- November 12, 2020
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- November 14, 2020
In light of the Covid pandemic, we converted our Leadership Seminar “Philosophy and Practice” to a virtual format and offered an online seminar from 12-14 November. The virtual format captured the essence and spirit of the original: In a reflective space, we embarked on a journey for pause and consideration on leadership behavior in response to the challenges of the present. Guided by our experienced moderators Carol Gluck and Ruth Girardet, participants discussed texts written by traditional and modern philosophers and writers and contemplated on their implication for our lives today. The seminar encouraged participants to interpret the readings that span more than two millennia in their own way. The purpose of the seminar was not to identify similar responses or to build consensus, but to encourage participants to think more deeply about their own beliefs and values, enhance their understanding of competing viewpoints, and highlight the complexity of our societies. While the Seminar was not intended to offer ready-made solutions, it created a space for dialog and exchange, which is vital in a world of conflicting interests, opposing views, and cultural frictions.
Since 2011, the Aspen Seminar Germany has invited participants to explore and reflect on values-driven leadership, following a model developed in the 1950s at the Aspen Institute in Aspen, Colorado. Seminar participants join an alumni network numbering in the hundreds, linked by their experiences in the seminar and their engagement in bettering themselves and their societies.
