Leadership at the AUPO conference

Yesterday the University Business team and I journeyed South to Bournemouth for the Association of University Procurement Officers' (AUPO) conference. While the weather left something to be desired – even on the sunny south coast – the event was thought provoking and inspiring.
Highlights included Steve Egan, of HEFCE, presenting on the future of HE, finance and procurement, and Peter Danby's presentation on leadership.
Leadership was the running theme of the conference as procurement gears up to become more visible, effective and consequential to university business. In his presentation, Peter Danby asked what a leader is, and made the valid point, best illustrated by Gandhi, that leadership is not designated by rank, position or uniform. It comes from within and from inspiring others to follow you in the pursuit of a noble or greater good. So, today I leave with this message of leadership, quoted from Gandhi himself: "Be the change that you want to see in the world."