AUT Shadow a Leader - celebrating diverse leadership stories and styles

Business leaders from more than 75 businesses and organisations each spent a day with two promising young leaders as part of AUT’s Shadow a Leader Day on 1 July.

Each leader opened up their working life to include a school student and an AUT Business or Law student for the day, showing them the reality of working as a leader, and sharing insights about what makes an effective leader.

The day began with a breakfast at AUT for all leaders and their students, where AUT alumni Greg Sheehan (CEO, Right Way) gave a thought provoking keynote address about leadership and innovation.

”Growing a business at speed is the hardest thing you’ll ever do,” said Sheehan who also encouraged the students taking part in the Shadow a Leader not to take the ‘safe road’ as future leaders.

Each of the 75 leaders, drawn from a diverse range of businesses and organisations, ran a unique day for their ‘shadows’ designed to expose them to the life of a leader.  For many students this meant joining in with media engagements, executive and board meetings, client discussions, brainstorms, networking functions and presentations.  The day also gave students a chance to see how their leaders balance significant leadership roles with other parts of their lives, including family commitments.

“The students we invite to be part of Shadow a Leader all have leadership potential and self-motivation, so that means they get an enormous amount out of the day,” says Professor Geoff Perry, Dean of the Faculty of Business and Law.  “This day brings the idea of leadership alive.  Instead of the students seeing leadership as a business concept, they begin to realise it is a way of seeing things, a way of treating people and a way of achieving goals.  Every one of our 75 leaders has their own leadership story and leadership style, and it’s important for students to see that.”

“We are incredibly grateful to every one of the leaders who gave up a day to share their insights and wisdom.  Industry engagement like this is really important part of the education we offer our business and law students.”

Click here for more information about Shadow a Leader 2015.

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