This year’s Leadership Conference was fronted and run by tertiary SPARKs Girls for Girls.
BAD LEADER, GOOD LEADER
We often imagine awesome leaders as charismatic visionaries who never make mistakes, are well-respected, and succeed through sheer hard work and talent.
But how realistic is this picture, and is that really the type of leader we’d like to follow or become?
This year’s Leadership Conference saw Joy Lim a GB alumnus who volunteers with street ladies, and Jennifer Heng, Director of Safe Place (a shelter for expectant mums in need of support) speaking to approximately 400 Secondary-three Girls about a different kind of leadership – one where it’s not just about what you do, but who you are as a person.
THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING ORDINARY
“Find the strength to be ordinary, and to be faithful and willing.” Joy Lim
Meaningful change doesn’t always require radical action. The smallest, ordinary steps can make all the difference. Making a positive difference to someone else may be as simple as checking in on them from time to time. Doing that consistently, is the real challenge.
This self-professed “ordinary” introvert never imagined that her faithful friendship with street ladies in Geylang could mean so much to them.
For nearly a decade, Joy never gave up walking with street ladies out of their profession to pursue their dreams and reunite with their families.
Rather than yearning for moments of extraordinary breakthroughs, Joy encourages listeners to find beauty in ordinary moments, and to look past appearances to seek the beauty in the people they serve.
Be it sharing meals with the people we serve, paying attention to their needs, or listening to their stories, we can find beauty in the most ordinary person – even ourselves!
A good leader is not just what you do but through who you are
“Love the people you lead, you can love even the people you don’t like.” Jennifer Heng
Leaders are defined by their character, not just their actions.
Before she became the Director of Safe Place, Jennifer Heng has experienced being both a “bad” and a “good” leader before.
Calling her own leadership experience “humbling”, Jennifer shared how she once vented her frustrations at her team and had to pluck up the courage to apologise to each team member afterwards.
Although it felt uncomfortable, Jennifer reminds us that leaders have to “go first” when it comes to doing hard things in order to set a good example for their team. It’s more important that leaders love the people they lead – even if they’re not fond of them.
Even the most ordinary person can genuinely love those they lead and stand firm in the worth of their followers. This is the stuff that good leaders are made of!
We can’t wait to learn more from LC2025!
Panelist Mrs Caryn Ong with Speaker Joy Lim, Panel Discussion host Gracelyn, and Speaker Jennifer Heng