Highlights from the 2001 ILA Conference

Miami, Florida, USA, November 1-4, 2001

Despite the tragic events of September 11 and their aftermath, registration for the ILA annual conference slightly surpassed past years.  Three hundred people who research, study and practice leadership traveled to Miami with the shared understanding that the work we all do in the study and practice of leadership-- international leadership-- is all the more important during these uncertain times.  While the conference did not have an official theme, “Leadership in Times of Crises” was certainly one theme that emerged from the conference.   

Scroll down or follow these in-page links:

• Pre-conference Workshops

• Pre-conference Scholarship Roundtables

• Conference Welcome

• World Knowledge Café

• Margaret Wheatley’s Keynote Remarks

• Understanding Cross-Cultural Leadership: Highlights of GLOBE Project

• Leadership in Times of Crisis Panel and Roundtables

• Over 50 Concurrent Sessions

• Poster Sessions

• Presentation of the ILA Distinguished Leadership Award

• Conference Closing and Special Performance by Michael Jones

• Leadership Book Fair

• Participants Comments

Pre-conference Workshops

• Held on Thursday, November 1 from 1-4 pm, this was the first year ILA offered intensive pre-conference workshops.  
• Facilitated by recognized experts, these sessions provided tools and models for participants to improve their skills and effectiveness on the job. 

Pre-conference Scholarship Roundtables

This pre-conference session provided leadership scholars with the opportunity to interact with other scholars, practitioners and educators on topics related to their research.  These informal discussions took place concurrently, and there was an opportunity for session participants to join two roundtables during the course of the afternoon.

Conference Welcome

Cynthia Cherrey,  ILA Executive Director, reflects on the events of the past year and the work of the International Leadership Association toward the creation of a vibrant, leader-filled society. 
   

World Knowledge Café

Facilitated by Kathleen E. Allen, University of St. Thomas and Michael Jones, Pianoscapes, Canada

The World Knowledge Café is a method of creating questions that lead to the creation of collective knowledge.  After a brief explanation of the process, Kathleen Allen and Michael Jones asked the group the question  “What are the important leadership questions in times like this?"  Participants silently reflected on this question and as Jones shared his music they wrote down additional questions.  Then, each person shared their questions with the others at their table and the group then jointly developed a summary question.  One person stayed to host the table, while everyone else moved to another table for another round.    

Click to view full-size images of World Knowledge Café participants

Conference participants talk with Keynote presenter Margaret Wheatley

Margaret Wheatley’s Keynote Remarks: “What is the Leadership the World Needs Now?”

Margaret Wheatley is president of the Berkana Institute, a charitable global foundation. She has been a consultant for a variety of organizations on five continents, ranging from Fortune 500 corporations and the U.S. Army to religious orders and the Girl Scouts. Wheatley is the author of Leadership and the New Science and, with Myron Kellner-Rogers, A Simpler Way, as well as numerous articles on management and self-organization.

Understanding Cross-Cultural Leadership: Highlights of the Global Leadership and Organizational Behavior Effectiveness Research Program (GLOBE)

Robert J. House, The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania

GLOBE is a multi-phase, multi-method project in which investigators spanning the world are examining the interrelationships between societal culture, organizational culture, and organizational leadership.  Approximately 170 social scientists and management scholars from 61 cultures/countries representing all major regions throughout the world were engaged in this long-term programmatic series of cross-cultural leadership studies.  Dr. House shared the major highlights from this groundbreaking international project. 

Leadership in Times of Crisis Panel and Roundtables

Gamaliel Perruci, McDonough Center for Leadership and Business, Marietta College; Jean Lipman-Blumen, Drucker Graduate School of Management, Claremont Graduate University; Hugh O’Doherty, Center for Public leadership, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University

The panelists presented their research findings and personal insights concerning leadership in times of crisis.  After these opening remarks, conference participants held small group discussions. The conference weaver, Judy Sorum Brown circulated between the tables and made summary remarks to conclude the session.

Over 50 Concurrent Sessions

Participants chose from more than fifty concurrent sessions including workshops, panels, paper presentations and roundtable discussions.

Poster Sessions

A sampling of the visually exciting posters displayed at the poster sessions. Click to view full-size images.

Presentation of the ILA Distinguished Leadership Award

Larraine Matusak, ILA board member and conference chair, presented the ILA Distinguished Service Award to the Fire Department of New York.  The award was accepted by Stephan Hittman, Executive Director, Office of Fire and Life Safety, FDNY.  This marked the first time the award was bestowed to an ILA member.

THE INTERNATIONAL LEADERSHIP ASSOCIATION Distinguished Service Award Presented to the Fire Department, City of New York in recognition of and appreciation for your courageous actions in the face of unprecedented terror attack.  Your leadership in the line of duty, September 11 and all days before and since. Your inspirational example, showing millions worldwide what it truly means to put service to others, service to community, and service to country first. Bestowed this 3rd Day of November, 2001, on the occasion of the International Leadership Association Annual Conference, Miami, Florida, United States

Conference Closing and Special Performance by Michael Jones

Judy Sorum Brown, poet/leadership educator and Michael Jones, Pianoscapes, Canada. 

Judy Sorum Brown served in the role of conference weaver; she shared her reflections on the experiences and knowledge gained by participants throughout the conference. 

To close the conference, Michael Jones posed several questions- "What is it that calls us into life? How do we live - and lead -without a script? Where do we go to find beauty and inspiration? What are those gifts and vocation that are natural to our true selves?  How do we find an authenticity in our own voice? What would it mean to live - not only a 'successful' - but a gifted and artful life?" and then while participants reflected on these questions, he shared several beautiful original piano compositions. 

Participants browsed and bought hundreds of the latest leadership books by leading authors. 

Conferences : Past Conferences : 2001 Highlights