Sports Guru inspires BME young leaders

Former cricketer and now internationally renowned psychologist Steven Sylvester normally spends his time working with top sportsmen and women and business leaders helping  ensure  they deliver world class performances.  But yesterday  he took time out to join OBV and Lewisham Council for the graduation of 30 BME leaders who took part in an intense four month leadership programme.

Using some of the key tenets of his bestselling book, ‘Detox Your Ego’, Sylvester told the young men and women:

"As leaders you need to be effective, you need to be dynamic, and yet my years of observing champions and how they work well tells me that when your focus is about the team, and not the self, when your energy is directed to the doing rather than the celebrating, it is at that point that you’re much more likely to win’.

Sylvester presented all the graduates with a signed copy of his book.

Also speaking at the event the Mayor of Lewisham Steve Bullock said:

"This collaboration with OBV has already produced leaders who are working in the criminal justice system, schools and in my very own council chamber. It would be easy to say that we’ve made good progress and now we can stop, but that would be a big mistake. We must find ways that we can keep this conveyor belt of talent going."

Jade Macdonald speaking on behalf of the graduates said:

"This project has changed my life. I used be an air-hostess for a leading airline, but I felt I could do more,  and much better. This civic journey has given me that belief. I’ve already sent my application off to become a magistrate in the courts.’

The men and women on this project have already  shown their leadership qualities. We have a mantra at OBV to this generation of BME leaders:

‘We’re not asking you to be successful  and dynamic in changing our world ... we’re demanding it’.

They've already responded to that call.

Well done all.

Simon Woolley