During a three-hour workshop, 21 Leos and Young Lions examined their own approaches to leadership. Prof. (Dr.) Debashis Chatterjee, Director of IIM Kozhikode, invited them to look inward, consider how they respond to different situations and understand what effective leadership asks of them. A renowned leadership thinker and mentor to senior leaders and organisations around the world, Prof. Chatterjee’s insights into balancing leadership with situational understanding, interspersed with stories and experiences from his own life, made the session deeply personal and thought-provoking.
The workshop was part of the Certificate in Youth Leadership and Service program, which brought participants from across India to the IIM Kozhikode campus in Kerala on August 7 & 8, 2026.
Prof. Venkataraman’s distinction between “serving for ecospace and not from ego space” encouraged participants to consider whose needs guide their work and to place empathy at the center of service.
A partnership between IIM Kozhikode and Lions India Education Promotion Council (LIEPC), the program commemorates 70 years of Lions in India and combines leadership development with practical service learning.
Inside the Program
- Leadership Workshop
Self-awareness, leadership styles and responding to different situations. - Strategic Thinking for Social Impact
Planning service for sustainable community benefits. - Ethics, Trust and Responsibility
Ethical decisions and the responsibilities of service. - Working Across Differences
Diversity, inclusion, intergenerational respect and conflict management. - Leo Service Lab
Five groups developing community projects with potential for wider replication.
Following orientation and introductions, the first day moved from understanding oneself to planning for social impact. In ‘Strategic Thinking for Social Impact,’ Prof. Venkataraman S. introduced practical models to help participants look beyond individual activities and plan service with lasting community benefits.
The day ended with a musical performance by the IIM Kozhikode in-house band, organised especially for the participants.
The second day explored the responsibilities that accompany leadership. In ‘Ethics, Trust and Responsibility,’ Prof. Priya Nair Rajeev used scenarios inspired by Lions service activities to examine the gray areas of ethical decision-making. Participants considered the choices they face, the trust communities place in them and the responsibilities associated with wearing a Leo or Lion pin.
Prof. Debmalya Biswas followed with ‘Working Across Differences,’ covering diversity, inclusion, intergenerational respect and conflict management. The session encouraged participants to understand different perspectives and create opportunities for everyone to contribute.
A concluding reflection session helped the group consider how to apply these lessons. Prof. Priya also introduced the Leo Service Lab, a capstone initiative that takes the learning into participants’ communities. Divided into five groups, they will design and implement service projects intended to create lasting benefits, with the potential to be scaled and replicated elsewhere.
The program continues through six virtual sessions focused on leadership development, service learning and the Leo Service Lab, culminating in project presentations.
For these young leaders, the next stage offers an opportunity to connect reflection with action: to make thoughtful decisions, work across differences and develop projects that respond to community needs.
