Page 9 - Cornwall issue 5 2022

LIFESTYLE

YOUR LEADERSHIP

FOOTPRINT

HOW WILL YOU BE REMEMBERED?

Cornwall View sat down with author Dave van der Merwe for

a one-on-one about his latest book

P H O T O G R A P H BY I VA N M U L L E R

What led you to write this book? five reflective questions.The reflective and tangible solutions to leadership
I’ve always wanted to write a questions and awareness are only the challenges, which will hopefully
leadership book, however, trying starting point. Taking action will guide smooth their leadership journeys.
to distil the essence of leadership you to become a more effective leader
into a thought-provoking and yet or executive. What are some of the key take-
practical book has always been rather aways from your book?
intimidating. Being a self-published There are many leadership books There are a few key ideas that are
author of three fiction novels certainly out there, why is this one important? leadership golden threads through the
made the prospect of writing a Leadership seems deceptively simple book:
leadership book less daunting. to explain, yet in its essence, it is - Living a balanced life
multi-faceted and complex. This book
I have been privileged to work with deliberately seeks to be simple and - Your plan for significance
many leaders throughout my career, light on theory, but in essence it is - The importance of always
and particularly with C-Suite leaders designed as a practical handbook. being authentic and human
in recent years through leadership Each reflective question is supported - How you show up as a leader
interventions. When I sat back and with information:
reflected on numerous conversations - A key message in response to - Creating quality thinking time
with many great leaders around the the question to shape the building blocks to
world, I realised that I had gained - An action phrase an effective future
invaluable insights into what great - Asking powerful questions
leaders do, what poor leaders teach, - Warning signals
and how to leverage this for my - Observations on the question - Being deliberate and
own success. The result was “Your intentional, and taking
Leadership Footprint”. - Practical tools. appropriate action
What also makes it useful and easily - Focusing on what really
What is your book about? digestible are the relatively short matters and owning the
This book is intended to be a practical chapters. narrative
leadership handbook and is structured
around a series of key themes and What could a reader expect to get - Unlocking the potential and
questions. The key themes are: out of your book? discretionary energy of others
- Self-awareness as a leader My sincere hope is that this book will - Being an enabler for the whole

- Leading strategic change encourage readers to grow in their ecosystem to flourish
own leadership journey and provide
- Unlocking talent potential them with some insights and practical - Working on the business,
- Thinking strategically tools to navigate the many critical versus working in the business,
and knowing when to be
moments that will ultimately define
- Stakeholder management their path to success and, in due where.
- Enabling execution course, significance. Signed copies of the book are available
directly from Dave van der Merwe on
- Driving results I hope that this book will serve as the estate. Order via www.kr.org or on
There are 12 chapters around these a practical leadership companion, Amazon/Kindle or selected Exclusive
key themes, and each chapter has provide readers with sage advice Books stores.

Cornwall View • Issue 5 2022 7