Former British prime minister Tony Blair made a special appearance as the keynote speaker at the National Achievers Congress 2010 on April 28.
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| PHOTO: Getty Images | |
Blair walked onto stage to a standing ovation. For many, being in the same room with one of the most influential leaders in the world, was an experience not to be missed.
When he began to speak, delegates were not disappointed.
Blair’s distinctive service as prime minister of the United Kingdom for 10 years (from 1997 to 2007) provided him a platform to offer in-depth analysis and insights into the global economy. This day, he shared his personal observation and learning points for any country, business or individual to adopt in order to successfully lead the future.
First he provided a backdrop of our current globalized world—countries have become inter-dependent and the world is rapidly changing all the time. This presents both challenges and opportunities—learning how to navigate in such a world is critical to success.
“The speed of change in our modern world is just too overwhelming and nothing is left untouched by the pace and depth of the nature of change. In our fast-changing world, you cannot stand still,” he said.
It is crucial that one be open-minded. Blair viewed it necessary as “new thinking and new ideas do not come to closed minds.”
In our modern world, where different races, creeds, cultures and religions live side by side, it is vital for individuals to see themselves as global citizens.
Hence, individuals ought to have the humility to learn from others who are different from them. It is when one becomes closed-minded, intolerable and disrespectful toward others, that he or she becomes limited in development.
In today’s inter-connected world, success also is built on partnerships between individuals.
Echoing Blair’s views was congress participant Ruben Potter, executive chairman of Orionstar Investments Limited. “From a corporate perspective, every person and every department has different functions that are interdependent on one another. As the leader in an organization, I should be open-minded in listening to my staffs’ views and ideas. This is because everyone is equally important, and thus resulting in productive brainstorming where everyone is involved.”
Now in its 18th year, the National Achievers Congress is a platform for learning and development that has presented distinguished speakers such as former US President Bill Clinton, Robert Kiyosaki, Michael Porter and Zig Ziglar over the years.
It is an annual event organized by Success Resources to help people learn from world-renowned speakers who share lessons on personal and finance success, drawing from their wisdom and experience.
