Dr. Peter Senge to speak at Naropa University’s Emerging Paradigms for Leadership: What’s Needed Now? Symposium

 Noted strategist to present tools to bring out the best in leaders and foster a better understanding of organizational change.

BOULDER, Colo. (January 31, 2011)—Naropa University will host a two-day series of lectures, dialogues, and workshops titled Emerging Paradigms For Leadership: What’s Needed Now? on Friday, February 18, 2011, from 7 to 9 p.m. and Saturday February 19, 2011, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on its East Boulder campus at 6287 Arapahoe Ave.

Among the speakers who will lead the discussion and dialog is Dr. Peter Senge, prominent author of The Fifth Discipline: The Art and Practice of the Learning Organization. Since its publication, more than one million copies have been sold and in 1997, Harvard Business Review identified it as one of the seminal management books of the past 75 years. 

“Organizations learn only through individuals who learn,” said Senge. “Individual learning does not guarantee organizational learning, but without it no organizational learning occurs. Personal mastery is the discipline of continually clarifying and deepening our personal vision, of focusing our energies, of developing patience, and of seeing reality objectively. It goes beyond competence and skills, although it involves them. It goes beyond spiritual opening, although it involves spiritual growth. Mastery is seen as a special kind of proficiency. It is not about dominance, but rather about calling.”

The Journal of Business Strategy named Senge a “Strategist of the Century,” one of 24 men and women who have “had the greatest impact on the way we conduct business today” (September/October 1999).

Susan Skjei, director of Naropa University’s Authentic Leadership Program , noted that Dr. Senge and the 8 other speakers and presenters at the symposium will bring new perspectives and approaches that everyone can apply in their own organizations. “This is an exciting and challenging time to be a leader. The world is more complex and interconnected than ever before. Not surprisingly, so are the problems. Leaders who can access their inner strength and collaborate with others across boundaries will be better able to navigate this difficult terrain with skill and confidence.” 

Schedule:

Fri., Feb. 18 7–9               “Exploring the Questions that Matter to Us as Leaders”

                                          Dialogue with Mark Gerzon, Amanda Trosten-Bloom,

                                          Rich Fernandez, and Susan Skjei

Sat., Feb. 19 9–5               Workshops

                                          Integrative dialogue

                                          Lunch

                                          Workshops

                                          Dialogue with Dr. Peter Senge, Dr. Stuart Lord, and others

The New Paradigms for Leadership symposium is part of a series of leadership programs offered by Naropa University that examine and uncover new ways in which ancient wisdom and modern science can extend our knowledge about how to live in an increasingly complex, non-linear world. New ways of thinking, along with revolutionary approaches for leadership, are necessary in order to bring out the best in ourselves and in the groups and organizations that we lead.

Additional presenters include:
Amanda Trosten-Bloom is the author of Appreciative Leadership and managing director for Corporation for Positive Change (CPC), a Colorado-based consulting firm. Her work focuses primarily on strength-based change in the areas of culture transformation, strategic planning, mergers and acquisitions, leadership development, and business process improvement for companies, governments, and nonprofits around the world.

Mark Gerzon, author of Leading Beyond Conflict and president of Mediators Foundation, is widely viewed as one of the key architects of the field of global leadership and an experienced facilitator in high-conflict zones. He has advised a wide variety of organizations, including the U.S. Congress, multinational corporations, and UNDP. Mr. Gerzon is currently involved with several projects that advance the field of global citizenship, founding the Conflict Transformation Collaborative, a network of peace-builders from around the world.

Rich Fernandez is the chief learning officer of the world’s leading e-commerce platform EBay, where he oversees learning, leadership development, talent management, and organization development. Mr. Fernandez sees people and organizations as inherently vital and capable, boundless and joyful, taking the perspective that all things are but one thing – a singular and singularly beautiful relational field. The full integration of consciousness, rendered from this state of completeness and connectedness, is his highest aspiration personally and globally. 

Susan Skjei is director of the Authentic Leadership Program at Naropa University and president of SaneSystems, a management consulting firm specializing in organizational change, coaching, and leadership development. Formerly a vice-president and chief learning officer in the high-tech industry, she partners with leaders and their organizations to design and facilitate participative approaches to strategic planning and organizational transformation. She is known for creating energetic, high trust learning environments that accelerate the achievement of practical organizational results while building strong, collaborative relationships.

Kit Tennis, PhD, has 27 years experience consulting to and managing business, government, academic, and nonprofit organizations. In that time, he has developed a consulting philosophy that blends practical realism with a compassionate commitment to building effective, ethical high performance teams and organizations. In particular, he focuses on enhancing the management and life skills of organization members and broadening the competencies and perspectives organizations need to successfully face the challenges of a rapidly changing environment. Dr. Tennis is known for his lively, engaging style and his trust in the innate genius of everyone he meets.

Additional information and links to online registration can be found at: www.naropa.edu/authentic

About Naropa University
Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, Naropa University is a private, nonprofit, nonsectarian liberal arts institution dedicated to advancing contemplative education. This approach to learning integrates the best of Eastern and Western educational traditions, helping students know themselves more deeply and engage constructively with others. The university comprises a four-year undergraduate college and graduate programs in the arts, education, environmental leadership, psychology and religious studies.

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