When Dominic Chesire first joined Strathmore University in 2008, he entered a very different institution from the one he returned to in 2024. Years away had allowed both him and the University to grow, but growth, he quickly realised, also meant change. He found himself in an environment that had evolved, faster-paced, more complex, and dynamic.

“I felt very new,” he reflects. “Strathmore then and now are two very different things.”

He was faced with understanding evolving roles and navigating diverse personalities, which required fresh awareness and adaptability. Returning was about reorienting himself within a transformed environment.

It was during this transition that Dominic enrolled in the Leadership Excellence Acceleration Programme (LEAP), offered through the Strathmore Leadership Academy.

LEAP offers participants a chance to strengthen their leadership capabilities and accelerate their personal and professional growth. It helps participants develop skills such as strategic thinking, effective communication, decision-making, and team leadership. Essential skills that Dominic required and acquired during the LEAP programme.

LEAP also helped Dominic to develop self-awareness, confidence and the ability to lead with purpose and navigate complex organisational challenges.

Because of his rank, Dominic had always seen himself as a leader. “I saw myself as a leader because of my role,” he admits. “But from a different perspective.” Leadership, at the time, was closely associated with authority, exerting direction and ensuring results.

LEAP began to shift that mindset.

Through structured workshops, peer discussions, and reflective tools, including personality mapping and the 4D clarity framework, Dominic developed a deeper understanding of himself and those around him. He learned to appreciate different working styles and the importance of clarity in communication, especially in a fast-paced institution.

One of the most defining moments came during a group simulation focused on operational excellence. Teams were required to manage timelines, inventory, and strategic decisions under pressure. “You either make a profit, or you lose,” he recalls. Predictions had to be made. Adjustments had to happen instantly. The fear of failure was real.

But his team adapted. They listened, recalibrated, delivered and won.

That experience reshaped Domnic’s understanding of leadership. “Leadership is bringing people together and getting results through people,” he says. It is not merely about exerting authority, but about consultation, collaboration, and shared responsibility.

Today, he approaches his work differently. Where leadership once leaned toward directive instruction, “do as I say, when I say,”  it has evolved into dialogue. He now intentionally seeks opinions, encourages participation, and asks himself an important question: Am I with the people, or am I not?

He speaks about subsidiarity, empowering others to act within their responsibility and about excellence grounded in both freedom and accountability. More than anything, he aspires to lead as a coach, a keen listener who develops others and builds confidence within his team.

LEAP did not simply affirm Domnic’s position. It strengthened his presence. It moved him from authority to influence, from uncertainty to intentional leadership.

And in rediscovering what leadership truly means, Dominic Chesire is not only adapting to a changing Strathmore, he is helping shape it.

This article is written by Yoweri Madowo