Name: Mike Chitty
Job/ positions held: I am Realise Development, a one person consultancy working on management, leadership, strategy, enterprise and community development in Leeds and beyond.
Connection to Leeds: I came to Leeds in 1980 as a student and apart from spells in West Wales with the Outward Bound Trust, Sheffield and The Gambia, consider it to be my home. Over the last couple of years I have led ELSIE – the Leeds Community Enterprise Accelerator, Progress School, Results Factory, Innovation Lab and Disrupting Poverty in Leeds, as well as contributing to the Leaders for Leeds project initiated by Tom Riordan.
Leadership style: I have several. I firmly believe that it not about me and my style but about the system, the context and the nature and direction of the progress to be made. I draw a lot on leadership theory – but feel that good leadership is a never-ending improvisation in response to the shifting sands of context. The only thing that remains fairly stable is my value base.
Who or what inspires you: The enormity of what can be achieved by people when they begin to test their potential, develop their capability, associate and cooperate with others who share their values and ambitions and are given the chance to work on something that they feel is truly worthwhile.