After an informal reception last night in the Library at the Inn at Penn, the Global Leadership Congress opened today to a sold out group of 120 learning leaders from around the world.   After Chairman Alan Todd welcomed the group, Dr. Alexandra Michel (Marshall School of Business, University of Southern California) began the discussion of the research she and Dr. Stanton Wortham (Graduate School of Education, University of Pennsylvania) used as the foundation of their book, “Bullish on Uncertainty.”  She (and later in the day Dr. Wortham) made a compelling case for going against the natural inclination to decrease uncertainty in order to deal with changing landscapes and environments and to actually amplify uncertainty.   Based on a multi-year study of two investment banks, they offered evidence to support the more effective development of new hires who needed to quickly figure out how to use the organizational resources available to survive and, after a six-month period of inculturation, begin to thrive…even in the exceptionally challenging world of investment banking on a global stage.   They cited significantly lesser turnover rates, greater client retention as well as increased financial performance at the investment bank which chose to create an environment where new hires had to break the framework within which they had learned to operate and embrace the more “chaotic” environment and embrace the team and its collective wisdom.  In addition to the two banks studies, they shared successful examples of this approach at IDEO, US Army officers in Iraq and Google.  Following each of the presentations, attendees had an opportunity to work in small breakout sessions with Global Learning Advisors (GLAs) who fostered dialogue about taking these concepts and applying them at the organizations where they serve.

After the “teach back” session, the third presenter, Holly Huntley, Global CLO at CSC, shared how she and her team are using collective intelligence (harkening back to the previous presentations) to developing its corporate culture.  She also shared how “idea management” is used to solve business challenges as well as the integration of leadership principles and corporate culture.  Her comments about “Leadership as Collective Genious” resonated well with the attendees.

Summary remarks followed….then it was off the gala event for the 11th Annual Corporate University Xchange Excellence and Innovation Awards at the Museum of Archaologoy and Antropology to honor some of the best of our profession.

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