Innandya Irawan - Kindness and humility - key traits for real leaders

In this episode, Innandya Irawan, co-founder of CarbonEthics, talks about how important it is for leaders to “choose to be kind instead of to be right”. This calls for a level of self-awareness, so that leaders can have open discussions with their team.

“Try not to scold if they make mistakes but be honest with them and let them have ownership, not just accountability. Let them be part of a decision and it helps them to have more professional commitment,” she says.

The second quality that today’s leader needs is humility. “Leadership, for me, is not about a pay cheque, authority or recognition; it’s about the readiness to serve others,” says Innandya.

“It’s about equipping others with the right tools and strategies to help break down barriers and leading through example in this world we’re living in that’s vulnerable, uncertain, complex and ambiguous,”

When working with volunteers, her first question is always to ask how she can help them to develop and grow

Leaders should get to know the team on a personal level, understand their professional or personal goals. “As a leader in the NGO that I’m in or in the corporation, I’m presented with the opportunity to make an impact in someone’s life on a daily basis, and my aim is always to leave a positive footprint wherever I go. I think the ultimate test of great leaders is whether their people felt they were a better person than the first time that they came in to join the organisation. To do that, it means you’ve got to take a stand for their development as well.”