Management Shares Ideas and Stories on Leadership with Young Staff

On October 23rd, 2012, eager members of the Y2Y community gathered in the Eye Building for an opportunity to get face-to-face time and candid advice from some of the World Bank Group’s most distinguished leaders. This event, on Leadership and Management, would mark the beginning of Y2Y’s knowledge series, a series of events intended to encourage knowledge transfer among the youth community around the WBG. The tone for the event was set by a request for practical advice on exercising leadership and with that, the panelists committed to share real and personal lessons learned throughout their experience that audience members could apply in their daily work and careers.

Y2Y invited one moderator and four panelists from across the World Bank Group to share their perspectives on leadership. Ravi Vish, is the Director at MIGA’s Economics and Policy Group and moderated the discussion. Rohit Khanna, the Program Manager with the Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP); Negar Rafikian, the Manager of the Global HR Business Partners Team in the Africa Region; Katherine Meighan, the head of Knowledge Management within the IFC legal department; and Shaun Ng, Manager of Treasury Operations Multi-Asset Class Services made up the discussion panel.

The advice on leadership and team building was as enlightening as it was diverse. “Never overlook the human aspect” reflected Ravi, something that all panelists also echoed. While Negar offered a more introspective instruction: “Establish credibility in what you know and you are good at”. The panelists’ unique backgrounds and varied perspectives on the Bank provided an opportunity for reflection from both members of the audience, but also from the other panelists.

It soon became clear that the panel was living proof that leadership can be exercised in many different styles. Some unique advice came from Shaun Ng, who firmly recommended keeping a journal as a tool for self-awareness. In the same vein, Katherine suggested reflecting on one’s childhood to remember the basic elements of what one feels passionate about. Rohit contributed some sage and practical advice as well in three steps: “1) A good leader must have vision and be able to articulate it as an organizing principle, 2) a good leader always puts people first, and 3) a good leader ensure that a group works well together, encouraging recognition.”

These bits of the rich discussion that took place between the panel and audience help illustrate the immense value that can be generated by bringing together a younger generation of employees at the World Bank Group with more seasoned and experienced managers. Events like this one aim to bridge the gap between these generations and help to form a continuous space for the exchange of ideas and experience between the two.