Linda Cruse

Congratulations to Her Majesty the Queen, as people across the UK and the Commonwealth gather to mark her Platinum Jubilee.

Seniors members of the Royal Family have dedicated themselves to a life of service to others, and for that I applaud them 🙏🏻

I am so excited to officially launch my new student leadership programme: the Arctic Race4Good®

This will bring together 22 years of global frontline humanitarian work, international connections, and unique insight, into one ground-breaking new course. 

The focus? Climate change, and the impact it is having on the lives of
indigenous people living within the Arctic Circle whose world is melting.

Click the link in the bio to find out more.

Following an extremely positive and productive week in Tokyo, delivering my corporate ‘Courageous Leadership’ programme, I visited one of the oldest temples in the city.

It was wonderful to receive this energising and uplifting blessing for the week ahead.

From here I went to the cinema to see Tom Cruise in Top Gun - quite a contrast 😀.

Such a great weekend - and just the break I needed ahead of another week inspiring top business talent from across the region.

Hope you had a positive weekend too.

Linda

Why not.

Two words that can change your life.

“Just be open-minded. Ask questions and then listen without judging. You may not agree with all you hear.”

Lessons I have taken from the front line to the boardroom.

Linda x

Congratulations to the students from BIS HCMC] who have won Round 1 of the Foundation Race4Good® 2022.

In a live online event, teams from Malaysia, Vietnam, Taiwan, China and Thailand presented their ideas to a panel of judges. Their challenge? To develop and present an initiative that could profitably uplift the Simons family – real people living in challenged circumstances in La Colline in Haiti.

In the end, the local community decided it was the idea from the BIS HCMC] that was the most sustainable.

Their idea? Soap. As the team explained, “According to hrw.org, over two-thirds of the people of Haiti have limited or no sanitation, so they are vulnerable to disease. This is how we came up with the idea of the Simons family making and selling soap bars.”

The local team will now implement this brilliant idea, in the hope it will provide an income for the Simons family, and a much better quality of life 🙏🏻

Wherever we are it is imperative that as leaders, we create a safe space for our team.

If people feel safe they are able to innovate, they are able to speak up if something is going wrong.

The most successful teams on the planet are not always the brightest but they are the ones that deeply care about each other.

Whether on the frontline or in the boardroom, communication is key.

You need to be open-minded.

Ask questions and then listen without judging.

Accept that you may not agree with everything you hear.

Allow others to share their thoughts and concerns.

Try to see things from someone else’s point of view.

Sounds simple doesn’t it?

I lead an unconventional life, but one that is filled with gratitude, passion and purpose.

Almost 20 years ago, in Nov 2013, a super-typhoon hit the Philippines causing widespread death and destruction. I arrived in Manila in Jan 2014 and made my way to a fishing village in the north-east of Iloilo Island: Carles.

Everywhere I looked families were picking through the ruins of their shattered homes.

Almost all the fisherman had seen their livelihoods destroyed the day the storm picked up their boats and dropped them inland in a thousand pieces. Once proud breadwinners, they were now unable to provide for their families.

I stayed in Carles for two years, during which time the fishing feet was rebuilt and, with our support, 200 families launched new small businesses from pig cooperatives to tailoring.

We also set up basketball and volleyball leagues on a newly built court that became a natural meeting
place, drawing visitors from nearby islands and encouraging further
new businesses to spring up. The newly formed basketball team needed
a name, and to complete surprise, they honoured me by choosing ‘Team Cruse'. An incredibly special moment.

I am following my dream, living life to the full, and have no regrets. Can you say the same?

Linda x

I was in Uzbekistan, one of the former Russian states, when the Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami hit in 2004.

As I saw this horrendous disaster unfold on the computer screen, 100 foot high waves, thousands of people dead, 40 countries affected, I knew I had to go.

I had such a strong sense of purpose, and within days, was on a plane to Thailand.

Today I launched the FOBISIA Foundation Race4Good® 2022 - an exciting, fast-paced, three-week leadership programme for students aged 10-14. 

This morning, in a live, online event, I welcomed teams from the Taipei European School, Taiwan; the Prince of Wales International School, Malaysia; the Dulwich College Beijing; the British International School Vietnam, and the Shrewsbury International School Bangkok Riverside. 

As I told the students, “With the Race4Good®, you have the opportunity to use your research abilities and ingenuity to come up with solutions that will uplift the people of La Colline in Haiti."

“The best ideas will sustain these families for years by creating businesses that provide income, and lead to a better quality of life.

“You can change their lives forever and leave a lasting impact on this vulnerable community. 

And I will be cheering you on every step of the way.”

Many thanks as always to the Business Mentors who their time and expertise to support the students: Elsa Renton, Kate McLellan and Petra Deters.

“Go to the people.
Live with them.
Learn from them.
Start with what they know.
Build with what they have.
But with the best leaders,
When the work is done,
The task accomplished,
The people will say,
We have done this ourselves.”
Lao Tzu