131. Christianity Frames How Isabel Kumwembe Leads

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Episode Description:

In the second episode of our series on Leading inspired by Faith, we are joined by Isabel who was born into a christian family and for whom the teaching of Jesus Christ resonated deeply from a young age. She shares with Julia why she loves leading from the back and how her faith taught her that. She has learnt the importance of showing up no matter what and the importance of mentoring the next generation of leaders. As a leader, sometimes tough love is what is needed, and this too is something she elarnt at church. At the heart of her leading is a desire and belief of diversity and inclusion and she argues that it is in fact her faith that has taught her to be this way and love all for who they are. In difficult times she prays, a personal practice she does alone, seeking guidance to do the right thing.

About the Guests

Isabel Kumwembe

Isabel Kumwembe is Special project manager at alx africa, an organisation on a mission to identify, develop and equip Africa’s next 3 million leaders. She is also the founder of Amazon Women’s Football Club.

Julia Middleton

Julia Middleton is the host of the Women Emerging podcast and a best-selling author of “If that’s leading, I’m in” as well as two previous books: “Leading beyond Authority” and “Cultural Intelligence”. She is deeply committed to helping people from all backgrounds to find their own approach to leading.

In 2020, Julia launched Women Emerging and in 2022 she lead an expedition of 24 women to find ‘an approach to leading that resonates with women’. She now leads expeditions with women all over the world based on 4Es methodology, discovered in the first expedition.

Prior to that, Julia was founder and, for over thirty years, Chief Executive of Common Purpose, which grew to become one of the biggest leadership development organisations in the world.
Julia is also an Ambassador for the Aurora Prize based in Armenia, on the boards of Alfanar Venture Philanthropy in the Arab World and Equality Now, which operates globally, and on the Advisory Councils of Fundacao Dom Cabral in Brazil and Synapse in Pakistan.

Born in London and brought up in New York, Julia was educated at French Lycées and graduated from the London School of Economics. She is married, with five children and lots of grandchildren.