Developing Leadership for a Sustainable Future
A discussion and networking event Presented by the Department of Management Learning and Leadership, Lancaster University Management School with The Work Foundation
Held at The Work Foundation, London on Monday 7th March, 2011
Britain faces challenging times, including an increasing need for organisations to become more sustainable, both economically and environmentally, and to contribute to a sustainable future. Developing innovative leadership is central to engaging with these challenges, opportunities and solutions. What does this mean for you, your career and your organisation?
Listen to the speakers
Will Hutton, Vice Chair, The Work Foundation
Listen to Will Hutton talking about:
The Big Question: How do we want to live our lives to make a difference?
What kind of business ecosystem might we need for the future?
What are the challenges for organisations in the 21st Century?
John Burgoyne, Professor of Management Learning at Lancaster University Management School
Listen to John Burgoyne talking about network theory and information pollution and the implications for management, leadership and organisational development.
Judi Marshall, Professor of Leadership and Learning at Lancaster University Management School
Listen to Judi Marshall talking about leadership for sustainability.
Food for Thought:
Key issues from the Table Discussions:
- What will a 21st Century organisation look like?
- What do we need to learn?
- Can we as people manage the speed of change?
- How do we manage to disconnect between business and political leaders?
- How will we manage jobs for the young?
- How do we manage the technology divide between young and old?
- How will we allow ideas to filter up? (crowd sourcing)?
- What will be the nature of work in the 21st Century?
- If work is knowledge intensive, how will ideas be valued?
Panel Questions and Responses:
What do you think might be the catalysts for taking leadership in organisational change ie moral, technical? And what might stop it?
Panel responses included:
- External environment and technology as key drivers.
- Importance of values and purpose.
The Level of information we have to deal with is also about values sytems - can we manage speed change and changing values?
Panel responses included:
- A need to develop capacity for collective action.
- A need for clarity of core beliefs and values.
- A need for Leadership Centres to connect sectors.
Strand of importance of philosophical thinking in Leadership Learning and this may well be a missing dimension in Universities, ie what is the good life and what is the point of being here?
Panel responses included:
- Lancaster University Management programmes aim to get to fundamental questions of 'good' and ethical practice.
- Forthcoming review on pay in the public sector reflects on what is a 'good' society.
Please take a look at our Department’s MA programmes;
- The part time MA in Management Learning and Leadership, for those involved in developing managers, leaders and organisations
- The full time MA in Management and Consulting for those who are interested in developing capacities in management, HR, organisational learning and internal or external consulting.
