MOSAIC - On Leadership

Stylish Leadership

2012-01-05T00:21:00.001-08:00

I am a leader who leads with style.

I have the power to affect others’ beliefs, attitudes, and courses of action while using a stylish kind of power. I do not need to enforce anything. My followers are influenced by me because they like me, I am their role model, they view me as highly competent, and highly considerate.

I am a leader who leads with style.

I am verbally involved with my followers, I seek their opinions, and I am firm but not rigid. I lead with style because I fit within my group, I am intelligent, confident, and in our group, goals are reached through realizing everyone’s needs and wants.

I am a leader who leads with style.

My leadership is stylish because I combine and mix my task and relationship behaviors in a way that influence my followers in their efforts to reach our assigned goals. I would provide them with structure while nurturing them. If I figure out that I lean towards being production oriented, I would make an effort to promote the personal worth of my followers. On the other hand, if I was more people oriented, I would attempt to use this type of orientation towards accomplishing what actually needs to be achieved.

I am a leader who leads with style.

I know that if I do not have the so called “charisma” that this would not stop me. I know that leaders could be made. I know that leadership is a process that can be learned, and that it is available to everyone. I know that I need to be alert, responsible, persistent, confident, social, and have insight to become a leader. But what if I am not that intelligent or as confident as I should. Well, I would lead with style and create in me the drive for responsibility, I would become more self aware, surround myself with positive people, and I would build my capacity and exercise social interaction. Nothing would stop me!

Lead with style…to be cont...

MOSAIC: Where Dreams Are Shaped - Guest Blog by Hadeel Alabbasi, KSA

2011-12-19T11:26:00.000-08:00

Hadeel Alabbasi is a counsellor, writer and educator dedicated to the advancement of Muslim Society. Her area of focus remains family health, individual empowerment, life planning, relationships and positive parenting. She is a co-founder of Mama and Me program and author of many children books. Hadeel graduated from King Abdul Aziz University with her majors in economics and did her post graduate in Leadership and Development from Walden University.

Everyone is telling me I’m a leader, so the next obvious step is to take action and be one. I will talk to you through my blogs about my leadership journey. As for that, I would be delighted to hear your comments and suggestions along my challenging yet exciting journey.

I live in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and although I come from a Saudi family, I have always felt a connection with foreigners. I enjoyed their company and I loved listening to their stories. They always wanted to learn, develop, and get the best out of their time here in Saudi Arabia. The sad part is that a lot of them came and left without achieving their dreams. Many came to study Qur’an, but were faced with a rigid system in Qur’an schools. Many wanted to learn Arabic, but only found elementary school like classes or nothing at all. A lot wanted to raise their kids to become good Muslims but could not get their children in the Saudi school system to learn Islam and proper Arabic.

A while back, someone surprisingly pointed out the number of centers teaching English here in Jeddah while on the other hand, no centers that taught Arabic. That’s when an idea sprouted its roots in me. After attending the MOSAIC summit, the real energy to realize my dream came. I realized that a lot of my fellow delegates don’t know Arabic. Truly, this was partly from my ignorance as I expected every Muslim to know at least a little Arabic. Moreover, I have always felt that Muslims should be able to communicate in the original language of the Holy Qur’an as well i.e. Arabic. As a result, I felt an enormous obligation towards humanity, responsibility with respect to my beloved Arabic language, and commitment towards my new dream.

My new dream is to open a center that teaches Arabic to non Arabic speakers. I would name it “ICTA” which is “I Can Talk Arabic”, cool right? But how can I tell if this is the right dream? And if this dream is truly my window of opportunity? Let’s go together through the 10 leadership check list…

1. Am I proud of my dream and do I believe in it? YES

2. Am I showing commitment and am I living it? I believe so, I ‘m not waiting on it and I’m not forgetting about it

3. Did I carefully think about it? YES

4. I have the plan ready but am I starting to take actions? YES, I have formed a focus group to discuss needs, experiences, and obstacles.

5. Am I ready to make mistakes and face challenges? I hope so

6. Am I ready to show my weaknesses and vulnerability as a leader? Same as above

7. Am I ready to put everything I have in what I believe? YES

8. Do I have the dignity to believe that I’m a leader? YES

9. Am I ready to go all the way? YES

10. Is my dream actually going to benefit people? YES, I know that it matters…

I think that my dream is truly a window of opportunity, do you?

I'm excited to hear your experiences with learning Arabic and grateful to hear your thoughts about the perfect ICTA center : )

M.D. Hadeel

You Never Lose/Fail, Until You Give Up!

2011-12-10T11:08:00.001-08:00

There are number of times you hear about somebody failing or losing and sometimes that somebody is YOU. But have you ever thought, whether you really really failed. Just mull over it for sometimes when you have that feeling next time. And when you do, just ask a simple question, why you gave up?

You may have not heard about Derek Redmond before; I never did. But when I knew about him for the first time few years back, I could not forget him. He is a retired British athlete with numerous medals and records to his credit of which I know a little about. But his 1992 Olympic performance in Barcelona will be remembered by generations. He was the last to finish the race, but I guess hardly anyone remembers the athlete who actually won. Derek won the hearts of 65000 spectators. Click to watch what happened.

For sure, somebody who doesn’t give up, can never fail and it’s hard to beat the one who is not willing to give up.

MOSAIC 101 – How To Get The Best Out Of The Summit

2011-10-30T13:49:00.000-07:00

I can imagine the excitement amongst the delegates gearing up for the Summit just 2 weeks away in Qatar. A lot of you must be having goose bumps imagining about the summit and the rest would be chilled while waiting to see what happens. Well I must say whatever happens, will be one of the most exhilarating time you would have ever spent. But, having said that, there is a way you can even proliferate the fun. And the core rule for that is, “Be Proactive”.

I just finished the entire round of introduction with my group, what a pleasure to know so many enthusiasts with such diversity. While having this first level introduction I came across quite a few questions and thought to write this post to share some experiences from 2010 and help you all get the best out of the time you will spend during the summit.

1. Be Proactive – As I said, you can get the best out of the summit if you are proactive. You need something, ask it. You have a question, ask it. You want to connect to someone, ask it. You want some information, ask it. You want some help, ask it. You are not feeling good or facing any challenges, tell your group lead. Being proactive will help you being most effective during the summit. This is the golden rule and rest is all a derivation.

2. Know Your Group Members Early – Earliest the better. You will be closely working with your group during the 10 days spent together. It’s always better to know them as early as possible. By now, your group leads would have gotten in touch with you and you have a fair chance to introduce yourself. Use this opportunity as an ice breaker. Introduce yourself fairly and share as much as you can so that rest of the group members is able to connect to you. Extracurricular details like, interests, hobbies, and past experiences help identify synergy easily.

3. Be Receptive – You will be meeting with almost 100 different people in 10 days. On average knowing 10 persons a day. This can be overwhelming but it’s a great chance to network. You may not be able to spend much time with everyone, but try to talk to most of them. Get to know about them a little, share contacts and don’t forget to follow up. There is a great probability that you have a home and a host in 17 different countries by the end of a summit :)

4. Be Punctual – The sheer pace of the summit can put you on the back foot. Be very cautious about time keeping and being punctual. Your slight delays can make you miss out some wonderful opportunities to listen and connect to some wonderful people. I am sure you don’t want to be in that situation. Best thing is to be on time during all the sessions given in the agenda. And least to say, being punctual is the first step towards leadership.

5. Cram the Agenda – You will be given the program time table and a pack of file when you arrive and register at the summit. Make sure you get some time to look at all the details and mark your game plan. All the sessions are very important, do not miss them. Mark those that are of your interest and if possible explore and think about them a bit before time. This will help you connect a lot of dots.

6. Participate and DO NOT SHY away – You will be listening to a lot of different speakers and will be going through some workshops and activities. You MUST participate and interact. Remember, we all are here to learn and do not shy away asking any tempting questions or sharing your views. It’s a collaborative place and everybody who participates is respected. And this is one good chance to overcome your fears and shyness.

7. Make Notes – You will be receiving bits and pieces of very unique learning’s that is worth noting. There is so much going on that its always good to write notes and probably jot down the pointers that you can later reflect upon and connect with. I am sure you will have a list of lessons and learning’s that you would like to keep as your guiding principles in future. So don’t miss out, keep your pen and paper handy.

8. Leadership – The main theme is leadership and you must all be excited to learn some leadership lessons. But honestly, half of your learning’s will be your actions and experiences during the summit; how you respond to various situations, how you deal with your peers, how you react to various scenarios. So be self critical, and reflect on your daily actions and outcomes. Where you did well, where you did not and how you can improve. Don’t forget, you are all a part of a bigger Mosaic, so play your role well.

9. Don’t Panic - There is so much happening in a day that most of you may not be used to. Don’t panic, rather take it as a challenge and try to participate as much as you can. In case you miss out anything unfortunately, just move on. Being IN is the name of the game.

10. ……………………………………………….

Well I have left that empty for my peers to fill in :) Come on Mosaicers 2010, I am sure you would like to contribute some Suggestions from your wonderful experiences during the summit last year. Delegates from 2011 are waiting to hear some real time experiences; I just collected some of my thoughts, please add yours. Its a good time to reminisce as well :)

Ineffective Leaders - 7 Common Traits

2011-10-14T12:15:00.000-07:00

The article is written by Paul Morin and copied from Company Founder Blog

This list of seven traits is not all-inclusive, nor is it in order of importance. These are simply seven traits that I see all the time, which undermine the ability of leaders to help their organizations and themselves achieve all that they can.

I also want to point out that not all the following characteristics are intrinsically “bad”. There are certain situations that call for some or all of them. In “everyday” leadership scenarios and organizations not in crisis though, the following seven leader traits are not likely to result in an optimal outcome.

Common Ineffective Leader Trait #1: Micro-Managing

Wait, are we talking about leadership or management? Sometimes the line becomes blurred. My favorite metaphor illustrating the difference between management and leadership is from Stephen Covey’s story of a logging crew working in the forest. The crew is working hard and someone yells from atop a nearby mountain (paraphrasing), “Hey, you down there” … “What? We’re busy making progress, don’t interrupt us” … response: “You’re in the wrong forest”!

The effective leader is not the one that goes around “getting into everyone’s business”. Rather, the effective leader makes sure the organization and everyone in it is in the “right forest,” then let’s them get their jobs done.

Common Ineffective Leader Trait #2: Unclear Objectives

Many, if not most, organizations do not have clear objectives for where they are trying to go. The leadership of the organization has not taken the time to define where the organization is trying to go or what it is trying to achieve. In other cases, the objectives have been clearly defined, but they have not been effectively communicated to the members of the organization. Following on the forest metaphor above, the organization may even actually be in the “right forest,” but due to poor communication, the team may not know whether they’re supposed to be cutting it down or planting more trees.

Common Ineffective Leader Trait #3: Frequent Direction Changes

There aren’t too many things more demoralizing to someone working hard toward an objective, than having it change, constantly. We’ve all seen, and some of us have had the displeasure to work in, organizations where the direction and objectives seem to change with the capriciousness of the wind. We all start “rowing in the same direction” only to be informed, or worst yet, find out second-hand, that the objectives have changed and we’re supposed to be rowing in an entirely different direction. If you want to be an effective leader, don’t do this to your team on a frequent basis, and if it’s absolutely necessary at some point, explain it well. Your team will hold it against you a lot less if you communicate with them as openly and honestly as possible regarding why all the work they just expended “was for nothing”.

Common Ineffective Leader Trait #4: No Culture Of Accountability

Once you have clear goals in place and have communicated them effectively to your team, it’s critical to develop a “culture of accountability”. Your team must understand that they have their part to do, in order to help the organization achieve its goals. This “part” must be well-defined, with milestones and target dates for completion. Progress toward the milestones and overall completion must be tracked and reviewed on a regular basis. Variances or deviations from plan should be explained and if necessary, course correction must be facilitated and monitored. Without a “culture of accountability,” it’s too easy for members of the team to get sidetracked “putting out fires” and to never quite complete their “part”. If this happens systemically, the organization will never reach its goals and the leadership will have failed.

Common Ineffective Leader Trait #5: Don’t Walk Their Talk

There are some leaders who are tremendous talkers. They can “wax eloquently” on most any subject and they inspire confidence with their bold pronouncements. The issue arises when all the hyperbole does not coincide with reality and specifically, when the leader displays behavior that is inconsistent with what he or she is “preaching”. Leaders, as persons who are supposed to inspire confidence, like it or not, are held to a higher standard. If you aspire to be a “great leader,” it’s important that you “walk your talk”. Don’t make eloquent pronouncements, then contradict them with your behavior. That will be the quickest route to lose the respect and confidence of your team and other relevant constituencies.

Common Ineffective Leader Trait #6: Run People Over

Ineffective leaders, frequently unable to persuade with logic or emotional appeals that make sense to their team, often just “run people over”. That usually takes the form of “you’ll do it because I said so”. This approach can be necessary in certain situations, particularly where a team member does not want to listen to reason, or simply cannot be given enough information to fully grasp the rationale for a particular mandate. However, if this approach is used as a matter of routine, then it is likely to alienate many members of the team. This point is highly related to the point above regarding effective communication. If you communicate effectively as a leader and you have selected good members to your team, you typically will not have the need to “run people over”. That would be ideal, because when intelligent people get run over, they typically find a way to use their formal or informal power within the organization to make you “pay the price”. They undermine you every chance they get, even if just in a passive aggressive way.

Common Ineffective Leader Trait #7: Take Credit For Everything

If something works well in your organization, give credit to your team. Why? Well first, it’s the right thing to do. If you are playing a leadership role, while you may have put everyone in the “right forest,” it’s highly likely that the remainder of your organization did the execution necessary to “make it happen”. Second, you will look and feel a lot better if you “give credit where credit is due”. Even if the reward is not monetary, pretty much everyone appreciates a pat on the back for a job well done. Remember the adage, “praise in public and criticize in private”. Don’t be shy about highlighting the tremendous performance of your team and certain individuals with your team. While some underperformers may get jealous, the achievers will appreciate the recognition and are likely to continue performing at a high level, for you and for the organization.

So there you have “7 Common Traits of Ineffective Leaders” and some ideas on how you can avoid those traits and continue on your path to becoming an effective leader. As I said at the outset, I realize that this is not an all-inclusive list and I realize that in some situations, these “bad” traits may be necessary.

When Leaders Leave But Their Name Lives !

2011-10-09T11:53:00.000-07:00

Steve Jobs (1955 - 2011) will be remembered among generations. Few may not agree, but his contributions remain unmatchable. He made millions happy, either because of the products he developed or because of the ecosystem for livelihood he created around his product line. He spent an eventful life from the day he was born and least to say he contributed some priceless lessons from those events which still stays fresh no matter how many times you go through them.

The famous Stanford speech is all over the Internet, especially after his death but I found it worth saving ad sharing again.

‎" You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something — your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever." - Steve Jobs

“Being the richest man in the cemetery doesn’t matter to me … Going to bed at night saying we’ve done something wonderful… that’s what matters to me.” - Steve Jobs 1993

“No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don’t want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life’s change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new. Right now the new is you, but someday not too long from now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic, but it is quite true." Steve Jobs 2005

Read the full transcription of the commencement speech.

It's Harder To Be Kind Than Clever !

2011-08-10T15:03:00.000-07:00

A statement from Jeff Bezo’s (Amazon Founder) speech often resonated in my head, “It’s harder to be kind than clever”. The statement is simple yet holds a message that may not be very evident unless a situation unfolds it. It may sound like a straight forward comparison between kindness and cleverness, but recently an excerpt from Paulo Coelho’s writings simplified that balancing act of self control or personal leadership.

A young man said to the abbot of a monastery - ‘I would really like to become a monk, but I have learned nothing of importance in my life. My father only taught me how to play chess, and I was told that all games are sinful.’

The abbot called for a chessboard and summoned a monk to play with the young man. However, before the game began, he added: - ‘We also need diversion, but we will have only the best players here. If our monk loses, he will leave the monastery, thus creating an opening for you.’

The abbot was deadly serious. The young man played an aggressive game, but then he noticed the saintly look in the monk’s eyes, and from then on, he began to play deliberately badly. He decided that he would rather lose because he felt that the monk could prove far more useful to the world than him.

Suddenly, the abbot overturned the chessboard onto the floor.

‘You learned far more than you were taught,’ he said. ‘You have the powers of concentration necessary to win and you are capable of fighting for what you want, but you also have compassion and the ability to sacrifice yourself for a noble cause. You have shown yourself capable of balancing discipline and mercy; welcome to our monastery!’

Cleverness is a gift, kindness is a choice. Gifts are easy; they are given after all. Choices can be hard; they are taken.

8 Rupees: A Food For Thought! - Guest Blog by Palwasha Sherin Khan, PK

2011-07-20T08:41:00.000-07:00

Palwasha is currently working as a Corporate Responsibility Specialist at Telenor Pakistan, a leading multinational telecom services provider. She is also an advisor at ‘Idara-i-Taleem-o-Agahi’, a reputable organization working to improve the education sector in Pakistan. Palwasha is an avid reader with a keen interest in CSR, sustainable development and human rights and passionate about travel and volunteerism.

I walked down to the chemist/grocery store today to get some stuff before heading back home. Stopped at the ATM, got some cash out. Didn’t bother looking at the receipt or counting the cash. Random thoughts flickered through my mind as I walked..... need to send that email before day end; should I enroll Zoya in summer camp or for swimming; hope the tailor didn’t ruin that lovely suit I bought; have to read those new stories to the kids at the shelter this weekend like I promised to........

At the store, I asked for the cleanser I came to buy, then picked some random items merely because I can never just buy one thing. A man walked in and mumbled the name of some medicine. He is evidently a laborer. Dirty shalwar kameez (national dress of Pakistan), torn shoes, scuffed hands and feet. He looked exhausted, his breath is ragged and he looked clearly very ill and weak. The shopkeeper asked him gruffly to speak louder, and finally managed to decipher what he wanted. It’s a calcium sachet, one of those that you take dissolved in water for energy. The shopkeeper tossed it rudely on the counter. The man meekly asked, ‘How much’?!'

‘8 rupees’ is the reply. (8 rupees is the equivalent of 0.09USD)

The man stared at the shopkeeper and said ‘Can I just take it? I don’t have the money.’ I stood with a 1500 rupee face wash in my hand and stare in shock....something snaps inside me…my heart bleeds for this man. What is 8 rupees?!!! The shopkeeper loses his patience (not that he had much of it in the first place). He snatched back the sachet from the counter and said, ‘Either pay or get out’. I failed to fathom why he could not find it in his heart to just give the man the sachet. Or speak kindly. Yell at the whole world, be impatient, be rude….but never ever ever speak to a poor person harshly. I finally found my voice and interrupted, ‘Just give him what he wants, I’ll pay’. The shopkeeper reluctantly handed it over. The man hesitated, glanced my way. ‘Go ahead, take it’, I nodded. Relief in his eyes as he walked away.

I hurriedly paid for my stuff in a daze. I rushed out after the man when the shopkeeper called me back telling me I’d forgotten to take my things. When I finally got out, the man was nowhere to be found. Slowly I walked back to work, cursing myself. Why didn’t I ask him what was wrong? Why didn’t I think to offer to buy him the entire pack? Proper medicines for whatever his ailment was. He could probably do with a good meal. I could have bought him food. A few thousand rupees is nothing to me. It could have made the entire month so much better for this man. What sort of a life must he live? No food to eat, no money to pay for medicines, maybe a family to provide for and no work. My handbag alone cost enough to provide for his family for a month. God has blessed me with SO much…He has given me enough to be able to easily help someone in need. It had only been two minutes. Oh, where could he have gone!!

The guard opened the door. The air-conditioning soothed me. I smiled and nodded hello to colleagues. The elevator took me up to my desk. I logged back on to my laptop. It’s someone’s birthday at work. There was laughter and clapping and the cake.

But just one thought resonated over and over in my head. 8 rupees, ….8 rupees, …..8 rupees!

The value of 8 rupees? Worthless! The value of the lesson behind those 8 rupees? Priceless!

One of the deep secrets of life is that, all that is really worth doing is what we do for others. — Lewis Carroll

A Shadow Who Create Opportunities

2011-07-18T13:54:00.000-07:00

‘The Best Player’ is a fair tribute for a match winning performance. But ever wondered about the invisible forces who are the real game changers? The invisible leaders who silently create opportunities and lead without being noticed. ‘Facilitators’ could be a close noun for such silent movers but it’s hard to find a word that defines their truest spirit of leadership.

Anyone who has ever actually watched Pele play knows that the greatest leaders are almost invisible giving all the great shots to the one's who are at hand when the opportunity comes up. The opportunities are created and not an accident, rather they are the outcome of a strategic idea that takes over the team and the game as a whole.

To round it up:

"A leader is best when the people barely know he exists.

Next comes one whom they love and praise.

Next comes one whom they fear.

Next comes one whom they despise and defy.

When a leader trusts no one, no one trusts him.

The great leader speaks little. He never speaks carelessly.

He works without self-interest and leaves no trace.

When all is finished, the people say, 'We did it ourselves.' "

- Lao Tzu

Believe that you can do it / make it / have it !

2011-06-27T11:23:00.000-07:00

Ever heard of the story behind the 4 minutes mile? It goes somewhat like this…

For thousands of years, people held the belief that it was impossible for a human to run the mile in less than 4 minutes. The ancient Greeks even had lions chase the runners, but it was still ‘impossible’.

But in 1954, Roger Banister broke this imposing belief barrier. The significance of the achievement is what it did for others. In the whole history of the human race, no one had ever been able to break a 4-minute mile, yet after Roger (3:59:4) within one year, 37 other runners also broke it. And the year after that, 300 other runners did the same thing. And now it has turned out to be a standard for all professional middle distance runners. His experience provided them with a strong sense of certainty that they too could ‘do the impossible.’ Currently the record is owned by Hicham El Guerrouj a.k.a. “King of the Mile” from Morocco with his time 3:43:13 minutes.

Leaders often excite followers by not only identifying opportunities but also breaking barriers and highlighting possibilities.

Courtesy: RealAcad

Follow the expert, Not the loudest

2011-05-30T12:51:00.000-07:00

I have been longing to write on how nations revolt and set their path straight when challenged by adversities and injustice. And how collective leadership works when a crowd leads a crowd. Perhaps, the leading crowd is also riding on the shoulders of individual leadership from within and that individual leadership feels pride in their anonymity.

Though the topic demands a longer piece of writing, for the time being I will stick to an excerpt by a leader from the core, an inspiration with a transforming spirit of volunteerism and a lovely personality busy day and night building the foundations of their reincarnated homeland. Here he goes…

“Follow the expert, not the loudest; - see realities in depth;

do not be limited to your own perceptions; – put your preferences to the side;

don’t think of personal glories at the moment (it will come later); -

think of process, not the product;

learn to accept who disagree with you; - seek advise if you are not sure;

rely on specialists in their own field; - compile efforts; - seek guidance;

be equipped with the right tools because good intentions are not enough;

we are all Egyptians regardless the level/type/kind of our contribution in the protesting;

be optimistic, yet realistic; Is this difficult to do?”

Simply a citizen – Amir Gohar

***Salutes***

Why Responsible Business Matters? - Guest Post by Saeeda Ahmed, UK

2011-04-03T10:30:00.000-07:00

Saeeda Ahmed is a cofounder and CEO of Trescom, a successful training and community empowerment company across Britain. Saeeda holds a Master degree in Community Enterprise from University of Cambridge and a degree in accountancy. She is interested in social responsibility and international collaboration opportunities.

In a modern day world where capitalism and globalisation seems to be the unflavour of the month, people are increasingly questioning the role of institutions. They want to know how the economics and politics influence the livelihoods of ordinary people. The status quo of capitalism is in a state of flux and this creates massive opportunities for social entrepreneurs to take the limelight and thrive

In the past it was seen as unsavoury that the poor were trampled for maximising the profits of the capitalists. Saying that, maximizing profits was not taken by the majority as THEIR OWN struggle nor was responsibility always seen by consumers on how they contributed to this imbalance of power and wealth. Often perceived as a problem that faced people in faraway lands, many dissociated themselves away from it and absolved themselves of responsibility from it. This was whilst we indulged in our modern day gadgetry and self absorbed lifestyles. The self centeredness and Individualistic centered models on their own, are not a problem but on a macro basis can be the cancer of a thriving community.

The communities across the world can see evidence of actions of private corporate without consideration of negative consequences on environment, people and producers. And it isn't just the capitalists being seen as the culprit.

The recent economic and banking crisis in the Western world really brought the issue to the forefront of the masses. People started seeing the ugly effects of what happens when people do not matter for the sake of profits. Suddenly the issue of exploitation isn't just about the poor far away but it is about us. The people that are affected are our families, neighbors, communities and us. Whether as consumers, employees or local communities, we are beginning to realize we are paying against the odds to maintain the profit margins of those in power.

People do not want to work endlessly to maintain and oil these private monetary systems. This neither gives personal satisfaction nor much additional value to the person. The great side effect of the economic crisis is that soul searching has occurred and influenced thought processes. This change has encouraged (like no scale before), the appetite by consumers for ethical, socially and environmentally responsible business. This creates a massive opportunity for social entrepreneurs to satisfy this consumer appetite. However this has to be done whilst it still matters to the masses or they are still hungry.

Make That Attempt

2011-03-29T14:01:00.000-07:00

“IMPROVEMENT always starts with ‘I’”

It’s called Mind set.

As I was passing by the elephants, I suddenly stopped, confused by the fact that these huge creatures were being held by only a small rope tied to their front leg.

No chains, no cages. It was obvious that the elephants could, at any time, break away from the ropes they were tied to but for some reason, they did not. I saw a trainer nearby and asked why these beautiful, magnificent animals just stood there and made no attempt to get away.

“Well,” he said, “when they are very young and much smaller we use the same size rope to tie them and, at that age, it’s enough to hold them. As they grow up, they are conditioned to believe they cannot break away. They believe the rope can still hold them, so they never try to break free."

I was amazed. These animals could at any time break free from their bonds but because they believed they couldn't, they were stuck right where they were.

Like the elephants, how many of us go through life hanging onto a belief that we cannot do something, simply because we failed at it once before?

A Wise Man once said, “Your attempt may fail, but never fail to make an attempt.”

Guest contribution by Memoona Sajjad.

Different Color, One People: an amazing experience in UK - Guest Post by Ria Octorina, Indonesia

2011-03-27T09:09:00.000-07:00

Ria Octorina works with local government in West Sumatra, Indonesia, controlling and evaluating various government programs. She aspires to develop youth lead civil servant community that plans and execute positive action within government and communities.

I had a great experience while participating in Mosaic International Summit in July 2010. The event was a summer school at Cambridge structured as a leadership training and meet up for 80 young Moslem from 17 countries.

I started from my home town, Solok, going to Padang city, the capital of West Sumatera Province. It was an exciting yet tiring journey from Padang to Jakarta, to Abu Dhabi to London Heathrow to Clare College Cambridge. I missed the dinner at The Great Hall but luckily found three Algerian delegates to go to the city center for the dinner. The first night was very special as I watched the Football World Cup final between Spain and Netherlands together with new friends from other parts of the world. I sat with Laila, a lovely Algerian girl.

During this first week, activity centered at Clare College, Cambridge. It was a matter that I had never imagined before and fealt lucky making a ‘footprint’ in one of the best university in the world. I started feeling the atmosphere as a student of this campus while attending lectures and seminars from many speakers from different background.

Mosaic team and group leaders gave a warm welcome and orientation the first day. Deputy Vice Chancellor of Cambridge University gave a welcome speech followed by the first session by Farah Pandith, a Muslim American who worked for the U.S. Government. Farah described her experiences as a woman, a Muslim living in US facing challenges and fighting the negative image of the Islamic world. She took it as her responsibility to make a better representation of Muslims. Some words from Farah that impressed me so much: "you're not failing if you are passionate with what you do!".

The second session was also very inspiring. We were given the opportunity to listen to stories and experiences of leadership and activities of 'changing world' by Sir Fazle Hasan Abed, founder of BRAC from Bangladesh. BRAC is one of the largest NGO in the world, which has helped the world community, especially to reduce poverty in Bangladesh. BRAC started with microfinance activities program, which since it’s founding in 1970, has now been expanded and has a BRAC Bank, BRAC University, and many training institutions that help communities in Bangladesh, and several countries in Asia and Africa. I wish someday I can help people around me to make their life beter and reduce the proverty condition, like what BRAC had done. Amiin.

The next day we attended the Leadership Workshop by Stuart Duff and Prof. Binna Kandola, a specialist in leadership development. In this session I was given an understanding of leadership, which does not have any special definition and yet everyone can have a different type of leadership. From the workshop outcomes I learnt a great deal through the material provided in the form of simple theory of how to plan our dreams, build desire and the importance of coaching and mentoring as a control and sharing of ideas and plans for our dreams.

In the following days we learnt and discussed global issues, sustainable development and poverty. We were presented about the world conditions today; the world's poverty as a major problem, environmental problems and possibilities that would occur if precautions are not taken immediately. An important lesson I learnt was the obligation to maintain the world and taking responsibility of all human beings who live on it.

An important discussion was on the topic about the values of bringing people and communities together. The point made here is how we are able to overcome the differences that cannot be denied and we will always find. The distinction of being its own value if the community / communities are able to use them to perform together at a common goal.

Evenings were spent exploring Cambridge, spending time with delegates in restaurants and punting in River Cam and taking a detailed tour of Cambridge University Library. Allhamdulillah.

The Friday evening was one of the best evening in my life. By wearing the national dress of each country shows the world's diversity and beauty of togetherness. We took a group photo at the bank of River Cam, had a Mosaic collective dinner in The Great Hall and celebrated and reflected on our activities. At the dinner, a friend from Jordan, who so creative and entertaining, sung a song: 'Different Color, One People’. This song is really a portrait of us who come from different background- different colors, but keep one as a Mosaic-ers, as a Muslim and as the inhabitants of the earth.

Manchester, Merseyside and London

Our second week activities were in small groups and I got a chance to visit Manchester and the world’s Best Football Club, Manchester United. At the evening, we had a great dinner at a Pakistan Restaurant and received a very warm welcome by Mosaic Manchester.

Next we visited the Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service in Liverpool where we got an understanding of how the department believed in preventive activities and struggled for it rather than cure. Got a chance to see Manchester Town Hall and meet Lord Mayor of Manchester who was accompanied by Sir Muhammad Afzal Khan, The Lord Mayor at 2005-2006, which is First Muslim who became a Lord Mayor in major city in UK. His leadership experiences were inspiring and an important lesson was: “If you want to change, you also have to be in the circle”. To change a situation, we also have to enter the system too and not just give protest from the outside the system.

We also visited Burnley & Pendle Faith Centre where I realized a commitment to mutual acceptance, inclusiveness and respect among them to learn and grow together. They do not force the people to integrate, but rather to appreciate difference and feel the spirit of togetherness.

Finally in London we got an opportunity to meet HRH Prince of Wales (Prince Charles), in the VVIP Summit Celebratory Event at Central London. We got a chance to hear him speak and then meet and greet in person with every delegate. On the last day we had a graduation and a lunch and from there I moved out to explore London. We saw the landmarks of one of the famous cities in the world. Buckingham Palace, Bigben, London Eye, London Bridge, Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly Circus, Oxford Street etc.

I felt like going back with a plenty of dreams and responsibilities from all the experience and lessons from Mosaic. So many things to do to change the world, I wish I could do a little thing here on my part.

Interview with Farah Pandith, Special Representative to Muslim Communities, Department of State US - Guest Post By Faizul Khan Tanim, Bangladesh

2010-12-16T06:24:00.000-08:00

Faizul Khan Tanim Butpar has been a media specialist for the last 7 years with an emphasis on journalism, communications, leadership and public relations. He studied at London School of Journalism and currently working with The Daily Independent, Bangladesh.

The world since 9/11 has changed for ever. Muslims have been looking at their faith more critically than ever before and asking which tenets of Islam are the truth and nothing but the truth. The Western world has changed dramatically as well. They want to know Islam better and reach out to Muslims.

In one such initiative, Mosaic International Summit in the UK, an innovative leadership development organisation, founded by HRH The Prince of Wales, which brings together 80 young emerging Muslim leaders from around the world for two weeks in the UK with the aim to develop leadership ability and an aspiration to be an agent of change, and develop understanding of key global issues and inspire positive thinking to address them.

The 2010 Summit included a full and varied program of activities based at Clare College, University of Cambridge and in small delegate groups to embark upon regional study tours to see different projects.

As part of this summit, world renowned personalities and speakers came to Cambridge to deliver speeches, inspire and interact with the delegates to make the world a better place. And one of the speakers was Farah Pandith, who enthralled the audiences with her exceptional motivational speech.

Faizul Khan Tanim: What is your role in developing ties with the Muslims and how exactly do you help the US department of state?

Farah Pandith: This is a new role in the American history so we are focusing on finding ways that the US government can make sure that we implement president Obama's vision of engagement that he spelled out in Cairo, the vision based on mutual interest and respect. He talked about lots of tools by which we can do that – entrepreneurship, health, technology or science. We basically want to build partnerships and open up dialogues.

Therefore, my job is to work with embassies around the world, whether it is a Muslim majority country or Muslims who live as minority. We want to give respect to everyone around the world understanding that 1.2 billion Muslims on the planet are not all the same.

So each of our embassies are focusing on various communities and finding ways to be respectful and open up dialogues which we haven't had before. Very specifically, Secretary Clinton created this position after the Cairo speech to work on the grassroots level, so, all my work is people to people.

My concern is to make sure we are doing as much as we can to understand the nuances of communities to not look at a country like Bangladesh and conclude this part of the nation is same as another region so all of South Asia is the same.

FKT: As this term has been coined “War on Terror”. Can this terrorism or extremism be put out just by fighting a war?

FP: Every part of the globe has been affected by extremist ideology and the use of violence for political means. Every religion has people who use the religion in the name of terrorist acts. The voices and actions of a few have taken on a global momentum and it is important to understand that our president has been very clear that the United States is not at war with the religion of the far east. He made very clear that he respects Islam and that Islam is part of America.

We have a global effort underway to isolate and marginalize those voices that push forward violent extremism and its incumbent upon everybody whether you are the government of the United States or the government of Bangladesh, Jordan, Indonesia...places where the Bali bombings or the bombings that happened in Amman or in fact the Madrid bombings, in London or in New york...this is not just about one country, its a global ideology that is radicalizing people to do violent things.

FKT: Recently, there have been controversial issues like bans on wearing headscarf in France and building of minarets in Switzerland – now it is of popular consideration that both these countries are allies of the United States. How does the US feel? Will they take any steps like these?

FP: Our constitution is very clear in freedom of expression and freedom of religion. It is a fundamental part of our nation - you have the right as an American to build a house of worship. You have the right to worship freely no matter which religion you belong to. The president talked about this beautifully on September 1 at an Iftar in the White House.

Like any building permit, you have to get permission and the local municipality has to okay your building but considering that sign, you may build your house of worship also you can wear the attire of your religion. This will never change. America's constitution gives those rights and we fundamentally believe that.

FKT: The Obama administration promised a lot, especially to help with the Middle East issue. But after the recent midterm elections, as the Republicans have more control in the house of representatives now, how much can Obama government go forward?

FP: It was a historical moment when in his very first week of office, president Obama appointed an envoy for Middle-East peace and no other presidents in our history has done that so quickly. It is very important for him and his administration to reach a resolution where the Israelis and the Palestinians are living in a conflict side by side.

In selecting George Mitchell to be an envoy who has been working on Middle-East peace, day in and day out, we have made it a priority. The president talked about this in Indonesia that there are setbacks that happened during the negotiations but our eyes are still in the ball and the final goal-line and hopefully we will reach that soon. The commitment to that revolution to that vision of peace in the Middle-East is very strong and the president is determined and we will continue on our effort to negotiate a resolution.

FKT: Muslims around the world believe that the Israeli lobby is very strong, playing significant part in US policies and which is very unfortunate for the Palestinians. How do you see this?

FP: The president and secretary of state has talked very clearly about our bilateral relationship with Israel, an ally and a partner, that is unwavering and will be consistent. I will say, we do and will be collectively working together diligently for the Palestinians to have a state of their own.

This article was first published in The Independent's Weekend Magazine, December 10 2010

Leadership Development Challenges For The Ummah - the OIC and the Muslim Diaspora - Guest Blog by Arif Zaman, UK

2010-12-04T08:05:00.000-08:00

Arif Zaman is a Principal Consultant at the Reputation Institute which avdises companies on their reputation risks. Arif is also Secretary of the Muslim Council of Britain's Economic Committee, Advisor to the Commonwealth Business Council and the founder member of the Steering Group of the HRH The Prince of Wales Mosaic Programme.

With the global economy in turmoil and facing a sustained period of uncertainty – and with trust in institutions, regulators and companies under acute pressure – a fresh focus is emerging on governance and leadership. Simultaneously, how individuals respond will become key as uncertainty and volatility look set to become more commonplace. Furthermore, actions will need to be adapted and adjusted in the light of evolving and fluid conditions. Barack Hussein Obama’s election and style has also shown how leadership and communication are inextricably linked and how within days of being inaugurated one of the hallmarks of the context we are now in is a different tone in terms of respect and understanding, which Obama looks set to lead and sustain with the Muslim world.

As the Muslim world frames its approach, there is a growing realisation that there is work to be done in strengthening – deepening and broadening – leadership capacity and development across the Ummah. Recent initiatives such as those from the Muslim Council of Britain, the World Islamic Economic Forum and HRH The Prince of Wales’ Mosaic Programme reflect this and suggest emerging areas of significant impact.

This article addresses leadership development for the Ummah with a specific focus on business and management. What are the key challenges? Is there an Islamic tradition and worldview of leadership? How does leadership link to corporate governance, (reputational) risk management and diversity? All of these questions are of particular relevance to the OIC (Organization of the Islamic Conference) countries and for Muslim minorities - especially in Europe, North America and India.

The challenges

The challenges for the Ummah are many and varied but perhaps centre on several key areas.

The foremost area is the non-inclusive development – of women as well as men, of communities, countries and regions.

The UN Millennium Development Goals, to which all OIC members are signatories, also set out many socio-economic challenges that have real resonance where many Muslims live whether in South Asia or in Africa.

There is also a need to challenge the empty but dangerous rhetoric and narrative which contributes to the radicalisation of some young people in our community with negative consequences for us all. In this, the Muslim diaspora in the West can perhaps play an increasingly important role.

Moreover exclusion, indifference, racism and gender discrimination limit access to the talent pool to address pressing social problems and improve human security nationally and internationally. Across the Ummah there are future leaders of enormous potential whose talent has not been recognised by those in power – who must be recruited, nurtured and cultivated.

The lack of inclusive leadership narrows the range of resolutions to social problems, limits our creative potential and breeds hatred, violence, indifference and inaction that impede practical progress on the most pressing issues of our time. It must change.

Divinie inspiration

Community-building, concern for social justice within the organization and equality of voice are basic themes of Islam. The values of service, surrendering self, truth, charity, humility, forgiveness, compassion, thankfulness, love, courage, faith, kindness, patience and hope are to be found not only in the Quran, but also in popular Islamic literature and philosophical debates. Since Islam requires a balance between individual influence and social obligations, as well as a balance between material and spiritual needs, the ideal person to lead is perceived to be the most virtuous, and not the wealthiest or most powerful.

In advancing the concept of perfection of the soul as a requisite of leadership, Al-Ghazali, like Ibn Khaldun, suggested that attributes, once rooted in the heart, eventually govern one’s behaviour. Wisdom is, therefore, the outcome of actions through which one has attained knowledge. Al-Ghazali dealt with a variety of subjects in the Nasihat such as the qualities required in kings, the character of ministers and deputies, and intelligence. The Nasihat, or Advice, is part of a larger genre of political writings which dealt with issues of political authority at the time. The line of communication to leadership should be known and continually tested to make sure that leadership is engaged with the organization as a whole. Good rulership and leadership were sacred duties for Al-Ghazali and performing them well brought Allah’s pleasure while doing otherwise brought His ire.

Common failings

How does this translate into addressing the leadership and talent development challenge in the Ummah today? Too many current and future leaders are poorly prepared for their roles.

Some common failings include:-

to grow emotionally: the leaders who have high intelligence quotients (IQs) and low emotional quotients (EQs) are often clever and charismatic but destructive.
to make creative connections: leaders who see the connections between A and B and B and C rarely see how A and C connect. They miss the more subtle patterns and ones that extend beyond the quarterly reporting period.
to empathise: they often look at numbers or surface behaviour and lack an understanding of others’ true needs and aspirations.
to manage ego: deadly self-inflation, or hubris, frequently leads to derailment or nemesis.
to overcome personal alienation and boredom: these leaders simply stop feeling the exhilaration of learning.

Core areas of emphasis

Companies need to elevate relationship building by developing skills and values that lead to increased empathy and knowledge among all and by measuring and rewarding appropriate relationship-building activities. They also need to acknowledge that feedback and relationship programs are the most effective leadership development strategy.

International trading relationships are undergoing significant change as markets in Asia such as (but not limited to) China and India assume greater importance. At the same time, leadership development has reached a critical crossroads. A number of forces in the international business environment such as geo-politics, emerging economic power bases, ideological diversity, consumer driven technology and the carbon economy are combining and together make necessary a re-think of how we raise future leaders.

For the Muslim world, the challenge of diversity is real – whether for Muslim minorities in the UK and Europe, Muslims in India, low-paid migrant workers from South Asia in the Gulf or for that matter Christians in Pakistan.

To combat racism, inequality and hatred, it is important for leaders to challenge barriers and to bridge the boundaries of difference and distrust. It takes transformational leaders – with the ability to speak for a wide range of people - to accomplish fundamental change. At every level of society, current leaders should be on the lookout for exceptional potential leaders who are diverse and innovative - who do not look, think or talk like them – especially from excluded or marginalised groups. Professional education, especially in business, public policy and the law, must emphasise the necessity of equality and respect, creating ethical leaders who will put a priority on inclusive rather than exclusive decision-making.

Diversity at the basic level is about reaction and compliance. It is now moving from a focus at a second level on equal opportunities and corporate social responsibility, to a third level where leading companies and individuals see it more proactively as being a driver for changing trading relationships and networks amongst companies, countries and regions. Leading companies see the connection between a leader’s personal values, the diversity within their organisation and their individual and corporate reputation.

Leadership development also needs to see corporate governanceat its core as being about creating value from the quality of decision-making. Corporate boards need to be balanced. They should include both outside non-executive and executive members in their governance. Outside members should challenge the executives but in a supportive way. No single individual should be able to dominate decision making, especially in family businesses. It follows that the board should work as a team with outside members contributing to strategy rather than simply having a monitoring or policing role. Boards need to comprise members who possess skills and experience appropriate for the organisation and its strategic direction.

In making decisions, managers must employ critical and creative thinking as well as ethical principles to synthesise the apparently divergent aspects of a situation and avoid the undesirable possibilities that may ensue.

A focus on reputation addresses another key business challenge which is of developing and managing organisational reputation. Reputation, responsibility and value creation need to be linked through a focus on understanding stakeholder relationships.

There are certainly other core skills and expertise that leaders need to develop that other best practices emphasize. However, the above areas are key needs for addressing the challenges to business leadership in the Muslim world.

Leadership development is indeed a journey not a destination and professionals in the Ummah can play a key role in creating better leaders and improving the quality of decision-making by establishing a global network of young, successful, Muslims. This way participants can further improve their leadership and professional skills, enhance their career progression and pursue endeavours that are aligned with the interests of the Ummah.

Its Another Thing To Do Something About It ...

2010-11-20T04:06:00.000-08:00

To desire is one thing; To do something about it is another thing. Knowing an opportunity is just merely the first step. The real thing comes next - what you do to get it. Most of us just don't go beyond the first step. Taking that initiative is what we most of the time miss out and still remain ignorant of the loss that follows. Ignorance is bliss for those, any ways! A friend recently shared an interesting story that maps well here.

A story is told of a man who goes to church and prays, 'My Lord! I need a break. I need to win the state lottery. I'm counting on you, my Lord!'. Having not won the lottery, the man returns to church a week later and once again prays, 'My Lord, about that state lottery...I've been kind to my wife. I've given up drinking. I've been really good. Give me a break. Let me win the lottery.'

A week later , still no richer, he returns to pray once again. 'My Lord, i don't seem to be getting through to you on this state lottery thing. I've been using positive self-talk, saying affirmations, and visualizing the money. Give me a break, My Lord! Let me win the lottery'.

Suddenly the heavens open up, white light and heavenly music flood the church, and a deep voice says, 'My son! Give ME a break! Buy a lottery ticket'!

The Power of Positive Thinking - Guest Blog by Palwasha Sherin Khan, Pakistan

2010-11-18T03:25:00.000-08:00

Palwasha Sherin Khan is currently working as Corporate Responsibility Executive at Telenor Pakistan. Palwasha is an avid reader with a keen interest in CSR, sustainable development and human rights, and passionate about travel and volunteerism.

I have been reading Jack Canfield’s ‘How to get from where you are to where you want to be’, an amazing book that builds upon all I have read and learnt about the power of positive thinking (the theme of Mosaic) and about goal setting, faith in your own abilities, visualization etc. The more one researches into this topic the more facts and stories are uncovered that literally astound you. And the same question arises over and over again within your mind…Why were we not taught this when we were young? How come no one includes this as a part of the school syllabus even now when these theories have become so popular? How much better would we all have fared in life if someone had guided us on living our dreams, never giving up, and that nothing is impossible or too big to achieve?

At the Mosaic Summit this was one of the key principles taught by every leader/speaker. It was a lesson that some of us were familiar with but most of us were hearing for the first time! And what is even more astounding is how people have known about the power of positivity since age…….almost all the successful, brilliant leaders over the years in every field have been using it to their advantage. Napolean Hill wrote about this way back in 1937 in his book ‘Think and Grow Rich’, another recommended read.

What sets a leader apart from millions of ordinary people the world over is the vision of something great…and the will to not rest until that vision has become a reality. How many people go through life in an ordinary way, killing their desire for something better and without the courage to pursue their dreams. I find that there are few things worse than a person who succumbs to remaining ordinary…

Another noteworthy point mentioned by successful leaders is the power of giving and gratitude and how it can work wonders in your life. I myself have learnt in life that if you give your time, your money, your love, your knowledge selflessly to help others, it will always benefit you in more ways than you can imagine. Always! The richest people in the world today realize the value of this; it is not without a reason that you see Bill Gates and Warren Buffet pledging to give away billions! :-)

If I had to teach a child one lesson to survive on in life…it would be this! Believe that you can have or be anything you want in life…and always stay positive! Set the highest goal imaginable for yourself, go after that goal, and don’t let anyone tell you it isn’t possible. If this was all you had to start with, you could sail through life, if not soar :-) I had my first volunteer session at a child drop in centre for street children a few weeks back; a first step towards part of a breakthrough goal of my life…and this is the first lesson I taught them! :-)

GRLI and NET IMPACT Challenge -Shaping Tomorrow Leaders

2010-11-17T23:55:00.000-08:00

Do you have an innovative idea? Does your idea make the world a better place? Does it have a far reaching impact? Does it reflect an element of personal and collaborative business leadership? If YES, you can be the GRLI ambassador and participate in GRLI Assembly in Australia being held in March 2011.

You need to be between 18 - 35 years of maturity, a team of 2-3 members, enrolled students or working managers from any where on the globe. That is it. Sounds exciting? Initiate your application and APPLY here. Last date for submissions - 1st December 2010.

Theme of the challenge is “How can next generation leaders contribute to the development of globally responsible leadership?”

Globally Responsible Leadership Initiative is a global multicultural community of action and learning. It operates with a fully transparent and unique governance model with all partners participating. It is legally set up as a Foundation of public interest in Belgium. For more info, checkout GRLI.

Leadership - Our Addiction to an Industry - by Guest Blogger - Iben Ismarson, Indonesia

2010-11-10T11:04:00.000-08:00

Iben Ismarson graduated from Lund University Sweden where he studied managing people, knowledge and change. He is experienced in organizational development and holds interest n environment. Currently he is working towards his non profit Eco-Indonesia.

For the last few months, I have owed Jamil, a very kind and respectable friend I met at Mosaic Summer School, to write an article for a collective blog organized by him. The main reason it took so long for me to finally write is because he asked me to write about something that I have almost lost my faith in i.e. ‘Leadership’. The thought of ‘leadership’ is not so intriguing for my brain to kick my fingers to write as the thought of “God’ might not be so appealing for an atheist. I’m not an atheist though; I just cease to believe that such an over-glorified concept like leadership does exist in this world. To be more precise, Our World - Nowadays. . All that’s left for me when I think of leadership is just an image or a perception in people’s mind. It’s the label that we voluntarily ascribed to people, certain people such as some presidents, kings or prince, and if you wonder why are we doing so? Because we want to believe that it does exist.

As a human being, we inherently are thirsty of hope, and we pin our hope to the shoulders of someone with an attractive personality and call them leaders of our society. For me, Leaders are the projection of our fear, insecurity, helplessness as human being, no more and no less than that. When we look with a microscopic lens onto the life of leaders the whole notion of a great and perfect person will quickly melt in the air. They’re just human being, full of flaws, and nonetheless share the same fear, insecurity and helplessness just like those who ascribed the label of leaders to them.

As I write this note, in the next 2 hours Barack Obama will be landing in Indonesia, Halim International Airport for a 24 hrs visit to Indonesia, for the first time as US president. Road blockade, sweeping and sterilization has been done for the last 2 days in critical points of Jakarta to make sure everything’s going well for the visit of U.S No 1 – Their leader (if I can label him so). The fact that Obama spent 4 years of his childhood in Indonesia, made him such a heroic figure for Indonesians, who believe that “he is an Indonesian who succeeded to become the president of the greatest nation on earth”. This idea lives in the mind of Indonesian people, that’s why Indonesians love Obama so much. We are crazy about him, because we want to believe that all Indonesians have the same hope of success. And because of this very reason we choose to neglect the fact that today because of his visit, some traffic jam will occur in several areas near the blockade roads, some people takes more time to reach their offices and schools, some small food stall owners couldn’t do business and be deprived of their livelihood because their operation area is being sterilized. We choose to forget that there’s no substantial change in his policy regarding Palestine-Israel, and troops are still supporting war in Afghanistan. Why? Just because we need to keeps this idea of good and great leaders growing in our head. I would like to create analogy here through Freud’s statement: As religion is opium for the society, so are the leaders and leadership are real opium for the humans and society at large nowadays.

I have a wild hypothesis regarding to our society’s addiction upon the ideas of leadership. Maybe because most of us who are an adult nowadays were once growing up with the idea of some Superman, Batman and Spiderman who can save the world with their special amazing ability, we now want to keep the idea alive in our subconscious mind. We still want that Superman, we want leaders! And some of us even want to be that superman, they want to be leaders. We tend to forget that Superman lives only in a kryptonic imagination of his creator, and that he’s just only a figure created by comic industry.

Leadership is none less than an industry on its own. Go to the bookstores and we can find a special sections filled with thousands of books under the headings of “Leadership”. Each of them will offer you different theories and definition about leadership. They are usually list out hundreds, if not thousands ‘flowery’ words and vocabularies about the traits and attributes of leaders. Based on numerous researches, as they claim, they will undoubtedly map out the path to become leaders. As if those writers had seen a factory that manufactured leaders, they will insist that you can be one if you follow their prescribed path. This ridiculous idea, that there are some magic formulas on how to become an effective leader, made me kind of tired of going to the bookstore or reading books on leadership. I can imagine that it will take me a lifetime efforts to read and grasps all the ideas in those books, and even if I finally do, I think I’m going to ask God for a second life to practice what they have outlined in their books.

And as the industry goes, Universities conduct huge amount of research to back up the notion of leadership. Consultants also reap the fruits of this growing industry through teachings, trainings, workshops and projects in many organizations who want to grow leaders for tomorrow. Companies keep telling the bedtime stories about leaders who grow from the bottom to instill hopes in the mind of their employees that someday might be able to become that big corporate guy at the top: The Leader. The whole industry conspires and grows upon the very basic and fragile need of human being: the need of finding hope and images of success. But if we look at the reality of our society nowadays, despite of these growing crowd and continuous effort to create leaders everywhere we must admit that it still so hard to find and spot true leaders. We are actually lacking them and we always waiting for them. And this absence, again, create even more business for many.

Images of leaders appear everywhere on our TV, websites and probably even at the cover of our books, notepad or posters we hang on our wall. Often they inspire us and make us eager to pursue their paths. We are told to be the leaders of our time and we look up to these images. Maybe some will argues that this may be a good thing, but my take is a little bit different. I believe that such approach will most likely make most of us fall in the trap of trying to become someone else, and forgetting to know and accept who we really are as an individual person. We are focusing our energy too much to have those leadership traits and attributes taught by the books and consultants but we put little attention to understand our own traits and characters that have been shaped by our unique circumstances in our lives. If there is such a thing as leaders in this world, I believe they are the ones who denied to be called leaders. If there’s someone out there who really practice leadership in our society, I believe this person will reject to label what he’s doing as a leader. True Leadership and true leaders are not labeled, they are the essence behind the labels. It is the meaning and the understanding of our experiences and journey as a human, framed in every action of ours where we try to make ourselves and our surroundings a better place. Maybe, just maybe… if we stop thinking, forgetting for a while the idea of leader and leadership, then we can really start to practice true leadership and become a real leader.

The Responsibility of Leadership - By Guest Blogger - Amer Qureshi, UAE

2010-11-09T08:53:00.000-08:00

Amer Qureshi is an Australian Chartered Accountant, Business Advisor and Author of several books on business and finance. We thank him for generously sharing his views on an important aspect of leadership.

If you are in a management or leadership role which involves leading, motivating and inspiring other people, then you are one of the privileged ones. The opportunity to lead others is one that is not given to too many people.

However, the leadership of others comes with a great deal of responsibility. As a leader, its no longer just about you.

What kind of a Leader are you? What kind of a leader would you like to be?

In my experience, the whole culture of the organization is established by the Leader. Like it or not, every staff member looks closely at how the Leadership team operates and then models that behavior. For the sake of the organization, you better hope that the behavior of the leadership team is worth replication. Too often the leadership team is not willing to take a good look in the mirror and analyse their own short comings, yet they are too quick to point out the faults to their team.

Think about your own approach to work, and see what example you are setting for others. The current generation of employees is not easily impressed by the “do as I say” approach. During the course of my work, I have had the opportunity of working with many CEOs, Entrepreneurs and Managers as their Advisor and Consultant. In our discussions I am often told about the staffing issues, the lack of responsibility amongst the staff, the lack of professionalism and ownership. Often when I get more involved with an Organisation, it becomes apparent that the staff are simply following the lead of the senior management team. The leaders are not setting the right example and nor are they providing the right leadership for the team.

In order to become an effective leader, its important to take a good look at your own self, identify your own weaknesses and to set the right example for your team.

Think about the following for a few minutes:

1 - Do you feel you demonstrate strong values, ethical standards and personal integrity?

2 - Do you possess empathy and self-awareness?

3 - Do you nurture positive internal and external relationships and professional networks?

4 - Do you empower people?Is teaching, coaching and mentoring people a high priority for you?

5 - Are you contributing to the development of a new generation of leaders in your organization?

6 - Do you treat mistakes made by your staff as coaching opportunities?

7 - Do you establish and support high quality work standards?

8 - Are you able to handle stressful situations at work and resolve conflicts between team members effectively?

9 - Do you have an entrepreneurial mind set?

10 - Do you look for creative solutions to solve difficult problems within the organization?

11 - Do you consider yourself to be customer focused?

12 - Do you deliver value to stakeholders?

Leadership of others is a privilege and one that should not be taken lightly, as you have the opportunity to add immense value to the professional lives of others. Long after these people have left you, they are likely to remember with great fondness all the good things that they were able to learn.

One Can Know Victory, And Yet Not Achieve It

2010-10-21T07:55:00.000-07:00

Sun Tzu's legendary "The Art of War" has influenced the modern day culture, politics and strategy to a greater extent. A great military strategist and mathematician, his theories have proved out to be effective and the book considered the masterpiece on leadership, strategy, managing conflicts and winning battles. Paulo Coelho extracts an excerpt out of "The Art of War" and reproduced it in his "Inspirations".

Master Sun Said:

Of Old, the skillful warrior first ensured his own invulnerability; Then he waited for enemy’s vulnerability.

Invulnerability rests with Self, Vulnerability with the Enemy.

The skillful warrior can achieve his own invulnerability; But he can never bring about enemy's vulnerability.

Hence the saying, “One can know victory, and yet not achieve it”.

Invulnerability is Defense, Vulnerability is Attack.

Defense implies lack, Attack implies abundance.

A skillful defender hides beneath the ninefold earth; A skillful attacker moves above the ninefold heaven.

Thus they achieve protection and victory intact.

To foresee the ordinary victory of the common man is no true skill.

To be victorious in battle and to be acclaimed for one’s skill Is no true skill.

To lift autumn fur is not true skill.

To see sun and moon is no perception.

To hear thunder is no quickness of hearing.

The skillful warrior of Old won easy victories.

The victories of the skillful warrior are not extraordinary victories.

They bring neither fame for wisdom, nor merit for valor.

His victories are flawless.

His victory is flawless because it’s inevitable. He vanquishes an already defeated enemy.

The skillful warrior Takes his stand on invulnerable ground; He lets slip no chance of defeating the enemy.

The victorious army is victorious first and seeks battle later.

The defeated army Does battle first and seeks victory later.

The skillful strategist cultivates the way and preserves the law; Thus he is master of victory and defeat.

In War there are five steps; Measurement, Estimation, Calculation, Comparison and Victory;

Earth determines Measurement,

Measurement determines Estimation,

Estimation determines Calculation,

Calculation determines Comparison,

and Comparison determines Victory;

A victorious army is like a pound weight; In the scale against a grain;

A defeated army is like a grain in the scale against a pound weight;

A victorious army is like pent-up water crashing a thousand fathoms into a gorge.

This is all a matter of forms and dispositions.

If Success is Relative, What’s Your Mantra?

2010-10-11T12:28:00.000-07:00

Ever thought of how you define success for yourself? Try it. Search your soul. You will get to understand yourself better once you come up with the answer. I bet.

Here is a sample I dug out from my old notes, the way John O’ Brien defines it.

“To Laugh often and much;

To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children;

To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends;

To appreciate beauty; to find the best in others;

To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition;

To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.”

Sounds inspiring? Feel like developing your own definition? See this interesting compilation of suggestions. But please, be realistic, don't copy, define it from your heart.

"My Journey With Mosaic" - By Guest Blogger Farhiya Mohamed Farah - Somalia

2010-10-08T12:58:00.000-07:00

Farhiya Farah has a keen interest in development and is currently working with Mercy USA for Aid and Development, an NGO based in Kenya with operations in Somalia.

I wasn’t expecting it. The call that is…..I was selected to attend an interview that would determine if I could attend Mosaic international summit 2010 as one of the delegates. A lot was happening, professionally and personally, I knew I wanted to do something different but did not know exactly what or how to do it. Thank God for the email a friend sent, about mosaic and I just applied not knowing what the outcome would be.

The rest went smoothly, in a matter of weeks I was in the UK for the summit but honestly, I did not know what to expect. People from 17 countries are going to attend! I thought to myself, How will it go? What will they say? Will I feel out of place? Alhamdulillah (thank God) all the worries and doubts were just in my head. I felt at home, literally, on arrival, everyone was just so friendly. All the 80 people gathered seemed genuine in wanting to know who you were, where you came from, what you guys ate back home etc.

The summit was headed by a team of very friendly and knowledgeable people who saw to it that we were well cared for and that the summits aims were well communicated to us. Different recognized leaders, who have excelled in their respective fields, came and gave us their take on life, leadership, global issue awareness like poverty etc. Challenging conversations, encouraging speeches, motivating revelations were just part of the exciting journey in the mosaic summit. Inspirational leaders like: ·

- Stuart Lang, who spoke about tradition and its importance and how it doesn’t hamper progress, ·

- Farah Pandith whose projects have seen Muslims all over being empowered, and who mentioned the importance of luck and that we should think broadly and not sit still. ·

- Sir fazle Hassan Abed whose idea of a small scale relief and rehab programme has seen him build one of the largest NGOS in the world, who indeed took the point home, “ small and beautiful become big and effective, whatever you do, do it well.’’ ·

- Stuart Duff and Prof. Binna Kandola, who took as through the leadership journey and the different models of leadership. They addressed to us the importance of coaching and how it’s necessary in unlocking a persons potential in order to maximize their performance. They brought so much to us as the delegates, and interestingly so they still do, through the models of development plan that kandola sent us recently. ‘’Empathy as a characteristic in a leader yields a lot of productivity’’ Prof. Binna Kandola ·

- Founder of Islamic relief, Dr. Hany El Bany OBE shared his amazing journey as a humanitarian and shared the different trials and tribulations he went through to ensure that he has reached as many people in need as possible. He reminded us of our duty as Muslims which is to help the poor and that together when united we can make poverty history….’’don’t chase money, don’t chase targets, invest in employees’’- ·

- Mrs. Anjum Anwar ‘’If we do not speak with each other, we will not demystify facts.’’ She spoke on the importance of being firm in one owns belief in that only then is it easier to relate with others about who we are and what we stand for. And that it’s only when you have positive thinking when you will be comfortable in someone’s arena. ·

- Prof. Mike Hardy ‘’we have to bring people together because they already are together’’ He spoke on the need to understand each other and learn to live with each other. ·

- Chris chivers ‘’those leaders who do not want to engage in dialogue are weak’’ ·

- Will Day, ‘’Prediction is very difficult, especially about the future’’

After the amazing speeches we embarked on study tour groups where we saw first hand how communities have come together in addressing several social and economical issues that face them on a day to day basis, e.g. curbing antisocial behaviors, and also we saw how they looked into other societies problems and how they tried looking for a solution to their problems e.g. Helping in eradicating malaria in the developing countries and assist those with water problems by fundraising for water points and bore holes. This selflessness and dedication to helping mankind was so inspiring and as if that was not enough we were given the opportunity of a lifetime where we met the founder of Mosaic, The prince of Wales, Prince Charles. He showed us or at least most of us, another side of world leaders. We saw a caring, dedicated and concerned individual who genuinely wanted integration between different faiths in the universe and who wanted to see better living conditions in the world. He wanted the youth to own there time, to stop sitting down as other people tackled their problems and to see to it that all people around us had access to equal care, be it education, social needs or economic.

That was enough motivation that left a ray hope in most delegates, everyone like me, wanted to go back home and try and be an agent of change, try and get a solution especially where there’s an obvious problem. Of course it wasn’t all work and no play! I had a great time with some of the delegates walking around Cambridge, and the almost disastrous boat ride in Cambridge! I mean, what were you doing jamil! At least Tabinda sorted us out :) oh and the way John tried to help us but to no avail….I mean we looked so confused, that when we made it back, the guests outside that hotel actually cheered for us! That should tell you they were sure the boat would sink! But the most memorable for me was the visit to Old Trafford in Manchester! Historic! I miss my group, the amazing and ever smiling group leader Lina Gomaa, Memoona with her intelligent and always on point thoughts!, Shahrizad, her calm and collected nature that always spoke volumes, Shafiullah whose love for his country and his family in particular was evident in his talk, of course the leaders of today! Anas and his counterpart Yavuz! Ria the new bride, Arkan, so easy to talk to and quick to give his thoughts, all the time we met as a group, the conversations and activities never had a dull moment! ( hope I haven’t left any one out) I miss all of you, really, though thousands of miles apart, I will always remember those beautiful faces and may Allah guide and protect all of you always! I left the summit with so much love for my religion Islam, I can’t explain it, but I felt that my faith was strengthened Alhamdulillah. The amazing energy, the positive ideas, are what I truly miss, but I believe that enthusiasm that I had with me, I will not let it die, inshaAllah I’ll put it to practice…doesn’t matter how long it will take me. Things maybe difficult to implement, especially with no form of support around me, but as Ralph Waldo Emerson said ‘’Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm’’

"Old Wine In A New Bottle" - By Guest Blogger - Rizwan Sharif, Bangladesh

2010-10-02T06:01:00.000-07:00

Rizwan has vast experience of public relations, client service, branding and CSR while working with corporates in Bangladesh. Currently he is pursuing his Masters in International Public Relations from Cardiff University, UK.

After much procrastination and delay, I finally sat down with my laptop in the conducive Cardiff University dorm to retrieve memories. Memories that are fast moving away with the unstoppable pace of time but have always been and will always remain one of the most precious ones in my life. Yes, I am talking about the Mosaic Summit 2010 that had brought all of us together and broke the barriers of borders and time. It’s been more than two months, but seems like yesterday that we all laughed together and shared ideas that could change us and that can change this world!

So what shall I talk about? As I continue writing, so many thoughts float in my head and I am being so deeply lost in memories of the Summit. But let me start with some of my experiences and then I will tell you the story of old wine getting into a new bottle!

When I first came to know about Mosaic Summit, I did not take it very seriously and I am sure I am not the only one here who thought like that! I won’t mention the names but I can see some faces smiling if they are reading this. For me it was more like taking a paid Euro tour and I was equally confused about the outcomes of the Summit. But I was wrong. My perception of the Summit changed pretty fast within the first couple of days and it surprised me more to see how quickly all of us mingled well with each other. A sense of responsibility to do something started strengthening and I could feel the urge to learn from the Summit and most importantly from other delegates. I should thank Ahmed (Bahrain) and Hossam (Egypt) for being so patient in answering my stupid questions in the late hours at night. I should also mention Afrah (Bahrain) for all the little walks at night and silly talks that made both of us laughing and also to set our goals in life. She is a great friend!

Another thing that I find worth mentioning here is that knowledge of my own religion. I have always been a Muslim by inheritance and not by practice. I do not blame my family, friends or my parents being so liberal to give me the freedom to live my life the way I want to. But I always felt that I may be doing something wrong. And it was the Mosaic Summit that perhaps brought me closer to my religion and to people whose faithful dedication to Islam made me question my actions. I was again surprised and felt bad about the way I perceived religion and faith. The summit helped me understand more and opening my eyes though I can never be a perfect Muslim but a big thanks to all of you for making me realize things that I never realized before.

I will wrap it up by saying that for the last four and a half years, I have been a successful corporate figure and life has always been very easy. Thanks to the kindness of the Almighty. All I concentrated was on how to get more business, how to be more rich and popular and all the materialistic things in the world. But the Mosaic experience was profound and helped shape up my views on life. It helped me realize that there is more to give than to take. I looked at the speakers at Cambridge and during our study tours and felt that there is so much to do for others and time is running out so fast. I felt we are nothing but travelers in this world and when we are gone, we leave behind memories that are remembered, loved and cherished by so many people. Live a life that is worth living and mentioning even after you have left this world. I felt that my thoughts are being reborn and reshaped in so many new directions that I was previously unaware. I know I will not like to revert back to corporate world again but rather dedicate most of the time for others who need me to stand next to them wherever they need my help. With all that, I wish every success to all my Mosaic friends and apologize if I have ever hurt or offended any of you and that is purely unintentionally. May Allah bless us all in our journeys.

Build Yourself A Great Story

2010-09-26T10:58:00.000-07:00

Human capacity can never be undermined. God has created in humans the ability to try for the absurd of things and make them possible. History is full of examples. It depends on the WILL to try and follow our passion even in the presence of fear to fail. But more importantly, it depends on our CHOICES. How we utilize our God given abilities and what we choose. Our choices shape us as a human, define our set of characteristics and distinguish us with our strengths.

Jeff Bezos, founder and CEO of Amazon talks on the importance of choices at a Baccalaureate address to Princeton University's Class of 2010. An interesting bit of advice he quoted his grandfather giving him, “One day, you will understand that it’s harder to be kind than clever”. He emphasized on the difference between gifts and choices. Cleverness is a gift, kindness is a choice. Gifts are easy - they are given after all. Choices can be hard - they are taken. “In the end, we are our choices”, he concludes.

Excerpt from his speech.

"Tomorrow, in a very real sense, your life -- the life you author from scratch on your own -- begins.

How will you use your gifts? What choices will you make?

Will inertia be your guide, or will you follow your passions?

Will you follow dogma, or will you be original?

Will you choose a life of ease, or a life of service and adventure?

Will you wilt under criticism, or will you follow your convictions?

Will you bluff it out when you're wrong, or will you apologize?

Will you guard your heart against rejection, or will you act when you fall in love?

Will you play it safe, or will you be a little bit swashbuckling?

When it's tough, will you give up, or will you be relentless?

Will you be a cynic, or will you be a builder?

Will you be clever at the expense of others, or will you be kind?

I will hazard a prediction. When you are 80 years old, and in a quiet moment of reflection narrating for only yourself the most personal version of your life story, the telling that will be most compact and meaningful will be the series of choices you have made. In the end, we are our choices. Build yourself a great story. Thank you and good luck."

Click here for Full Transcript.

Belief Will Change My World...

2010-09-15T11:47:00.000-07:00

Ever wondered how RHETORIC works ? An important component of leadership. The words play a role but the intonation and pitch in a voice makes the difference. Together they can turn out to be a soul shaker. Here is an example with the script (very powerful) below.

SCRIPT

Today gentlemen, I am honored to coach you

More honored to be leading you onto the field of battle

But theres another honor to be bestowed upon you

And that is in the answer that comes with that question:

Who am I? I AM A CHAMPION!

Thats right, and you need to remember that all through this game

I will conquer what has not been conquered

Defeat will not be in my creed

I will believe what others have doubted

I will always endeavor to pull esteem, honor, and respect out of my team

I have trained my mind and my body will follow

Who am I? I AM A CHAMPION!

I will acknowledge the fact that my opponent does not expect me to win

But I will never surrender

Weakness will not be in my heart

I will look to my comrades and to those who are a part of me in this world and those who have trained me

And I will draw strength from them

Who am I? I AM A CHAMPION!

I will gladly go out into the field of battle

And I will move in everything I can do

And I will reach my field of battle by any means at my disposal

And when I get there, I will arrive violentlyI will rip the heart from my enemy, and leave it bleeding on the ground

Because he cannot stop me

Who am I I AM A CHAMPION!

To my side I have comrades, comrades that have been with me through thick and thin

Who have sacrificed their blood, sweat and tears

Never will I let them fall, never will I let them down, and I will never leave an enemy behind

Because our opponent does not know my heart

Who am I? I AM A CHAMPION!

No one will deny me, no one will define me

And no one will tell me who and what I am and can be

Belief will change my worldIt has moved continents, it has moved countries, it has put men on the moon

And it will carry me through this battle

Who am I? I AM A CHAMPION!

Defeat, retreat: those are not in my words

I dont understand those definitions

I dont understand when things go wrong

I dont understand mistakes

But I do understand this:

I understand victory,

And I understand never surrendering

No matter how bad things go my heart and my mind will carry my body through limits and weakness

Who am I? I AM A CHAMPION!

Today will be that day

Not tomorrow, not next week, but right now, right here

In your house and in your homes

Who am I? I AM A CHAMPION!

History will remember meI will not let worrying affect my cause

I will define myself I will write my own pages

And no one will tell me what I cannot be

I will never give up

Not until Ive given everything I got

Because who am I? I AM A CHAMPION!

Who am I? I AM A CHAMPION!

Do Leaders Have a Plan B ?

2010-09-11T11:27:00.000-07:00

“So what’s your Plan B?” A question you will hear often to counter the Plan A for any emergencies. If plan A does not work, there is a plan B. Derived from the business world and typically used by managers, now the lingo is accepted generally amongst those who are risk savvy. But do leaders have a plan B? Following an interesting discussion, I was tempted to explore more to only realize that they commonly DO NOT. Leaders differ from managers, although some people who use the two terms interchangeably may disagree. But as the saying goes, “Managers are people who do the things right, while Leaders are people who do the right thing”. Their goals are ultimate for which they go to the extent of spending all their energies and often all their life time to make it happen. SUCCESS remains the ONLY success indicator for them; whether they live to see it happening or they die in pursuit of it.

China remains the ever evolving legacy of Mao Zedong (1893 - 1976). He left behind his famous thought variant of Marxism, which is still followed widely and called Maoism. His struggle for more than two decades (1927 - 1949) of civil and international war won him The People’s Republic of China in 1949 through his famous Red Army of peasants and worker class. Inspired by the famous Russian revolution, he aimed against the corrupt elite and shook up the peasants and workers to bring universal justice and equality and set forth the revolution that emerged as an independent state. Despite controversies, he is officially held at the highest regard in China as the savior of the nation.

Martin Luther King Junior (1929 – 1968) had a dream that set forward the vision of a color blind American society. He challenged the status quo and called for change the way African Americans were treated, in a non violent way. He took risk, despite threats to his personal safety and stood up for his cause. His charismatic oratory won him the support of millions because of the inspiration and energy he used to transfer through it. He created that sense of urgency for the greatest civil rights movement in the history and remained in accord to his highest value i.e. non violence.

Ernesto Che Guevara (1928 - 1967) a physician whose thoughts were transformed by the pain and sufferings he witnessed during his travels of Latin American inlands. His solution to the ingrained economic inequality was to revolt against monopoly capitalism and imperialism for which he first chose Guatemala and later joined Fidel Castro in Cuban revolution. His traits as a military strategist and guerilla leader put him second in command during the two years successful guerilla campaign. His intellect and diplomacy made him perform on key positions in the new government of Cuba under Fidel Castro. But his quest to end the sufferings of the poor moved him again to decide quitting the government role in Cuba and revolt in Bolivia eventually ending in his assassination.

You can pick any other: Nelson Mandela, Mother Teresa, Mohandas Gandhi, M. A. Jinnah, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk and the list goes on. None of them had a Plan B. And an important component of the Plan A of all these leaders was the HOPE which they successfully kept alive.

Leadership Journey of Vijith Randeniya, Chief Fire Officer, West Midlands

2010-08-31T11:46:00.000-07:00

Rising from the lowest ranks to the top rank within an organization took 26 years of relentless and passionate commitment to duty for Vijith Reandeniya now 49. After earning a degree in modern history, Vijith chose to opt for a path of a fire officer despite the resistance from his parents. Vijith says, his father believed he wasted a good degree as firefighting was not his idea of a professional career for his son. But Vijith joined with an aim in mind, to change the stereotype about opting for a career in fire services. Currently, Vijith is incharge of GBP 120m budget and 2600 staff handling one of the two biggest fire stations in England and Wales. Vijith’s parents migrated from Sri Lanka, not knowing that their son would later become the first Asian chief officer of any fire service in England and Wales.

This is no ordinary story of personal leadership where someone starts at the lowest of the ranks and move up the ladder to be the chief. Setting up higher standards and attention to details is what defines a lifestyle for Vijith. He has been highly motivated and driven by the life and personality of John Fitzgerald Kennedy and ranks him as one of his mentors (and highly recommends listening to the inaugural speech of JFK). When on path of leadership, studying and education never ends. Vijith during his career earned his graduate degree in Management and finally ended up getting an honorary doctorate degree as well.

From the perspective of leadership, Vijith believes that there is no such thing as a perfect leader. “As a human, we are all vulnerable. People pull us down. And at times emotion gets us. But you should have sense of ambition that keeps you rolling and climbing again”. His best moment in life was when he was awarded by the Queen and when his father proudly talks about his son being the Chief Fire Officer. His current ambitions include making his fire station the best anywhere in the world. In this pursuit he is trying to address the fundamental challenges of avoiding fires rather than fighting them. Prevention is better than cure. Nothing like it!

Winning Isn’t Everything, It’s The Only Thing!

2010-08-30T09:49:00.000-07:00

Some may not agree, but ask the winners. Winning tastes good. It’s an absolute fun to enjoy the cakes, sweets, and drinks on the bus (“boos”) especially if you have won them. Frontiers planned it and won it together with the Laughing Leaders for Birmingham group. The action packed Sunday morning still remains a memorable anecdote.

It started with Alison’s challenge of being the first one to pack and be at porters lodge as a group early morning. Someone from the Frontiers group took it seriously and proposed in the group gathering, “Let’s go for it”. I still remember the element of surprise on the group leader’s (Betul) face but despite her tiredness she valued the group’s decision to sacrifice sleep. Room numbers and telephone numbers got exchanged and listed. Next morning this little piece of paper with all the numbers made the difference. Frontiers were all ready, together, completed at porters lodge. But winning isn’t that easy. It revealed that the challenge included the group coupling named as Birmingham group (Frontiers + Laughing Leaders). Unless the other group is ready as well, we can’t win. And here goes Amir on the run to gather his folks to let us all win. I must say, leading from the front, his on spot initiative and promptness to not give up the prize made a vital difference. He collaborated and quickly gathered n-1. Searching out Saeeda was not an easy task but somehow he even did that in the matter of minutes :-) “Kudos Amir. Leadership at times brings in some extra responsibility; I hope you will cherish it being amongst the winners.”

As they say, “if you're a champion, you have to have it in your heart”.

"Naught But A Single Nation" by Guest Blogger - Memoona Sajjad, Pakistan

2010-08-13T08:04:00.000-07:00

Memoona is currently teaching and also working as a freelance writer. Her first book "Us versus Them and Beyond" was released in March 2010.

‘And mankind is naught but a single nation.’ (The Quran, 2:213)

My friend from Mosaic Sayka Hussain summed it up best to her inquisitive colleagues when asked what the Mosaic International Summit was all about_ ‘What would you make of a place with 80 people from all over the world, different cultures, languages, backgrounds... conservative Saudi Arabia rubbing shoulders with secular Turkey, Pakistan with Bangladesh... and guess what_ true respect for difference, a genuine desire to know and understand, celebration of diversity, sharing, learning, enlightening discussions, and some real fun.’

A paradigm of refreshing rarity in this puzzling, jostling world_ that’s the Mosaic International Summit. I remember the dismal air of gloom that hung over my city as it still reeled from the scars of a horrific terrorist attack earlier in July. I also remember the nervousness and anxiety, the clammy hands clutching the crumpled bit of paper with ‘safar ki duaein (prayers for travelling)’ written across it on the way to the airport. I remember reading worrying reports about the banning of veils in Europe, and the likelihood of it happening in the UK too, and getting jittery about the whole thing... and I remember how soon it all became a distant memory.

I’ve often read and heard of unity in diversity and seen bespectacled intellectuals make a big deal out of it, but these past few days I actually saw it work, witnessed it all around, experienced it, lived it. Eighty people from all over the world, and yet the instant bonding, the connectedness, the fraternal feeling, almost. You say that magic word ‘Salam alaikum’, and there you go_ the tautness leaves you, the stiffness goes out, and you feel warmed up, bursting into a smile_ as simple as that.

Now that I can reflect on the extraordinary experience, I know it was the ‘Muslim connection.’ Because beneath all our colours, shades and shapes, we shared core values. With all our diversity, we converge in a Unity that arises out of the faith we all share. Even as we travel on our own marked out pathways and make our own individual journeys, we are linked to the Centre that holds_ like those myriads circling the Sacred House_ always moving, yet always firmly linked to the Centre that holds_ Homeward bound.

To write down what I learnt at Mosaic International Summit is to try and put an abysmal intensity in black and white. However, one of the many lessons that was significant to me personally was the tremendous force with which the reality of the resounding ‘Verily, We have honoured the Children of Adam’ (The Noble Quran, 17:70) was driven home to me; that we all are honoured in being human; and that every individual is a piece in the Mosaic painted by the ‘Moving Finger’, adding to the colour, completing the design and making it whole. Every individual fits into and adds to that bigger picture; every individual is intrinsically valuable for his God-given humanness.

The experience of meeting spirited, visionary young Muslims from the world over revived in me the Hope that was so dangerously dwindling with news alerts, breaking news updates and appalling headlines. If 80 people, as my friend had so candidly put it, could foment the most enduring ties in two weeks and eighty different voices could break out in chorus ‘Different colour, one people...’, there was promise on the horizons. If this spirit could be magnified onto the world scene, a lot of obstacles could be surmounted, a lot of barriers could fall and stereotypes shatter.

Meeting people who had made it big in life and had substantially contributed to society reinstated my Idealism, and convinced me it was not foolish or vain to dream and to idealize. It was not stupid to have a vision for a better world even in your smallness. Every journey begins with a single step. You only have to know it will take you there. The signposts on the journey come from the faith you subscribe to, and guidance is to stay the course signposted for you. As a Muslim, I was awe struck to find that for every issue we discussed or focussed on_ be it leadership, sustainability, poverty alleviation or interfaith harmony_ there was a clear and comprehensive guideline, a definitive pointer, a solution indicated in the sacred texts of Islam. And hence Islam is no religion, but a Code of Life. Truly. It has always been faith that has inspired people to attain the highest of human aspirations, and it is Islam that informs our response as Muslims to the challenges confronting us today. On leadership, Islam tells us we have to be followers before we can lead; it tells us we all have a leadership responsibility within our own spheres, and that we are all as ‘shepherds to our flocks’, as the Prophet (SAW) used the analogy. On sustainability, Islam tells you to respect the natural Balance Allah has created: ‘And We have set up the Balance; so do not transgress the due Balance.’ (The Quran, 55:9) On poverty it tells you it must be eliminated by all means, as Ali (R.A) said, ‘If poverty was a person, I would have killed it.’ It teaches the importance of charity, and gives a system to regulate and establish it as a permanent means to bridge socio-economic disparity. However, it also tells you charity may help lift people out of a crippling animal existence, but that the real need is to create sustainable means of income generation through vigorous economic activity and an egalitarian, inclusive culture_ just as the Prophet (SAW) preferred to teach the beggar who approached him to fend for himself rather than just give him charity. It teaches you that while you put your faith in God, you also have to ‘tie your camel tight’, and that ‘Allah does not change the condition of any nation, until they change themselves’(The Noble Quran, 13:11) _ putting the onus on human initiative, individual and communal effort rather than Messianic hero-worship and inaction. I leant, as Councillor Afzal Khan CBE quoted from a hadith, that ‘He whose Today is not better than his yesterday, is a sure loser,’ and as Mr. Arif Zaman quoted in his parting message, ‘Value five things before five others... youth before old age, wealth before poverty, free time before getting busy, health before illness, and life before death.’ (hadith of the Prophet SAWW, narrated by Abu Dharr R.A) I learnt, as professor Keeler put it, that ‘Islam is a Balance produced by a Unity imparted through Revelation: the highest and most powerful form of Knowledge...’, and that it depends on us what we wish to take from the thousands of years of the Islamic experience and its heritage.

I noticed also that all of the extraordinary leaders we met_ Muslim or non Muslim_ shared one common, basic value_ they all had vision that transcended the immediate, short term material goal. They all had their eyes fixed on Yonder, and rose above the pettily personal. That is what made them people of personal integrity, character, principle, upstanding virtue. I learnt that this is the most fundamental component of true leadership, in whatever capacity. Because, as Imran_ a delegate from from UK put it, at the end of the day, we are all going into our own graves, and we are all going to have to answer for our actions. So it really is about your individual/personal choices in life, your sensitivity to the moral voice, your intentions, your sincerity. Even when we work for our fellow human beings, the punchline is that ‘in the final analysis, it is between you and God; it was never between you and them anyway.’

I look back with both nostalgia and thanksgiving. Some Mosaic moments come to haunt, instruct, enlighten, reassure and cheer up. From so many of my friends I learnt that beneath our skins and appearances we had so much in common, so much to share... I learnt how fickle our stereotypes are, how infantile our preconceived notions. I learnt that freedom and liberty is to be yourself and let the other be, and to respect their right to be themselves. (thank you Afrah, Demet, Pinar, Yavuz, Tabinda, Amir, Unjela) I learnt to rise above external trappings and value the essence within; I learnt the importance of self-awareness, a sense of identity and the strength to profess it in order to venture into someone else’s sacred space (thank you Rizwan A). I learnt to embrace diversity and respect difference. I felt the warmth and the strength of holding hands and together walking the tedious Path, yet sure of the Guiding Hand, moving on, hoping to get There, eventually (thanks, Sayka). I relished that wonderful feeling of being understood, trying to understand, sharing, exchanging, learning, unlearning. (thank you Fatma, Saeeda, Leena, Sumayyah, Laila D, Muna and Laila M; thanks Sally, Shazmeer, Shafiullah and Dani, Syrafil, Anas, Lamine, Omar, Ria, Zara, Awin, Noor, Rashed, Rizwan S, Aarij, Ammar, Arkan, Ahmad and Kurdi). Thank you Lamia, Aseel, Sharizad, Mia, Firouza, Didi, Rahmat, Heru, Iben, Wulan, Farhiya, Nasra, Waseef, Muntaser, Hamza, Ebrahim, Abu Ala, Narmin, Liana, Rania, Amal, Fajr, Maryam and ALL my newfound brothers and sisters. Ifti and Pinar, thank you both for the intelligent discussions. Jamil, thanks for the help and support right from the first Etihad counter and all the way, literally. Palwasha, thanks for inspiring me in your gentle, quiet manner. Afzal, Salman, Adil, Ishtiaq and my other Pakistani friends, you give me so many reasons to be proud of and hopeful for my country.

A recurring memory is of the last night before departure, when John (or John O’Brien, executive head of MOSAIC) sat with some of us, sharing his journey to Mosaic, and what Mosaic had come to mean to him. He confided in us the values this had imparted to him, and how his encounter with every single one of the extraordinary people at Mosaic had been part of the personal journey of Self Awareness he had been chosen to make. He shared how it had made him look at some of the subtle biases he had grown up into, with maturity, critical insight and a humanistic vision. John’s experience resonated with many of our own stories of what Mosaic had come to mean to us. And in the magic of that moment, the diversity of the little group we were, the Welshness, whiteness and blue-eyedness, the brownness, blackness and veiledness, holiness or unholiness dissolved away into nothing_ for we were as one, able to feel, think, respect, empathize, understand, respond, laugh and weep_ just different colours, but one people... thank you, John!

I remember how during the presentations at Mosaic, whenever any of the presenters talked of the ‘Eighty extraordinary young leaders’, I would shrink into myself, thinking ‘seventy nine, actually.’ After this vigorous, overwhelming, transforming experience, I feel inspired, motivated, driven, sure of myself, confident of my vision, hopeful, energized, empowered, connected and resourceful... ready to take the plunge. And so do the seventy nine others. I browse through my mailbox reading messages from Bangladesh, Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Jordan expressing not merely concern over the recent devastating floods in my country, but activism, responsibility, empathy and a desire to lend a hand. I am reassured, heartened... and a familiar hadith rings in my ears: “The believers, in their mutual mercy, love and compassion, are like a (single) body; if one part of it feels pain, the rest of the body will join it in staying awake and suffering fever.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari).

I rise on the wings of Hope_ all is not lost!

"The English Reflections" by Guest Blogger – Wulan Palupi, Indonesia

2010-07-17T16:36:00.000-07:00

Wulun has been working as a journalist in Indonesian national newspaper and is now head of International Desk and had been covering economic issues.

I don't know why I come up with this title; it just came across my mind. I am so grateful that I have been given this wonderful opportunity to be here, in the middle of inspiring and talented people. No bullshit, this isn't just a meaningless nice thing that I would like to say. Its substantial.

Being here, in Mosaic International Summit in Cambridge University, one of the best University in the world, with such an energetic and full of energy young people, just really mesmerize me. I feel like all these years I've been throwing away such great opportunities been given to me by not doing my best. And I don't want that to happen again. I remember that I wrote some similar stuff when I was in Japan for scholarship, almost seven years ago writing this sort of reflection. Now I question myself as if I becoming a better person since then?

I'm sorry that this piece of my thought is a little bit emotional and not come out with a good organization. Seeing my new friends here, listening to such an inspiring journey from the speakers sometime almost makes me cry. These people are brave, enthusiastic and believe in their heart that they can make a change. Not all of them have been privileged to do something. They all face many stumbling blocks, I believe they all have some shortcomings in some aspects. But it doesn't stop them to contribute something. Their boldness makes everything possible.

We need those young people with positive thinking, energy, willingness and persistency to take action for their community. This doesn't really mean to be a big shot, it might be small but it can inspire people to do the same, even better. I hope this flame inside our heart doesn’t fade away quickly. I hope it will increase bigger and bigger so that will bring warmth to more people.

Mosaic Summit and the people involved here, my fellow delegates from 18 countries, has taught me an important lesson, something that might be new, but sometime we forget. We all are here in this world for a reason, everyone have a portion to color their life, to make it fruit full to themselves, their surrounding and to the mankind. With all my heart, thank you once again for such a wonderful experience.

Connecting the Dots – Round Up Day 4 and 5

2010-07-17T16:09:00.000-07:00

Poverty had been the worst of ills that surrounds us; more than 1.6 billion below poverty line. This further triggers several issues. As put by Habib Malik from Islamic relief, big 5 issues that needs quick intervention includes, hunger, Disease, Death, Health, Livelihood.

Dr. Hani Taha the founder of Islamic relief was a hilarious inspiration. The work he has done and the achievements he had are simply commendable. All about him can be summarized in his concept of FAT KISS. F = Fund Raise, A = Advocate, T = Train, K = Knowledgebase, I = Innovative, S = Sustainability, S = Solution.

Mike hardy, Anjum Anwar and Chris Chivers gave absolutely magnificent talks inculcating a sense of accommodating others and having a meaningful dialogue to resolve issues. In the end, I would simply quote Jonathan, “The one who would be a leader, must be a bridge”.

“Colors of Mosaic” by Guest Blogger – Memoona Sajjad Pakistan

2010-07-17T14:57:00.000-07:00

Memoona graduated with a major in English Literature and International relations. She is currently teaching and working as a freelance writer. Her first book "Us versus Them and Beyond" was released in March 2010.

It is amazing how effortlessly the connections at Mosaic materialized. It is as if we have known each other for years... It just shows that while our diversity adds the colour, at the core we share common values emerging from the Unity that is so central to Islam. The way we have all been gelled together with all our uniqueness, individualism and cultural diversity, only goes to illustrate how we can create a beautiful 'mosaic' full of the colours of humanity by knowing ourselves and respecting others as they are. The beautiful and intricate painting that materialized as we all worked on our tiny bits of paper is a powerful symbol indeed. It is a metaphor of the potential of collective human endeavour and how every individual adds his unique colour to create the Mosaic that is the human family.

I would also like to share an amazing project called "The Story of Stuff". The mission of the project is to mission is to build a strong, diverse, decentralized, cross-sector movement to transform systems of production and consumption to serve ecological sustainability and social wellbeing. Our goals are to amplify public discourse on a diverse set of sustainability issues and to facilitate the growing Story of Stuff community’s involvement in strategic efforts to build a more sustainable and just world.

You can check out a cool video here on The Story of Stuff.

“Feeding Mind and Spirit” by Guest Blogger – Lina Gomaa Egypt

2010-07-17T14:22:00.000-07:00

Lina is a language instructor teaching Arabic to students at Beloit College in Wisconsin. She holds a degree in creative writing from Beloit College as well and was a part of successful inaugural session of mosaic summer school in 2009.

When I was 12, I always imagined myself teaching students in a classroom. I even had a white board where I spent hours teaching imaginary students. Many years later, teaching became my profession where one has to lead the education journey of others. I enjoy teaching and giving to others the knoweldge I have gained. However, if I want to lead my class properly, I should also feed my mind and my spirit; this is where attending Mosaic summit became very important for me. The summit is a recharge to leaders where they can reenergize themselves in their various fields. Personally, seeing successful leaders talking to me and the audience, exposes me to different role models; I am given the chance to talk and sit with them; thinking one day, I will be like them too!

Flow Begins – Round Up Day 2 and 3

2010-07-16T19:02:00.000-07:00

“Coaching is unlocking a person’s potential in order to maximize their performance. It is about helping them to learn, rather than teaching them.”

Certainly, Professor Bina Kandola and Stuart Duff holds the capability to unlock a person’s potential. Stuart lead the sessions amazingly and a single most important message he gave to be a good leader was to stay ALERT. ALERT is the set of characteristics / habits that includes Awareness, Learns, Enables, Resilient, True. Together they make a leader ALERT. Exercises in coaching and self coaching were simply impactful. Within few hours we were ready to GROW. Again GROW represents the phases in coaching that includes Goal, Reality, Opportunity and Will. After these sessions you feel like being on The Leadership Journey.

Will Day’s speech on sustainability was magnificent. It was a real MIND OPENER. Haven’t heard so well before of all the apparent issues that we as a global citizens are facing, the way they all are inter connected and their negative impact. Issues like food, land grab, population, rising temperature, maternal health, child health, poverty, energy are amongst the few what we are facing today.

Few interesting global findings he shared includes, 1) More you are rich, less religious you are, 2) There is strong link between health and positive and negative growth, 3) Population growth is way quicker in poorer parts of the world, 4) Climate change could force 1 billion from their homes by 2050, 5) US military is one of the biggest consumer of oil on the globe and they have warned massive shortages by 2015, 6) British Petroleum says that for every 9 barrels f oil we consume, we are only discovering one.

I am sure bells must have started ringing in your minds by now. It’s a matter of concern and we as a globally responsive citizens holds the responsibility to address these issues.

Vision Pakistan

2010-07-15T16:45:00.000-07:00

Hi Folks. I have been asked to put up the movie that you saw on Pakistan Artisans for a quick link. Here you go. Cultural Classics.

Here is another link to a brief movie on Pakistan suggested by Memona. Pakistan.

Followers of the Lone NUT

2010-07-14T17:04:00.000-07:00

Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it!' - Goethe

We have had a chance to discuss different types of leaderships. Leadership types are characterized by different set of situations. Few of our collective brain storming outputs include,

Behavioral Leadership

Situational Leadership

Charismatic Leadership

Action Leadership

Thought Leadership,

Democratic Leadership

AND Accidental Leadership - Thanks to Rizwan Ahmad to coin it :)

But then again Followers play an important role in leadership and defining a leader. As Derek Sivers say, first follower is an under-appreciated form of leadership. The first follower transforms a lone nut into a leader. As they say, picture is worth a thousand words, so is movie worth a million words. I would like to connect to a movie and the article by Derek Sivers where he shows a video of a dancing guy who spark up the followers.

To watch a video on You Tube.

To read the transcript of the video.

The Appetizer – Round Up Day 1

2010-07-14T16:35:00.000-07:00

A great start to an invaluable learning. Stuart Liang’s (Deputy Vice Chancellor Cambridge, Master of Corpus Christi) welcome address simply built the connection between the ambience and the spirit of leadership. Followed by Farah Pandith’s story of defining priorities and values and pursuing passion was quite commendable. Sir Fazl-e-Hassan Abed is a great success story in the social sector. Challenging the status quo and being the mad man to invest GBP 8000 pounds in BRAC after selling his house could only sound insane. But that insanity turned into the world’s largest NGO working globally. Last but not the least, John O'Brian. He opened up the summer school with some really meaningful thoughts and expressions. How does one defines a leadership - through character, knowledge and role. A good foundation definition that is certainly meant to expand in the remaining summer school.

And I never thought that I would revert back to painting after so many years. And while painting, I discovered my hidden interest towards playing with colors and using them as a way of expression. But even more interesting was the fact that a small little contribution by everyone resulted into a beautiful Mosaic in the end. A lot of thoughts – floating on the exosphere of the brain.

Passion - Reloaded

2010-07-13T23:36:00.000-07:00

People do their best at things they truly enjoy - their passion. Since we have all been talking about passions while exploring our inner strengths, I thought to share an old blog I wrote couple of months back.

Please check it out at Entrepreneurship 3.0

Wow! Thats Interesting.

2010-07-11T22:58:00.000-07:00

Monday mornings often start slow. Here's a way of Fighting the Monday Morning Blues. Would like to share an interesting strategy that I read sometimes back.

Strategy: Remember the story of the little girl whose reaction taught David a big lesson?

David was taking a walk when he noticed a helium balloon in a happy 3 year old girl's hand. A sudden sharp gust of wind took the balloon from the girl and David braced himself for lots of crying and wailing.

But, as the girl saw the balloon flying up, she gleefully said 'Wow!' Later that day, David got a call with an unexpected problem and just as he was about to say 'Oh no!', he remembered the little girl and said 'Wow! That's interesting. How can I help?'

Life's going to keep us off balance by throwing unexpected problems. We can choose, however, to be frustrated or fascinated!

“May The Octopus Live Long” – Spain

2010-07-11T14:57:00.001-07:00

Watching the final at Clare conference hall with fellow delegates was a treat.

With all its flurry and noise, the FIFA 2010 comes to an end. Latin America over powered the pre-quarter finals and Europeans smashed them apart in quarter finals. An event full of surprises and upsets. Africa made the event delightful indeed. Waving Flag was much better song than waka waka. And the best amongst the lot emerged as the winners. Though it’s a collective team effort, I must say Iker Casillas stole the show over all. He must be having goose bumps never seen before while holding the trophy with the chest wide open. Well done Spain.

The biggest shock was for Maradona, which he is still trying to overcome. He along with his team refused the presidential reception, simply because they didn’t do something worthy of it. Others fire their coaches or retire their coaches who don’t perform well. Maradona is being insisted to carry on by the Argentinean president. The legends are loved forever.

Deigo Forlan was definitely the right pick for the best player of the world cup. He rightly deserves the golden ball. Single handedly, taking Uruguay to the semis troubling and scaring teams like Netherland and Germany is definitely commendable.

Anyways, its joy for few and tears for others. That’s how the life is in this beautiful game of nerves and strategy. Nothing worked in Africa, but OCTOPUS - for bookies!

Confucius Calls You !!!

2010-07-11T14:22:00.000-07:00

It’s a peaceful campus. Silent and Contemplative. Just like Confucius. Calling you to get involved in a similar spirit. Think and reflect. Reflect and correct. Correct and adapt. Adapt and pass on. Confucius at Clare College Cambridge greets you. Its scenic beauty attracts you. The weather is simply awesome. Though a little hot for few but definitely wonderful for those coming in from 47 degree Celsius. The ambience is just superb.

While you arrive at Porter’s Lodge at Memorial Court, wonderful old trees welcome you onboard. Guest registration desk guides you to your suites. Old buildings with comfortable suites awaits you- a study room, bedroom and washroom all together. You drop your luggage, take a quick shower and move out to grab your information pack. At one corner Mr. Confucius stares at you. As you move outside the memorial Court, in front you will find the botanical gardens, the Great Hall for dining, a small canal and some big old cows grazing :)

“What the superior man seeks in himself is what the small man seeks in others.” - Confucius

Thats the Confucius way of saying, not to compete against others but to compete against yourself.

Discovering The Power of Network

2010-07-11T13:38:00.000-07:00

It’s great. It’s amazing. As soon as you join a network, a world opens up for you. All of a sudden out of nowhere you end up meeting different people connected under a common umbrella called: The Network. People derive inspiration, bring forward plethora of information and open up the way you think and conceive.

The Mosaic Netork brought forward a similar binding. Strangers, all of a sudden turned connections. Right from the Lahore Airport I met Adil and Memoona, next my old buddy Afzal at Abu Dhabi Airport who coincidently turned out to be a part of Mosaic. And just before stepping out of the plane I happened to bump into Salman, Tabinda and Rizwan. By the time we collected our baggage and stepped out of Heathrow Palwasha was there and that completed the group from Pakistan. Before heading to Cambridge, Ahmad and Afrah from Bahrain joined in as well. Stepping into Clare College Cambridge, Aarij, Lina, Betul, Zara and Sharif from Pakistan, Egypt, Turkey, UK and Oman were ready to greet. And the story goes on. Fourteen plus new acquaintances, yet to gel in a strong bond over the next few days, all within less than 24 hours.

"Always pay it forward and never forget to pay it back. It's how you got here and it defines where you are going". - Brian Solis.

That’s the power of network !!!

The Summer School on Leadership

2010-07-09T04:02:00.000-07:00

Mosaic summit will be bringing 80 leaders from around the globe to take part in an interesting and unique program commissioned to develop a momentum for positive change. Built to form a cavalry that can further create beacons of hope in their respective communities, is simply an initiative worth pursuing; both for organizers and the delegates.

What comes ahead during the summer school is still unknown, though the agenda has been shared. But the program has more to do with practicality and experience rather than static information. None the less, the momentum has already started building. The choice of location has its own traction. Clare College Cambridge has a history dating back to 1326 and is the second oldest of Cambridge’s 31 colleges. The diverse group about to be together for 2 weeks holds a unique karama. Thread of email exchanges and quick intros are simply energizing. The enthusiasm, anxiety, dreams, support, sharing have all started converging towards the same path: translating the power of positive thinking.

I will end with an interesting answer to a question I read recently.

What will you do if one day the whole world will be on one side and you on the opposite? Simple just turn back and you will be the leader of the whole world. Work smart. Stay Positive ;)

Mosaic Art - Philosophical Significance

2010-07-08T00:45:00.000-07:00

Mosaic is a combination of small colorful pieces of glass, stone, marble or ceramic joined together to form bigger tiles – a unified whole. A form of art that is usually used for interior décor is often a symbol of cultural significance since ages. Mosaic art has a history dating back to 1500 BC and picked up in Islamic world during the time of Ummayyad Dynasty.

This colorful multicolored square / cube shaped tiles gives a unique message of harmony, coexistence, interdependency and totality. Smaller tiles gel in together to create a bigger tile that dictates beautiful pattern and sequence and secure attention while alone they are nothing. An important aspect is the placement of small blocks to develop a meaningful pattern. If out of place, the mosaic loses its significance. While you closely observe the art, it directly correlates to the aspects of leadership, teams and outcomes of collective action; the power of a unified whole.

Mosaic Netwrok

2010-07-06T20:45:00.003-07:00

Mosaic was founded by HRH The Prince of Wales in 2007 with an aim to develop and groom young muslim leaders from around the globe who can further contributes towards bringing a positive change in the society.

Mosaic works towards a more integrated and thriving society where all individuals, regardless of background, are supported in realizing their potential.

The Prince of Wales has set the objectives for Mosaic simple and straight: to extend a helping hand to those members of our Muslim communities who need it, and together with our other diverse communities, about whom I happen to care a great deal.

To achieve this, Mosaic aims to:

- Increase education opportunities for those who do not have them

- Increase opportunities for understanding between people of different backgrounds

Mosaic operates in the U.K as a set of initiatives championed by Muslims aimed at raising aspirations and providing opportunities. Internationally Mosaic reaches into 17 countries via an emerging leaders development programme and opportunities for established leaders to gain insights into key social and environmental issues. Mosaic is also now being established in Bahrain, Qatar & U.A.E by individuals and organisations who have embraced the principles developed within the U.K. under His Royal Highnesses leadership.

For more details, please visit Mosaic website.