Good leaders must inspire - Shaun Tomson

Great leaders such as Mandela, Gandhi, JFK and now Obama have all inspired us and made us to become great people in many ways, Tomson said.

“When you do something good for someone and not expecting something in return, that is part of the inspiration and could take your life to another level.

“Don't panic”

“Leaders must be optimistic and believe that there are always many ways to solve problems. Keep going but be aware of the impact and the dangers of the environment around you. We are all aware of the global recession and other challenges, but don't panic and don't let these trends overwhelm us,” he said.

Tomson, who grew up in Durban and recounted how his surfer father died after being bitten by a shark, regrets that people have become so stubborn, big-headed with egos and full of dogmatism, and that he said are preventing them to make the right decisions.

Tomson joined a list of illustrious speakers such as Sir Richard Branson, Wendy Luhabe, Adrian Gore, Mathews Phosa, Malcom Gladwell and Ronnie Apteker who are due to share their knowledge and expertise on leadership with thousands of visibly enthusiastic delegates who have flocked to the summit.

Tomson, who said he was aware of the dangers of the ocean but ended up conquering that fear by trying and trying again, has this advice for leaders: “We must accept realities of society and take a step of commitment. We all have fears but when you take a commitment, that fear will go away.”

Attributes that epitomise

In his opening remarks, Adrian Gore, CEO and founder of Discovery Invest said that knowledge, wealth and power are the attributes that epitomise what the summit is trying to achieve today.

He said that he was confident the summit will help stimulate good and quality leadership in the interest of innovation and competitive business.

For more:

• Advantage editor-in-chief Louise Marsland's live blogging on Bizcommunity.com and live tweeting from the Discovery Invest Leadership Summit