Leadership Across Sectors

6 Questions

What was the outcome of the two-year study on impact investing funds in 2012?

That multilingual leaders were the most successful

What motivated the speaker to become conversant in different languages and cultures?

To enable effective communication and contribution across various worlds

What did the speaker study in college?

Microfinance and economic empowerment in West Africa

What are the three focus areas the speaker proposes for leaders?

Data, climate, and power

What is the speaker's conclusion about leadership styles?

That there is no one 'best' type of leadership

What is the key takeaway from the speaker's experience?

That being conversant in multiple languages is essential for success

Study Notes

The speaker, an Iranian refugee, recounts their experience navigating different cultures and languages, including corporate, nonprofit, international development, and public sector jargon, in business school.
They realized that becoming conversant in these languages enabled effective communication and contribution across various worlds.
The speaker's journey began in college, where they studied microfinance and economic empowerment in West Africa and co-founded a nonprofit collecting medical supplies and money.
They explored different leadership styles, including autocratic, democratic, laissez-faire, servant, collaborative, and transformational, and worked with notable figures like General Colin Powell and Dr. Maya Angelou.
The speaker concluded that there is no one "best" type of leadership, and that adapting one's leadership to the situation and people involved is crucial.
In 2012, while working at the Omidyar Network, the speaker was involved in a two-year study on impact investing funds, which found that multilingual leaders who could communicate across corporate, nonprofit, philanthropic, and public policy perspectives were most successful.
The study identified the need for leaders to be conversant in four industry languages: finance, nonprofit, government, and international development.
The speaker proposes three focus areas for leaders: data, climate, and power, and highlights the importance of collaboration across sectors to address these issues.
The speaker suggests that leaders in different sectors can contribute to addressing power and gender equality by creating a level playing field, designing inclusive products, and removing barriers to women's empowerment.
The multilingual leader can facilitate collaboration and identify root causes of complex issues by being conversant in multiple languages.