𝗦𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 & 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗟𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝘁 𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗼 𝗗𝗿. 𝗟𝗼𝘂𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘆
It was a pleasure to meet Louise on a recent trip to Tanzania. Louise is a third-generation paleontologist and the Director of Public Education and Outreach at the Turkana Basin Institute. Born and raised in Kenya, she is the youngest documented person to have found a hominoid fossil. With degrees in geology and biology, and a PhD from University College, London, Louise possesses an incredible repertoire of knowledge, alongside decades spent in research and fieldwork on East African human fossils.
Here are some key lessons I learned from her during an African evening in Tanzania:
𝟭. 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝘁𝗼 𝗦𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻
- Successful paleoanthropology requires knowledge of Anatomy, Geography, Biology, and Geology to understand key issues like how organisms change over time and why some species survive while others do not.
- An effective leader stays abreast of advances in related fields and prioritises continuing education.
𝟮. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆
- Advances in navigation tech such as GPS and GIS have made information sharing, posting, and fieldwork significantly easier.
- An effective leader leverages technology strategically to handle constraints and to improve outcomes.
𝟯. 𝗛𝘂𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀
- The collaborative work of scientists, local communities, and researchers, combined with technological advancements, has taught us much about human evolution. However, future discoveries may provide new insights into migration patterns for one.
- A seasoned leader emphasises the importance of being open to new, as-yet-unknown information.
These principles not only drive innovation but also inspire and guide teams to achieve extraordinary results.
Image source: Dr. Louise Leakey’s photograph courtesy the Turkana Basin Institute.
#leadership #motivation #inspiration #growth #sustainability #future #impact
Congratulations Matt, we look forward to working with you.