Speakers
The conference program focuses on exploring the concept of wisdom and finding how it can help us in our work. We have some special guests who will speak at the conference and engage with us in our exploration of wisdom.
Alan Briskin, PhD
Co-founder of the Collective Wisdom Initiative in California, USA
Alan is an author, researcher, artist and consultant who examines the role of wisdom at work. His most recent book, Collective Wisdom and the Trap of Collective Folly, is the co-creation of a number of researchers of the Collective Wisdom Initiative. The book won the 2010 Nautilus Award in the category of Business and Leadership.
To learn more about Alan and his writings see www.alanbriskin.com/collective_wisdom.htm
Steve Taylor, PhD
Associate Professor of Management at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Massachusetts, USA
Those who attended the 2010 conference will remember the play, “The Invisible Foot” and the powerful evening of dialogue that followed the play. The author of that play, Steve Taylor, will be with us, presenting another of his plays, “Blasphemy and Doubt”.
Steve’s work employs theatre performances as a means of organisational development and change. His recent published papers include “Representing wholeness: learning via theatrical productions”, “Enacting the ‘true self’: Towards a theory of embodied authentic leadership” and “Understanding arts-based methods in managerial development”. In 2010 he presented a staged reading of the play “Cow going abstract” at the annual Academy of Management meeting, Montreal, Canada.
Steve will present a session on “Arts Based Processes for seeking Wisdom” Drawing upon Taylor and Ladkin’s (2009) four processes he will briefly lay out a theoretical understanding of the use of arts for managerial and organisational development. He will then use this framework to suggest how we might use the arts to develop wisdom.
[Taylor, Steven S. & Ladkin, Donna. (2009). Understanding arts-based methods in managerial development. Academy of Management Learning & Education, 8(1), 55-69]
Peter and Alison Yiangou
Self Knowledge Global Responsibility Project, UK
Peter Yiangou studied architecture at Natal University in South Africa and the Architectural Association in London. He and Alison established Yiangou Architects, an award winning practice in the UK. Alison studied Physics at Bristol, entered the business world practising Industrial Relations and is currently responsible for HR and financial management in the architectural practice.
Peter and Alison have studied at Beshara School, whose programs are focused on the principles of unity and inter-connecedness, and study of the great wisdom texts such as Rumi and Ibn’Arabi. The Self Knowledge Global Responsibility Project began in 2009. It aims to combine the personal and the global, contemplation and action.
Peter and Alison will participate in the conference, concentrating on the questions “What are the particular pains and paradoxes of this time that we need to address?” and “What is being called for in our current evolution as individuals and organisations?”
Margot Cairnes B.Ed. (Hons) MBA
Founder & Chairman, Zaffyre International Pty Ltd
As Founder and Chairman of Zaffyre International, Margot Cairnes guides the Zaffyre International team who advise, mentor and partner with Boards and CEOs to devise and deliver on whole-organisation transformation.
As a highly respected corporate mentor and advisor to Boards and CEO’s of multinational companies, Margot’s innovative and proven approach has the power to turn businesses around – producing impressive results, increasing shareholder value, setting world benchmarks and creating industry, community and personal breakthroughs.
Margot works with Boards and CEOs to maximise and increase their effectiveness on strategic issues such as political astuteness, negotiations with stakeholders and delivering positive business outcomes.
Margot is an accomplished author of over 300 articles and five books.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Abha Maryada Banerjee
Founder of SUCCESS INDIA
www.ABHAMB.com
Abha Maryada Banerjee is India’s first woman motivational speaker of international acclaim and is rated as one of the Top Ten Life, Business and Success Coaches in Asia Pacific. She has coached over 2,000 People and Businesses across the World in performance enhancement and developing the Spiritual Leadership Quotient. Known as ‘Asian Oprah’ and the ‘Asian Woman Motivator’, she is gifted with the unique ability to get people to take action to reach their fullest potential. She professes ‘Personal Mastery’ for individuals and ‘Emotional Fitness’ for Corporate’ to achieve excellence.
Abha is a lawyer by profession. Her vision is to improve the quality of human life and thought. She is a livewire speaker who is a unique blend of passion, integrity, spirituality and practical useful knowledge, humorous enough to have you in splits, Abha is called the ‘Emotional Fitness Guru’ of India for personal and business transformation.
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————–
Alan Harpham
BSc MBA (1975) CMC FAPM FIC FIoD
Alan is Chairman of the APM Group with a portfolio of pro-bono interests including: chair of the Ecumenical Partnership Initiatives – workplace ministry, chairman of Cranfield University’s Science and Engineering Research Ethics Committee, and SPD’s ethics committee (medical research).
He was a director of P5 – the Power of Projects, MD of Nichols Associates (the Nichols Group), and an early Director of the MSc in Project Management at Cranfield School of Management. Before that he was a civil engineer with John Laing. He is also a former Council member of the APM.
He is interested in the Spirit at Work movement.
Alan will be the Dinner Speaker on Saturday evening. He will give us an overview of what is happening with the Spirit at Work movement internationally.