From June 8th to 16th, I participated in numerous leadership training days, marking the beginning of my Laidlaw journey. As other scholars have mentioned in their reflections, I was apprehensive regarding these sessions, as I knew no one in my cohort (or indeed from previous cohorts), and was unsure what to expect. However, to my delight, we quickly gelled as a team through a series of group-work activities, allowing my confidence to grow as I looked forward to the summer together. This excitement only grew during our formal dinner at Ushaw College, which brought the cohort together in an informal manner, and highlighted the friendships we had already begun to form.
Beginning in Durham, and then moving to Ushaw College, we were exposed to a range of leaders, including Chantelle Cummings (our Durham Laidlaw manager), Helen Costello (from the Centre for Academic Development), Guy Richardson (from EIGER Performance), and Matete Madiba (Deputy Vice Chancellor at the University of the Western Cape). These individuals all offered unique perspectives on how to define leadership, and what constitutes a successful leader.
From these individuals, common themes emerged, such as moral courage, integrity, and honesty, which all strongly link to the core Laidlaw values, the 3 C’s: character, capacities, and change maker values (ABCDEFG). These were discussed early on in the process, and then reinforced during the Global Induction, during which a range of scholars spoke about their experiences. A lot of what was discussed resonated with me, especially the uncertainty regarding the initial process, but the scholars were also reassuring, sparking hope in me.
During the Global Introduction, the scholars were not the only people who sparked hope; Susanna Kempe (Laidlaw CEO) spoke of the opportunities that the foundation provides, emphasising the importance of humanity in an increasingly complex technological world. She spoke of empathy and creativity, skills that AI does not possess, and how the Laidlaw program builds individuals who not only question the world but are also capable of creating change.
A key mental note I made during this period was the drive and determination with which my fellow scholars approached each task. It was a pleasure to be provided the opportunity to approach hypothetical situations with true grit, as if each suggestion we made would truly be implemented, as well as learn from and about my peers.
As I approach the start of my research period, I aim to apply the values we have discussed, as well as staying true to my own values, both within my project, and in my everyday life.