5 Leadership Lessons from a Lifetime with YPO

Here are some of the leadership lessons I have learned since 1986 when I became a founder member of the Cape Town Chapter.

From my early days in YPO, I learned that this organisation empowers its members to step up, take initiative, and grow. I have held volunteer leadership positions, served on the board, chaired committees, and designed programs that connected hundreds of YPOers from around the globe. These experiences have not only allowed me to meet extraordinary people from different countries, industries and walks of life, but also helped me develop and refine my leadership skills. My leadership style from before I joined YPO has improved by leaps and bounds, thanks to exposure to other leaders and a variety of opportunities to practice leading others.

During my time with YPO I have learned the importance of empathy and showing people you care, especially as a leader. Part of caring is listening. Another part of caring is leading with fun and humour.

And on another morning, we invited a sex therapist to address our group “how to make time during the business of running the event”. All in the name of fun!

One of the most valuable lessons I have gleaned through YPO experiences is not to overlook or underestimate people. This was epitomized during a predicament, many years ago, when a charter plane we were meant to fly to our destination couldn’t take off due to a technical issue. An older YPO couple volunteered to put a contingency plan together and organised a new venue and itinerary, which they pulled off in 45 minutes. Before this moment, I would not have considered this couple to organize an event. They did a great job.

My YPO forums have been another remarkable platform for leadership and learning experiences. Described as a personal, private, and confidential “board of directors”, these monthly meetings provide a safe space to discuss any issue – personal, business, family, or political.

The collective wisdom, respect, and care within these forums have helped me navigate life’s many challenges. Being part of a YPO forum has taught me that if you’re prepared to listen on a particular issue and take on board good questions and advice through conversation, you can live life in a far more successful way. The success of a forum group is that you receive help from other leaders, and you can also help others work out challenging situations. A true mark of the importance of a supportive community of peers, many chief executives join YPO for the chapter, but they stay for the forum experience.

YPO’s culture of volunteer leadership led me to organize a YPO Intl Cape-Town-Couples University in March 2000, little did I know at the time, this would spark the genesis of a new business. For months after the event, dozens of YPO members reached out to me for help revisiting Africa with their families, so I began referring them to various safari lodges, companies whom I knew well.

After a few months of arranging these requests, encouraged by my forum, what began as simply helping others, evolved into a business with a mission to make people fall in love with our beautiful country. That business, Timeless Africa Safaris, is now 21 years old, with a team of 17.

YPO has also taught me the power of staying connected. The ability to tap into a global network of over 34,000 members means any question can be answered within three degrees of separation. This network is a significant asset that has enriched my life and that of my family, immeasurably.

In YPO, we foster a culture of continuous learning, idea exchange, networking, and personal development. We are always eager to learn, whether it’s about economics, self-development, or geopolitics. This commitment to growth is something everyone can adopt and practice in their own lives.

My YPO journey is far from over, and I am deeply proud of the growth I have experienced, the connections I have made, and the impact I have been able to have. Here’s to many more years of learning, leading, and making a difference.