Before attending the program, I thought that philanthropic leadership focused on the person leading and how much they have contributed or what they have made possible. If I had to describe it in one word, it would be impact—the ability of a person or organization to make an impact in a specialized field. I stood in the shoes of a leader or in the shoes of a bystander imagining a leader at the height of their craft, seemingly being empathetic of everyone involved but failing to truly notice the most integral part of leadership—being able to trust when in doubt, listen when having an urge to speak, and to always be inclusive, even when it seems like the least important thing on the agenda.

My perspective of philanthropy first shifted before my view on leadership. I used to prioritize what was gifted or who was giving it, but I failed to acknowledge the most important aspect of philanthropy, which is the receiver. Without the consent and approval from the receiver, the giving would not be possible, no matter how important what was gifted seemed, such as a bed, food or other necessities. The presence of pride is remarkable, many would think that when the time of your next meal is unknown, pride would not be something that needs to be considered.

However, after the talk by Mr Sadasivan, I realized that the true meaning of philanthropy has often been confused, it’s not about the giver but about the giving. The talk had a profound impact on my view on philanthropy and inspired me to reflect and observe before performing a philanthropic act. Sometimes, you may believe what you are doing is needed, but at times, without elaborate research, you may be focusing on the wrong area which may result in ineffective contributions or worse, offensive comments or actions due to failure to understand the culture, religion and perspective of others.

My perspective on leadership evolved mostly during our group collaboration in preparation for the pitch. My definition of leadership used to revolve around self capability, but slowly I began to exam the qualities of leadership, through communicating with my group, and discovered that true leadership is never meant for a certain person to stand out, but to be able to hold a team together and ensure the team moves forward together. The importance of trust in other members was often illustrated when preparing for the pitch, believing that our teammates knew what they were presenting, knew what was going on, the list goes on and on. Even when in doubt, choosing to believe and trust actually brought our team closer. During discussions, many team members had something to put on the table, and whilst that is important for the team to progress, listening to others even when you had something to say proved to be an important quality of a leader—being able to hold back your ideas and foster an inclusive team.

My holistic idea of philanthropic leadership emerged towards the end of the program, especially during the pitch. I realized that everyone wants to make an impact, but what sets people apart isn’t what one thinks, but what one does after they think and to the extent that they go to achieve that goal. Being able to empathize with others with very different experiences is key, and being respectful and considerate can go a long way.