Lausanne Afterwork: Leadership Starts Within - Can You Lead Others Without Leading Yourself? (19 Nov 2026)

Thu, 19 Nov 2026 17:30:00 GMT

“Leadership starts with the self.” - Roxanne Kaufman Elliott

What makes someone a good leader? Is it confidence, vision, empathy, the ability to inspire others? Or does effective leadership begin with something more fundamental: the ability to understand and lead ourselves?

We often focus on how leaders influence others, but rarely stop to examine how our own thoughts, emotions, beliefs, and behaviours shape the way we lead.

Can we truly lead others without first learning to lead ourselves?

Join OWIT Lake Geneva for an interactive Lausanne Afterwork exploring the psychology of leadership and the role of self-leadership in today’s professional world.

Drawing on insights from organizational psychology and behavioural science, we’ll examine the relationship between self-awareness, emotional regulation, motivation, personal accountability, and effective leadership.

What we’ll explore

Self-awareness: How do our values, beliefs, biases, and blind spots influence the way we lead?
Emotional regulation: How do we respond to stress, uncertainty, criticism, and conflict, and how does this affect others?
Self-efficacy and motivation: How do our beliefs about our own capabilities shape our decisions and actions?
Accountability and influence: Can someone be a successful leader without being a good self-leader?
Leadership beyond titles: How can we practise leadership in everyday professional life, even without formal authority?

What to expect

In classic OWIT fashion, no slides, no lectures, and no one-size-fits-all leadership formulas.

Instead, we’ll come together for an open, thought-provoking group discussion combining scientific insights, real-life experiences, critical reflection, and practical perspectives.

This is an opportunity to challenge assumptions, exchange ideas, and explore what research tells us about the relationship between leading ourselves and leading others.

Whether you’re managing a team, leading projects, navigating professional challenges, or simply interested in personal and professional development, this conversation is for you.

Because leadership isn’t just about how we influence others. It’s also about how we understand and influence ourselves.

Your host for the evening will be Alina Capatina, one of our Lausanne Events Coordinators, who will guide the conversation and make space for meaningful exchange and networking.

️Cost: Free to attend. Participants simply cover their own drinks directly with the venue.

Everyone is welcome. Feel free to bring a colleague or a friend and join us for an evening of conversation, connection and reflection.

Registration is required, as places at the tables are limited. If you register and can no longer attend, please cancel your registration so someone else can join.

Should you have further questions, contact us at: contact@owit-lakegeneva.org.

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Lausanne Afterwork: Leadership Starts Within - Can You Lead Others Without Leading Yourself? (19 Nov 2026)