BUSINESS ADVENTURES:
Leadership for Sustainable Business Innovation
A blend of executive leadership development, company visits, and tourism in the San Francisco Bay Area, this seminar shows business people a new way to prosper in the 21st century. By the end of the seminar, leaders will be able to rapidly and competently: make sense of the new global business environment, recognize and creating new opportunities, lead change and innovation toward sustainability, create conditions for collaboration, and develop your company's capacity for ongoing organizational learning and knowledge management.
Our partner and collaborator in offering this program is Dr. Don Campbell, Director of the Asian Pacific Institute of JFK University.
Seminars
Session I: Introduction to Leadership for Sustainable Business Innovation
This opening session presents the key concepts and organizing frameworks of the seminar, and provides an overview of the topics that will be covered during two weeks in the San Francisco Bay Area. The discussion will include:
- Definition and discussion of sustainable business innovation?
- New competencies for a new time
- Sustainable innovation in today's global context
Session II: Outside the Box: New Frameworks of Leadership
The new, expanded frameworks of leadership evident in today’s most innovative enterprises are based on the expansion of mental models and new ways of thinking. This session explores these frameworks through a series of experiential exercises and discussions. Topics to be explored include:
- How to effectively ask "Outside the Box" questions
- Applying "Why not?" and "What if?" to business challenges
Session III: Strategy: Intentionality, Communication, & Action
This session introduces the concept of strategy as the conscious, intentional creation of organizational futures. While exploring the link between strategy, effective communication, and action, participants will learn about frameworks and tools that can help managers and leaders think in new ways to produce innovation:
- What in the world is happening in the world?
- Strategy and communication for action
- Opportunities: local initiatives for global problems
Session IV: Cultures of Innovation: Diversity & Organizational Dynamics
To succeed in the era of sustainable business, innovation, intention, vision, and purpose must be grounded in an organizational culture that fosters innovation. Diversity—the interaction of multiple cultures, backgrounds, and perspectives—is an invaluable asset that business leader can use to cultivate cultures of innovation within their organizations. In this session:
- Characteristics of innovative organizations
- The role of diversity in innovative organizations
- How to create the conditions for collaboration
Session V: Emerging 21st Century Business Models
At the beginning of the 21st century, a new generation of businesses are the breaking news. These businesses are innovative, profitable, and ethical. They focus on an integrated "triple bottom line" of people, planet, and profit. They are creating new markets and reinventing what it means to "do business." In this session, participants will analyze case studies to understand these 21st century sustainable business models.
- The evolution of business
- What is sustainability?
- Corporate responses to social and environmental sustainability challenges
Session VI: Business Leader's Forum - Innovation, Sustainability, & Success
This final session includes a company visit and conversation that integrates the Seminar's key points, and an afternoon networking event with local business leaders to explore the relation between innovation, sustainability and success in today's global business environment. Participants will:
- Explore common concerns and ideas with group of organizational consultants and business leaders from the San Francisco Bay Area
- Meet new potential collaborators and partners
Company Visits
Past company visits have included:
Cisco
Tours
Lake Tahoe
Napa Valley
San Francisco
Visit the photo album of the September 2008 Business Adventures for Polish business leaders.
