I’ll be honest – I was nervous about doing this last talk for the American Chamber of Commerce conference in Brazil.
At the end of last month I found myself in Goiania, the capital of the state of Goiás in Brazil, for the AmCham CEO Forum. The theme was “Happiness as a business strategy”.
This is the Agro part of the country. So very traditional, different types of business, and supposedly culturally very different from where I had been speaking before.
Before I had spoken on the stage in Campinas, Belo Horizonte and Recife. There they were more of the industrial and technological centres. The Amazons, Ubers, Accentures, 3M, big banks etc.
This time – it would be a different focus, and I was really worried that the theme of happiness in business, and specifically my focus of a Return on Humanity, just wouldn’t work.
Would it even resonate for these 500+ c-suit professionals?
Would they “get” my passion?
Would the stories land?
All I can say is that the reception was INCREDIBLE.
I felt as if I had arrived in Canada – specifically Alberta – so not where I grew up in Canada. But it felt so familiar.
The people were warm, so proud to be from Goiania, and so open and embracing of the theme.
There was nodding in the audience as I took to the stage. Laughter. Eyes opened with intrigue. There was hope. And eyebrows raised with recognition that there is another way.
I shared the stage with the President of Bayer Crop Science for Latin America, Maurício Rodrigues, and the CEO of the proudly Goianian milkshake company Milky Moo – Lohan Soares.
I briefly met new friends.
And left feeling a sense of positivity, resolve and action.
The consensus without question is that the way forward is a more human way of doing things.
It is more competitive, it’s better for the world, and it’s what everyone is searching for. No matter what business you’re in or where you come from.
A huge thank you to AmCham for having me. It’s been a huge pleasure.
Better leaders. Better companies. Better world.
xxPhilippa
P.S The ROH message has been getting some pretty incredible airtime. Here are a couple of articles to read and a podcast interview that you may enjoy listening to. Thank you to everyone that has invited to speak. So grateful!
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What do we all think of the world we have arrived in?
While we have devised a myriad of new and better and more innovative ways to make money, with more choices to spend it than we’ve ever had before, raising our standard of living beyond what many previous generations could barely imagine, somewhere along the way, did we forget that the point is “living”?
Join Ep.61 of the Chief Psychology Officer podcast as I join Angela Malik and Dr Amanda Potter.
“Here to fly the flag for kindness and humility, Philippa has an extraordinary gift for storytelling and some convincing data too”.
To listen to the “Unlock Business Potential by Embracing Humanity” episode of the Chief Psychology Officer Podcast, simply click here or search on your preferred listening platform.
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My good friends at CLO100, the professional training company that helps to propel senior L&D leaders to top level, strategic positions within their organisations, have just launched their first magazine (!) and I‘m so honoured to be a part of their first edition. How incredible, right?
If you click here you can have a read – it’s a good one! And once you get to page 16 you’ll see a two page spread on me, TIE Leadership and Return on Humanity. The team managed to capture what we’re all about incredibly well. I‘ll be borrowing some of their language for sure!!
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Welcome to our ‘Unlocking Leadership’ series, where we tap into the wisdom of some of the most inspiring founders, leaders and business minds of today. Explore insider stories, strategies and insights, as we unlock the secrets of successful leadership.
It was such an honour to speak with Zoe Smith, Editor at ITN Business, and so grateful for this piece that she put together “Unlocking Leadership: With Philippa White from TIE Leadership”. Here I discuss the power of a more human approach to leadership, and why it’s not only more profitable, but will also give us a better future. Have a read here.
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P.P.S And, if you know someone who will be interested in what we are doing, please do forward this on! 
