Ideas Matter

By Colin Douglas, Courtney Cox, Pierre Liebenberg and Kayla Beare

Today's trailblazers are banging the drum for a revolution in leadership. And, with converging crises straining our world, it is the right time for a new and courageous brand of leadership that puts people first.

This was the insight from Douglas Knowledge Partners’ inaugural “ideas salon” in London, where we had the honour of hosting three visionaries who shone a spotlight on the ideas that matter to which have shaped their careers. Our panellists called on leaders of organisations to recognise that their employees are far from mere cogs in a machine – they are multifaceted humans pulsing with emotions and nurtured by relationships. We heard a potent call to match work with personal passions, to replace transactions with transformative connections, and to make workplaces arenas of sustainability and well-being.

“My dream is that leaders can move from that unhelpful and inaccurate view of humans as purely economic agents or cogs in a machine. Instead, I envision leaders who embrace a more holistic understanding, yet still grounded in scientific research on psychology and human nature. This understanding encompasses the entirety of people – their emotions, physical well-being and relationships with others. By truly grasping how humans operate, organisations can be propelled forward, fostering transformative ideas that positively impact the world.”

— Tera Allas, CBE, Director of Research and Economics at McKinsey & Company