To learn, and to lead

Community, communication, connection and correlation have existed since time immemorial. But the norm has gained a tempo in modern times for faster networking or social connectivity tools. This linkage has now become par for the course with the social ecosystem. Networking embraces the social capital theory that well-connected people experience better returns. By the same token, a country is characterised by the unity of its citizens and united development by its leaders. Similarly, an economy is determined by the quality of leadership it nurtures and the future it grooms for the prosperity of the posterity. The development of a country and that of corporate professionals are thus intertwined. Prudent leadership is at a premium for putting things in place. Corporate sages with strong analytical sense play a pivotal role in times of crisis. Coronavirus pandemic can be a case in point here. The nation's brains intervened as they worked night and day to overcome any bleak future as an economic crisis was unfolding. Economic gurus played the role of a saviour alongside the state apparatus.
Journey of a leaders' forum: Leadership works. It can motivate decision-makers or an entity or a group to promote a good cause or attain a goal. Here comes the issue of dynamic corporate leadership to get things in the right order. But rare is the example of the existence of any 'factory' for making corporate leaders and managers here. The moment of truth comes with the birth of Leaders Forum Bangladesh, a network of a new breed of corporate leaders, scholars and professionals from home and abroad. The Facebook-based forum has a corps of practical but apolitical leaders and enlightened individuals from diverse professional backgrounds. Big enchiladas in the corporate world of Bangladesh have signed up since its caesarean section out of the coronavirus-induced black swan. It is now a mélange of over 3,000 academics, corporate minds and development practitioners to connect and rekindle rapport among the luminaries.
How it began: But how and when did this forum come into being? How was the beginning? Khandker Kabir, a self-made man and a successful career banker, was the initiator of this multi-stakeholder forum. Things fell apart in mid-March 2020 when the entire world and Bangladesh were shimmering with the superbug. Thousands lost jobs. The corporate world opted for stay-at-home remote work. Out of sheer obligation, Mr Kabir conceived the idea of linking corporate biggies of allied fraternities under a multi-stakeholder forum. His idea clicked as Dhaka's corporate village bought into this exceptional initiative. The group set sail on June 13, 2020 with a missionary zeal to stand by the Covid casualties.
How it acts: Leaders Forum BD believes learning never ends and leadership never dies as it envisions improved people-to-people contact, networking, troubleshooting and world-class career building with an express aim of a prosperous, powerful and positive Bangladesh where new-generation corporate avant-garde strives for leadership excellence to lead the country's entry into the elite club of developed economies. For this, illuminated industry insiders meet and talk and influence during weekly webinars. They are the social engineers who strategise centralised planning in an attempt to manage social change and regulate the future development and behaviour of a society. They groom to develop quality leadership for a qualitative change in society.
Propelled by a set of goals, the forum aims to build camaraderie among kindred professionals to promote social development. With this end in view, forum leaders aspire to turn this platform into 'Leaders Club Limited'. Put simply, it will serve as a networking hub. Its 'Future Leaders' internship programme now runs with 50 graduates. The forum seeks to explore leadership challenges and find fitting solutions for meaningful multi-sectoral changes through learning, sharing, pairing and debating. It envisions a world where everyone everywhere gains community leadership power to heighten corporate social work, and promote inclusive and sustainable post-Covid new normal life.
Leadership award: A constellation of corporate stars gets a unique chance to meet and mingle at an annual jamboree being hosted at The Westin Dhaka this November 20 as Leaders Forum BD is going to hand the prestigious 'LFB Leadership Excellence Award' to 23 individuals under 23 categories for brilliant professional leadership in their respective fields. The categories include banking, capital market, real estate, pharma, RMG, healthcare, hospitality, ICT, agriculture, education, media, mobile phone based financial service (MFS), telco and young leadership. The awards venue will be a 'trading post' for all the corporate big wheels and worthies.
It is believed that the new forum will be a textbook example of a leader in ensuring the best corporate culture in the private sector and helping it maintain the international best practice in dealing with clients and staff alike in the era of the fourth industrial revolution. We cherish that the forum will fight isms like cronyism, regionalism and sexism in the workplace.

The writer is a senior news consultant at The Financial Express.
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