Self-leadership key to SL’s recovery

• HR Expert Andrew Bryant says SL needs to adopt a forward-thinking leadership approach inspired by the successes of Dubai and Singapore
• Stresses need for closer collaboration between government, business, and education sectors 

As Sri Lanka stands at a pivotal crossroads as it seeks to rebuild following its worst economic crisis, the island nation needs to adopt a forward-thinking leadership approach inspired by the successes of Dubai and Singapore,” an HR expert said.

International key note speaker Andrew Bryant emphasised the importance of “self leadership” as a crucial skill set for Sri Lanka’s next phase of growth.

“Singapore went from a third world country to a first world country. Sri Lanka has a colonial past and that creates a mindset of subservience,” Bryant said while addressing National HR Conference 2025 organised by the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) Sri Lanka yesterday.  

He noted that the country is grappling with significant debt, but highlighted its “huge potential,” tempered by challenges such as brain drain, which he acknowledged as reducing. Bryant called for bold, generational change.

“You almost need to skip a step… to some extent, it’s almost skipping a generation and saying, you know those who’ve got a fixed mindset, we don’t have time to change so let’s take the youth.”

He went on to stress the need for closer collaboration between government, business, and education sectors to align skills training with the future demands of the workplace. 

“There needs to be a real connection with organizations letting education know these are the kind of skills we want, because universities are training skills that are already redundant.”

Using Portugal’s innovative education system as an example, Bryant described how “learning coaches” hold students accountable for their goals, reinforcing the principle that “learners must take responsibility.”

Sri Lanka’s size and population, about 22 million, offers a unique advantage for rapid transformation. “Sri Lanka could turn around really fast because it’s an island and because 22 million people… is small enough to turn it around.” However, Bryant emphasised targeted change.

“Not everybody’s going to change… So who does need to change? Let’s identify those with an entrepreneurial spirit, those who want to take ownership and accountability, have a global view, but with a local heart.”

Bryant in his address made it clear that learning from regional success stories such as Dubai and Singapore, and embracing self-leadership is a catalyst for national empowerment.

“We can learn from the best. We can see what Singapore did, we can see what Dubai did, and we can see why Indonesia has joined BRICS. Indonesia faced some of the same cultural, colonial past as you did. And so you can accelerate the progress of this country, this nation,” he said. (RR)