Winnie Byanyima is one of the most influential and inspiring leaders of our generation. She became the first African to lead an international development organization with her appointment as the Executive Director of Oxfam. She served in this position for 7 years before landing yet another high profile job. She currently heads the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), a Geneva, Switzerland–based operation that sets the global agenda for ending the epidemic.
An aeronautical engineer by profession and not one to shy away from speaking her truth, Winnie Byanyima has mostly lived a life dedicated to service. Whether in her capacity as a democratic governance and gender equality advocate, peace builder, diplomat or politician, she is a true embodiment of what great leadership entails.
Here are some leadership tips we picked from her interview with Financial Times.
VALUES
“My father always insisted that you have to stand up for what is right and pay the price if you must. Don’t follow what everyone is doing. It’s not about being popular, it’s about values and doing what is right.”
BE YOURSELF
“I would walk into a room with 30 to 40 men in black and grey suits and a few corporate women in little black suits. In my country, we wear green, yellow and red. The default is to blend in and be less threatening. But why be a bit different? I would overcome my fear and get on with my message in the sharpest way. It’s powerful to be different. I never hesitate to be myself.”
UNDERSTANDING
“To understand people and how to work with them. You need to be able to know what you can deliver, what you need from others and what they need from you.”
LEADERSHIP APPROACH
“You tackle power head on, analyse who has it, build structures where it is more shared and a voice is given to everyone. It’s a servant kind of leadership, where you put yourself perhaps at the back in order to let others lead, and see yourself as an enabler of others.”
RESILIENCE
“You need to be adaptable. Everything throws something new at you, and you must be able to fall and get up quickly. I’ve had my falls many times.”
