Iclif : Think Big, Do Small: A Simple Leadership Strategy | Isabel Medem
Channel: Iclif Executive Education Centre at ASB
Date: 2017-02-08

Isabel Medem’s young age did not stop her from becoming one of the most successful & well-known social entrepreneurs. Isabel has helped thousands of people in the slums of Peru with her innovation of the portable toilet.

Entrepreneurship means taking things into your own hands. It is almost activist-like, in the sense that you define something or realise that you care about something that becomes so important that you want to do something about it, or invent something new. 

You decide you are going to take into your hands rather than accepting the conclusion that: 
1) things won't ever change 
2) you’re not good enough 
3) if it's such a good idea, why hasn't anyone else done it already? 

Entrepreneurship is ignoring those thoughts and objections, deciding to go ahead.

Leadership is driven by values and purpose - how clear you are about what you want to get done with your life, oftentimes this leadership energy is driven by defining moments - challenges in the journey or just before you decide to jump into dedicating your life for a cause like this. 

The defining moments prior to X-runner happened when Isabel traveled to Peru to her mother's country and would suddenly see poverty after having grown up in Vienna, which is not a poor city. She couldn’t comprehend the poverty in Peru and how people lived in those conditions. At the same time, she was confronted with another side of Peru where people lived in luxury that one doesn't find in Vienna.

It was a defining moment where she thought to herself, “I don't accept that. I don't think that's the way it should be” when she saw the houses of poor and low-income people and imagined what it would feel like living there. She didn't like that and figured the people living in those conditions didn’t like that either. And that’s how Isabel decided to do something about it, taking action to fulfill the human right of access to good sanitation. 

As a leader, it's difficult but important to be able to think big and do small things.at the same time. It’s about seeing the larger scope. When you’ve cleared the hills, you can begin to aim for the summit. Have a huge vision of where you want to go, but also be able to see the small things you need to do to get closer to the goal. 

If you don't have a vision, you'll quickly get frustrated because you won't understand the context of the things that you're doing. You also have to be patient enough to understand that this will take time. The vision is a guide for you to do the small things that bring you closer to it. You have to be able to appreciate small successes. 

As a leader, you’ll always hear that you have to be good at listening. Yet, you must also learn to listen to yourself. Finally, be aware of your role as a leader. You may or may not want to be a leader. Maybe you’re even scared of it. Leadership is a role that, if you take it seriously and start identifying with it, being a leader has great potential because you can get people on board for things that are important to you.

Think big, do small.

This Iclif Leaders Room Interview was conducted by Dr. Thun Thamrongnawasawat, Director of Research and Curriculum at the Iclif Leadership and Governance Centre following the Iclif Leadership Summit Asia (LESA) 2016.

The Leaders Room, an initiative of the Iclif Leadership and Governance Centre, is a place for conversations with people who have either already built or are continuing to build a better future through their work, passion, and purpose in life. 

In this space, we invite leaders from all walks of life, to talk to us about their values, life purpose and the mindset that keeps them moving forward when they confront resistance and challenges.