Bermudian-based professional development coach Bob DiGiacomo joined leadership expert John Maxwell and 250 coaches, volunteers and leaders in San Jose, Costa Rica at the invitation of President Luis Guillermo Solis.

The delegation conducted a national leadership education project known as Transformacion Costa Rica that will reach 400,000 Costa Rica residents by equipping them with values-based principles they can learn, live and lead in their social and professional environments.

Mr DiGiacomo, an executive director of the John Maxwell Team, said: “It was indeed an honour and privilege to accompany and be part of the team that Dr Maxwell took to Costa Rica.

“In the three days that we were there, we trained over 15,000 facilitators who will in turn duplicate the process and train what is anticipated to be well over 200,000 in the next three to six months.

“The Transformational Leadership Movement that we started reaches out to the many areas of Costa Rican society to include educators and the civil service.”

Mr DiGiacomo has been doing seminars all his adult life and started in 2011 with Mr Maxwell’s team.

“The John Maxwell Team has grown to more than 20,000 members worldwide,” Mr DiGiacomo said. “As such, here in Bermuda we already have a team in place so there is no need to add the extra expense of bringing in fromoverseas when the experts who have a knowledge of Bermuda culture are already here.”

The Costa Rican endeavour is a social transformation initiative led by the John Maxwell Leadership Foundation, a non-profit organisation that aims to make training in values and leadership principles accessible to participants at no cost.

Over the course of five rigorous days, the delegation met with seven pillars of influence: government, education, media, business, arts, faith and family.

They aimed to use the Maxwell Roundtable Method to foster two-way communication in a structured environment.

“This is Operation Leadership Lift-off for Costa Rica,” Mr Maxwell said. “Literally hundreds of our coaches and volunteers from all over the world are paying their own way to serve, add value and make a difference in Costa Rica.

“This is how transformation happens — one person cares enough to take actions — then hundreds care enough to take action.”