Business leaders hold the world in their hands: Reflections on the 2010 World Business Forum

Dr. Cristina E. Ciocirlan, Assistant Professor of Management, Elizabethtown College

Attending the World Business Forum in New York City helped reinforce valuable truths about leading organizations in the 21st century. In a global world, where emerging economies are becoming increasingly powerful, leading organizations poses unique challenges that require unprecedented creativity.

Al Gore spoke of the rising importance of China in renewable energy development, while Marvin Odum, President of Shell Oil Company, spoke of the importance of being socially responsible in addressing climate change. An example of Shell’s social responsibility is that the company charges itself $40 for every ton of carbon dioxide it generates and spends a tremendous amount of R&D funds in renewable energy.

Jim Collins and James Cameron spoke about the value of humility in leadership, about giving your team credit for success and blaming yourself for failure. James Cameron stated that creativity requires persistence and scouting for ideas anywhere (as an example, the movie Avatar took 15 years to make and required the collaboration of specialists in fields as diverse as Anthropology, Astrophysics and Languages).

Humble, compassionate leaders, who are able to leverage the creative potential of their team, are needed to lead today’s organizations. I really enjoyed attending the Forum and sharing these valuable insights with my students.

Dr. Ciocirlan was one of five faculty members and students attending the 2010 World Business Forum, representing Elizabethtown College and the S. Dale High Center for Family Business, made possible by The High Companies, headquartered  in Lancaster, PA.