Telfer School of Management professor Richard Clayman is set to host Unlocking the Leadership Door, his own show on Rogers TV.
In the six-episode series, Clayman will interview prominent individuals and leaders in their respective fields in Ottawa discover their keys to success.
Clayman, a part time professor at the university, said he was inspired when he watched an Ottawa Senators game on Rogers Sportsnet.
“They ran an ad with these promos about a concept Rogers TV has for local television called ‘My Show’,” he said. “They showed prominent people from Ottawa who had created their own show on cooking, or trips to the Caribbean, etc., so I wrote down the idea on a piece of paper and threw it in my drawer.”
Months later, while teaching a leadership class at Telfer, Clayman said he was inspired once again by student engagement during a lecture. He sent a proposal to Rogers TV highlighting the leadership concepts he taught in his class.
“There are key ingredients that go into effective leadership,” he said. “I wanted to show people that no matter what you do and what walk of life you are from, we can show the viewer that there are fundamental ingredients there that can be transferred out to what you do. Even if you are running a household, a start-up, a charity, you will see those fundamentals applied in different ways. It is always about mutual respect, empathy for employees, listening skills of the leader, and much more.”
Clayman emphasized that effective leadership skills are particularly important for students today because it is not uncommon to have multiple careers.
“There is so much uncertainty in the course of a working year,” he said. “It is important to remember the core elements. They are like a foundation to a home: you can build a great flashy home, but if it is on a shaky foundation, it won’t last.”
He said leadership cannot be taught in a classroom; practical experience is vital.
Unlocking the Leadership Door airs Mondays and Fridays at 3:30 p.m.
