Helping leaders learn from their peers

Launched in Hong Kong in November, Common Purpose is designed to help people and organisations work together more effectively while providing leaders with opportunities to expand their knowledge beyond their immediate areas of responsibility.

'The idea is to bring out different skills and improve an individual's ability to deal with change while allowing them to make a greater contribution to their own organisations and the wider community,' says Ronald Arculli, the founding chairman of Common Purpose in Hong Kong.

He says programmes such as Meridian - aimed at senior leaders with established careers and requiring about 60 hours of study time - provide ways for leaders across the private, public and not-for-profit sectors to work effectively together by examining the issues faced by participants.

'The Meridian programme challenges participants to deal with complex problems and become leaders who can deliver results through building and leading collaboration when required,' Arculli says.

The topics, he says, could be specific to Hong Kong or of interest in other parts of China.

While no exams are involved, Arculli says, about 50 participants explore a wide range of real-life challenges, learning constantly from one another by gaining experience operating in unfamiliar situations.

'The aim is to help leaders in all sectors work together to tackle challenges and grasp opportunities,' he says. The flexible format means leaders can tailor it to meet their individual needs and to match their commitments.

Started in Britain, Common Purpose has, since 1989, designed and delivered leadership development courses to more than 30,000 people in 12 countries in Europe, Asia and Africa.