Summary

In this episode of The Leading Yourself Podcast, Professor Kene Igweonu interviews Professor Rathna Ramanathan, exploring the themes of self-leadership, values-based decision making, and the balance between present and future responsibilities in leadership roles. Rathna shares insights from her extensive experience in higher education and the creative sector, emphasizing the importance of curiosity, integrity, and grounding practices for effective leadership. The conversation highlights the challenges leaders face and the necessity of nurturing one's identity beyond their professional roles.

Takeaways

• Self-leadership is about representation in leadership roles.
• Practice-led leadership integrates doing and thinking.
• Leadership is about being a custodian, not an owner.
• Curiosity should not be sacrificed for career pace.
• Values guide difficult decisions in leadership.
• Balancing present needs with future goals is crucial.
• Nurturing personal identity outside of work is essential.
• Creating daily space for reflection is important for leaders.
• Effective leadership requires openness to feedback.
• Building trust within teams fosters a supportive environment.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Leadership and Self-Leadership

03:19 Understanding the Role of Provost and Global Engagement

05:07 Defining Self-Leadership in Higher Education

09:30 Values-Based Leadership and Difficult Decisions

14:16 Balancing Present Needs with Future Vision

16:37 The Identity of a Leader vs. Personal Identity

19:21 Integrating Research and Leadership Roles

23:05 Grounding Practices for Leaders

29:55 Curiosity and Integrity in Leadership

33:22 Outro_ Self-Leadership is Intentional and Takes Practice