November 17, 2021
Four Goldman Prize winners recently completed a six-week personal and professional development leadership program.
In the absence of in-person networking and international development opportunities typically provided to Prize winners as part of the Goldman Environmental Foundation’s programming, the Foundation teamed up with Design Pathways to support Prize winners virtually.
An experienced leadership training organization, Design Pathways’ program—called “Transform”—focuses on empowering mid- to late-career executives, directors, and managers with skills to clarify goals, improve well-being and time management, develop a more collaborative and high-performing team culture, and use feedback to drive change.
Four Prize winners participated in the program: Ana Colovic Lesoska (North Macedonia, 2019), Chibeze Ezekiel (Ghana, 2020), Makoma Lekalakala (South Africa, 2018), and Ikal Angelei (Kenya, 2012). The Prize winners were selected to participate in the pilot based on their ongoing activism, interest in enhancing professional leadership skills, and complementary time-zones to streamline virtual participation.
The participants raved about the program after it concluded, noting its direct application to both their professional goals and everyday life. Read what some of the Prize winners had to say:
- Climate activist Chibeze Ezekiel shared the program “helped me to manage myself and my time, resolve conflicts, and be more influential as a leader.”
- South African leader Makoma Lekalakala noted that “each session helped me to be more calm and reflective, gain greater self-awareness, and change the way I work.”
- For conservationist Ana Colovic Lesoska, “improving my skills in delegation had the biggest impact on me and my work. It saved me a lot of my time and gave me a new sense of freedom.”
- And finally, activist Ikal Angelei shared that the program “put you at the center of the learning experience, created space for you to be vulnerable, and helped you deeply get to know the other leaders in your cohort. This left me feeling safe and alive. It was very practical to everyday life, not just leadership.”
Congratulations to Chi, Ana, Ikal, and Makoma for graduating from the program!
