive and deliver change," says Deepak Kapoor, Chairman, PwC India. "It's a matter of pride for PwC India to be associated with the Dishaa Venture, which is doing this by bringing together diverse groups of young leaders from the UK and India to collaborate and work for a better tomorrow."

For further information please contact:

For India

Munira Sen
Director, Bangalore
Common Purpose India

T: +91 (080) 41123339
M: +91 98455 27836
E: munira.sen@commonpurpose.org.in

For UK

David O'Connor
Senior Course Manager
Common Purpose UK

M: +44 (0) 7557 679506
E: mailto:david.oconnor@commonpurpose.org.uk

Notes for editors

Common Purpose is an independent international leadership development organisation. Over the past 21 years, Common Purpose has designed and delivered courses that help people at all stages of their career become more effective leaders in society.

Common Purpose runs courses that give people from the private, public and not-for-profit sector the inspiration, skills and connections to become better leaders both at work and in society. Common Purpose helps people, organisations, cities and regions to succeed, by broadening the horizons of their leaders and developing their ability to work together and lead complex change.

www.commonpurpose.org and www.commonpurpose.org/ventures

Key information

  • Four-day intensive Venture in Mysore, Karnataka - 2 October - 6 October 2012
  • Participants from organisations including  PwC, Fidelity Investments, Titan Industries, HOPE Foundation, India Skills, IOC, BESCOM,UBM, HM Treasury, Devon & Cornwall Police, British Red Cross
  • Interviews with and quotes from stakeholders, spokespersons, participants and alumni of Dishaa available
  • Photographs and videos from both current and previous Dishaa Ventures available
  • At each event the participants will be presented with a challenge to explore. They will investigate the challenge locally, and work together to come up with ideas and recommendations.
  • Each year a different challenge will be selected for that year's participants to investigate. The challenge for the first Dishaa Venture in February 2011 was: Heart surgery at $1,000 (USD) - what has to change in how society operates and innovates to make this a reality? The final report which includes models and solutions from this is available upon request.
  • The challenge for the second Dishaa Venture in November 2011 was: Unique carbon cutting measures are happening locally in India and the UK. How do we accelerate and multiply our actions to reduce carbon emissions by 50% in the next five years?
  • Dishaa (meaning "Direction" in Hindi) is part of a series of Ventures run by Common Purpose Ventures bring together leaders from different locations across the world to learn and work together in a fresh and exciting way to tackle common challenges, developing innovative approaches to problems both new and old.

Scotland and Leadership in UAE

Common Purpose in Scotland recently organised a day on leadership for 48 young women post-grads from universities across the UAE, who were in Dundee for a summer school at the Al Maktoum HE College. The Chief Constable of Tayside Police, the Development Director of 'M' Technologies (Glasgow, London, Chicago), the Chief Executive of Aberlour Childcare Trust Scotland, and the Vice President HR for Fairmont Group Europe took part in the discussions which explored attitudes to leadership, best attributes of leaders, and how people become leaders.

A fantastic day all round!