Rosa Fawcett,
Business Architect
“It was refreshing to have something a bit left field which involved a blank canvas rather than starting with a grid or written phrases.”
When Rosa was asked to complete her leadership compass, she approached it with curiosity and excitement. “I’m a creative person, so I looked forward to the idea of doing something crafty for work,” she recalls. But what started as a fun exercise quickly became a deeply thought-provoking experience. Each element of the compass allowed her to reflect on her learning, her growth, and her journey through the leadership programme. Rosa created her compass with the intention of keeping it in her home office, a constant reminder of her “north star.”
Rosa didn’t over plan her canvas. She trusted her instincts and allowed ideas to flow naturally. “I didn’t have it all written down ready to copy,” she explains. Using the question prompts as a guide, she focused on what she knew inherently about herself. Authenticity, she says, was key. This compass was not an exercise in business jargon or polished words, it was a tool for honesty, transparency, and self-reflection.
Her compass is deeply personal as you can see below. As a self-described dreamer, Rosa wanted it to highlight both her strengths and her ongoing challenges. Her gold mirror serves as a grounding symbol, reminding her to pause and appreciate how far she’s come. The image at the centre represents her, conversing with the moon, a nod to her tendency to look ahead while sometimes forgetting to stay grounded. Surrounding shards represent her ambitions, strengths, and drivers, breaking through the mirror to symbolise growth and aspiration.
The creation process was iterative. Rosa arranged, rearranged, added, and removed elements until the compass “felt right.” Trusting her first instincts, she embraced decisiveness, understanding that overthinking would dilute the authenticity she sought. The result was cathartic. “I know myself better than ever before,” she says, reflecting on how her strengths, motivators, and actions align around a lifelong guiding quote from her love of Harry Potter: ‘It does not do to dwell on dreams, and forget to live.’
Sharing her compass with colleagues brought an added dimension of meaning. Their appreciation for her creativity was gratifying, but for Rosa, the true value was in revealing herself as an ambitious, strategic dreamer, the good and the shadow sides alike. She hopes her compass helps others understand how she approaches life, work, and leadership.
Ultimately, Rosa believes the leadership programme didn’t just shape her as a leader; it transformed her as a person. “This compass is my reminder of the journey I have been on and hope to continue along,” she reflects. The exercise isn’t about creating something perfect or beautiful, it’s about creating with intention, capturing a moment in time, and embracing authenticity. For Rosa, that’s the real measure of leadership.
