Thoughts on Leadership from Lesley Dickie, CEO Jersey Zoo and Leadership Conference Speaker

Thoughts on Leadership from Lesley Dickie, CEO of Jersey Zoo and Leadership Conference Speaker

Dr Lesley Dickie is the CEO of Jersey Zoo. She was educated at the universities of Glasgow (BSc Zoology), Cambridge (MPhil Biological Anthropology) and London (PhD). After completing fieldwork in Madagascar and finishing her doctorate she began working at the Zoological Society of London. Lesley became the Chair of Asian Species Action Partnership (ASAP) in October 2014. She was appointed CEO of Jersey Zoo in 2016.

Lesley is committed to achieving leadership excellence, not just in her organisation but in seeing Jersey and the Channel Islands take radical, leading positions on environmental and social justice issues.

She exemplifies ‘servant leadership’, serving both her community and our environment. Here she shares some of her thoughts on leadership and her contribution to the Leadership Conference.

What is the focus of your talk?

I will discuss the need for passion and bravery in leadership. Leaders need to be  willing to draw a line in the sand, be consistent and truly authentic in their leadership, while pushing the boundaries of what can be achieved. Another focus will be about making the mission key to all activities.

What are your top tips to improve our leadership skills? 

Be confident in your abilities – you have been appointed to lead so don’t shirk the responsibility. 

Be a decision maker – gain insight from colleagues, look at the bigger picture, but make the decisions.

Be consistent – your team, if they are to follow, need to trust that you won’t keep changing approach.

Be truly authentic – my team know who I am, there is no persona difference in work and out of work.

What was the best leadership advice you have been given?

My one and only session with a management coach in the first month (about nine years ago when I first became a CEO) turned a key in my head and freed me to be a leader. I learnt to

make the decisions and not to be put off by wondering if I was wrong or right, but instead to think it’s what you want. If wrong, take the responsibility; if right, move on and progress. 

What does good/effective leadership look like to you?

Integrity, bravery, tackling issues proactively and engendering trust by consistency.

What qualities do you look for in a good leader?  

The willingness to lead – it sounds like a circular argument, but putting yourself forwards for the responsibility and bringing people with you is paramount.

How can we all improve our leadership skills?

Be aware that we can all improve: yes, innate qualities help, but we need to be mindful that leadership skills can be improved and that, as leaders, we have an obligation to improve.

Event details

St Pierre Park Hotel, 22nd June from 4.00pm to 8.00pm, including a BBQ buffet. 

To find out more, including how to book, visit our website http://www.leadersconsultancy.co.uk/conference/