Leadership Institute To Build On Conference

For Immediate Release
February 21 2003

NEW ZEALAND LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE TO BUILD ON CONFERENCE MOMENTUM

Knowledge Wave Trust Chairman Dr John Hood today announced the formation of the New Zealand Leadership Institute as one initiative designed to harness the energy, ideas and momentum of the Knowledge Wave 2003 Leadership Forum.

Speaking at the conclusion of the conference, Dr Hood said that the Leadership Forum had demonstrated the potency of a gathering that gives leaders the chance to interact, to learn from one another's experiences and to find their common connections.

"It has been a view generally shared over the past three days by established and emerging leaders that we must look for ways to create ongoing opportunities for leadership to be recognised and nurtured if New Zealand is to build its leadership capability.

"The New Zealand Leadership Institute is one such response, and is designed to strengthen leadership training in collaboration with business, government, community and academic institutions.

"We will be consulting widely with public and private groups in New Zealand in seeking a broad base of support."

The New Zealand Leadership Institute (NZLI) will create a forum for leadership development activities. It will conduct research on New Zealand leadership and facilitate the maintenance of networks among emerging leaders here and abroad.

"Leaders are responsible for turning words into deeds, ideas into action. We know that leadership is increasingly important for success, be it at an organisational or national level. Yet we still know too little about the qualities and practice of effective leadership. The new centre will be dedicated to building our basic and practical understanding of leadership, and for providing a place for it to flourish."

The University of Auckland Business School has committed to the project, and it is currently in discussions with a number of potential partners to help develop the Institute. Dr Hood said that the Business School had already received a very positive response and support for the initiative.

The announcement of the institute was strongly endorsed by a number of senior corporate leaders including Telecom CEO Theresa Gattung, Fonterra Chairman, Henry van der Heyden and Westpac CEO, Anne Sherry and Deutsche Bank Managing Director, Scott Perkins. Their comments are attached.

"The Institute will also look to develop links to leadership institutes worldwide. Institutions like the Center for Leadership and Change Management at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and the Center for Creative Leadership in North Carolina, provide both models for the NZLI and are potential international partners."

Background Information

The New Zealand Leadership Institute

The overall aim of the New Zealand Leadership Institute is to build leadership capacity throughout New Zealand though training and development programmes, celebrating effective leadership, ongoing leadership research, the publication of New Zealand leadership case studies, conferences and workshops, and the development of a leadership support network. The New Zealand Leadership Institute will develop a greater understanding among business, governmental, educational and community leaders of the future by establishing a leadership development and support network, which:

* is determinedly focussed on economic and social imperatives

* involves all communities throughout New Zealand

* is strongly linked to international leadership networks and institutes

* identifies powerful, well-integrated economic, educational and community goals for New Zealand's future.

The New Zealand Leadership Institute, established by The University of Auckland Business School and key partners, will harness the energy, ideas and momentum of the Knowledge Wave's Leadership Forum.

Mission

The Mission of the New Zealand Leadership Institute is:

"to provide a high-powered leadership initiative that will galvanise the business community, government, education and local communities and give potential leaders guidance, voice and networks that will enable them to thrive, prosper and build a better New Zealand."

Core Values

The Institute is built on the premise that leadership is best learned and studied in cross-sectoral groups with an appropriate mix of academic and practitioner input. Research and case studies can uncover the factors that contribute to effective leadership in New Zealand and elsewhere. Leadership development must cover both immediate issues and matters of more strategic and future importance. Leadership in New Zealand must be viewed in a global context in light of globalisation trends. The Institute will seek to develop understandings of the variability of leadership styles appropriate to differing circumstances in which leadership is required.

Key goals of the New Zealand Leadership Institute

1. To bring together representatives from business, education and the community to enhance cross-sectoral understanding of leadership issues facing New Zealand.

2. To develop and encourage emerging business, public sector and community leaders aged between 17 and 35.

3. To anticipate the impact of New Zealand's current bi-cultural and future multi-cultural make-up on the country, and contribute to realising the leadership potential in all ethnic communities.

4. To establish an ongoing and effective regional network of leadership support and feedback from throughout New Zealand.

5. To conduct research into factors contributing to effective leadership in the New Zealand context and publish the results.

6. To encourage mind-opening and life-changing experiences. The New Zealand Leadership Institute will bring people together, expose them to diverse viewpoints and show them that they may need to change their own thinking to achieve big-picture goals in the years ahead for New Zealand.

Activities of the New Zealand Leadership Institute

Leadership Development Programmes

A structured programme of leadership development programmes will be provided including short courses (1-3 days), forums and workshops, online and residential courses that focus on leadership topics. Throughout academic themes and theoretical understanding of leadership will be balanced by the use of actual cases and the involvement of practitioners (current and former leaders) who will illustrate the topic from their own experience. The University of Auckland Business School has considerable experience in developing successful programmes through its extensive Short Course activities, customised corporate programmes and its joint venture activities through the ICEHOUSE.

Leadership Events

The New Zealand Leadership Institute will sponsor and host a wide-ranging programme of leadership events such as the Knowledge Wave's Leadership Forum, international visitor series, special activities for emerging, young leaders (high school and community leaders), and so forth.

Leadership Networking

The Institute will develop and maintain a leadership website which will include current information on leadership development opportunities, research findings, news and events. The website will encourage and facilitate interaction and communication among emerging leaders across New Zealand through chat rooms and such like.

The Institute will also publish a regular newsletter with information of interest and relevance to emerging and actual New Zealand leaders, including reports on effective leadership examples, news of leadership events and development opportunities, international features and the results of relevant research.

Research

The Institute will encourage and support research into New Zealand examples of effective leadership in order to elucidate key principles and differentiating factors. Case studies of effective leadership in action will be prepared and published in an accessible form. Opportunities for research into effective leadership in different sphere and communities (ethnic, regional, age-based) will be developed.

Leadership Awards

The Institute will develop and promote an annual national leadership awards programme that will recognise outstanding leaders in different sectors and spheres, including younger emerging leaders. Such an award programme would serve to celebrate and encourage leadership in New Zealand.

Organisation

The New Zealand Leadership Institute will be established as a partnership between The University of Auckland Business School and key collaborators from the business community, the public and not-for-profit sectors and education.

STATEMENTS OF SUPPORT

"New Zealand's growth challenge is also a leadership challenge. In the business community this challenge falls to people in small and large companies who need to build world-beating companies creating world-beating employment. I endorse the announcement of the launch of the New Zealand Leadership Institute as a major initiative to help meet this leadership challenge."

- Mr Scott Perkins, Managing Director, Co-Head Global Corporate Finance (New Zealand & Australia), Deutsche Bank

"I applaud the creation of the New Zealand Leadership Institute. The leaders of our community have a heavy charge - to inspire the nation, to be focused on the future, act with complete integrity, energise the community with innovation and deliver uncompromised results - but its one with great rewards. Imagine you were able to say that you made an important and positive different to the life of someone else or even better, the whole of New Zealand." - Henry van der Heyden, Chairman, Fonterra

" If New Zealand is serious about returning to the top half of the OECD it will need leaders who are committed and singularly determined on achieving this goal and who see no room for complacency. The New Zealand Leadership Institute will build on the Knowledge Wave bringing new ideas to the table to make this goal a reality."

- Andrew Grant CEO McKinsey & Company

"Telecom New Zealand believes that Kiwi leaders with a "can do" attitude can change the future for the betterment of us all. We welcome initiatives that help develop that leadership attitude and believe that the New Zealand Leadership Institute will play an important role in accelerating this development."

- Theresa Gattung, CEO,Telecom

"The New Zealand's business community needs a fresh perspective to embrace a responsibility to the society from which it profits. Today and tomorrow's business leaders need to be driven by much more than just profit. They need to ensure a future for our communities, to look out for employees, to keep their corporate consciences green and to most importantly earn the respect of customers. The New Zealand Leadership Institute promises to question the status quo and conserve and create knowledge."

- Anne Sherry, CEO, Westpac

"The New Zealand Leadership Institute has a vital role to play in encouraging leadership and innovation to flourish. It needs to encourage New Zealanders to make the 'tall poppy syndrome' socially unacceptable. We should be celebrating the rise of prominence, not finding fault in it."

- Gavin Ellis, Editor-in-Chief, New Zealand Herald

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