Leadership development is a critical challenge faced by companies around the world. The cooperative iLead leadership development course, created by Bridge Consulting International and presented in partnership with the Hunter Museum of American Art and the UTC College of Business, provides an opportunity to stimulate such skills through fully engaging the creative energy of participants.
“The iLead program was something I developed after we relocated Bridge Consulting from Atlanta to Chattanooga and I got to know more about the local community,” says Bridge Consulting International CEO Jenny Whitener. “Our company provides services in everything that leaders do: team building, executive coaching, visioning, strategic planning and new market growth strategies. We were looking at how we could contribute to the local community; we met with Dr. Mark Mendenhall from UTC and Adera Causey, curator of education at the Hunter Museum, and worked with them on implementation of the iLead program.”
According to Whitener, the iLead program incorporates many of the services Bridge Consulting provides to Fortune 500 companies. In partnership with the Hunter Museum and the UTC College of Business, the program provides a unique environment for leadership development and skill enhancement.
“We utilize the art collection and the environment at the Hunter to inspire new thinking and open up self-awareness,” Whitener says. “Participants will look at innovative thinking and bold ideas differently – these are all things that leaders have to do today to win in the marketplace. Then we will bring in professors from the UTC College of Business as guest lecturers to share their thoughts on leadership. So we have the core program, the Hunter-specific experience, and then the lectures from UTC professors, which include some thought-provoking research they are doing.”
The two-day iLead program, scheduled for September 16 and October 21, 2010, at the Hunter Museum, includes four areas of study: The Leader, The Team, The Idea and The Do. In each case, participants experience scenarios developed from the Hunter collection, along with research, best practice discussions and relevant lectures. Enrollment is open to the public.
“This is an excellent continuing education opportunity for experienced professionals and E.M.B.A. or M.B.A. graduates to further refine their leadership capabilities,” says Mendenhall, who holds the J. Burton Frierson Chair of Excellence in Business Leadership at UTC. “We see younger and older business people who would like to learn how to be more effective, develop managerial competencies, and learn cutting-edge business ideas.”
The combination of all three organizations in presenting the iLead program provides a one-of-a-kind learning experience that links the academic, business and creative aspects in a comprehensive endeavor. The Hunter Museum provides visual art as a vehicle for learning; Bridge Consulting brings its experience in leadership development programs for Global Fortune 500 companies such as Ernst & Young, GE Energy, NCR, Shell Exploration and Royal Mail; and UTC College of Business faculty provide training on leading issues in business research.
Segments will focus on the evaluation of leadership styles; communication skills and assessments; effective team-building and collaboration; innovative and design thinking; and strategic planning and analysis.
“By taking the participants out of their usual environments, they are placed in a position to test their critical analytical skills, as well as their skills in communication and leadership development,” says Adera Causey, curator of education at the Hunter Museum. “These skills can be cultivated using the seemingly neutral works of art as a springboard for deeper learning of the business concepts taught in the course.”
“A lot of work is being done now around the application of ‘design thinking;’ innovation and creativity are no longer done exclusively through the research and development departments within an organization,” says Whitener, who previously served as chief learning officer with Ernst & Young Consulting. “Leaders need to foster that throughout their organizations in order to compete.”
The emerging economic recovery is expected to demand exceptional leadership skills as companies evolve to compete effectively in the global marketplace of the future.
“Research indicates that the economy is coming back,” Whitener says. “Organizations went through a period of efficiency last year, focusing on doing more with less, and now they are starting to think about growth again. There is going to be a leadership requirement.”
“The iLead program in Chattanooga is very creative in nature and links that creativity to solid business skills,” Whitener continues. She encourages organizations to consider providing scholarships for employees who would benefit from the iLead program.
For more information about the iLead program and how it can benefit management professionals and their companies, visit the Hunter Museum of American Art Web site at www.huntermuseum.com or contact Adera Causey at acausey@huntermuseum.org or (423) 752-2053.