Leadership in Action:

Jack Welch’s Ten Steps to Success as a Leader

How does one become a successful leader? Arguably, that question is the most common topic in boardrooms and business schools alike. Much of the analysis of this critical issue examines leadership at arm’s length in attempt to define successful leadership through observation. In contrast, the acclaimed business leader, Jack Welch – who Fortune magazine called the “Manager of the Century” for the 20th century – developed a 10-step list for successful leadership based on his experience and 21 years as CEO and Chairman of General Electric. Prof. Danny Szpiro of IEDC – Bled School of Management had the unique opportunity to work closely with Jack Welch while dean of the Jack Welch Management Institute. In this brief MasterClass, Dr. Szpiro will share an overview of the Jack’s 10-steps and discuss both the appeal and challenges of putting them into action.

Danny Szpiro,Cornell University, USA

Leadership Responses to Pandemic:

What Works?

Covid-19 just reinforced already existing paradoxes which our organizations have to deal with in order to be sustainable.  Dealing with these paradoxes requires embracing inclusive mindset (“this and that”, not “this or that”), which is not our current dominating cultural traits. However,   when undergoing major changes we cannot avoid high levels of anxiety, so active organizational leadership is required at all levels.  Best practices do exist, but are not so common in our part of the world.

Nenad Filipović, IEDC-Bled School of Management

Crisis Management

Corona virus pandemic is one of such extraordinary events which contain all of the attributes of crisis: potentially lethal for people and businesses, gaining exponential speed nad momentum, presenting unique new challenges, and more. Although business leader can refer to a large stock of crisis management insights and guidelines, and public health experts keep developing ever more accurate behavioral guidelines and future scenarios, many businesses still face high level of uncertainty.

Nenad Filipović, IEDC-Bled School of Management

The Next Recession

Most business analysts are forecasting the start of the next global recession during the second quarter of 2020. Some countries may already be in recession during the first quarter of this year. Less clear is the likely nature, severity, duration, challenges, and opportunities associated with the next recession. This recession will be significantly different from prior recessions and come at a time when policy makers, financial institutions, other businesses, and consumers are not well-prepared to weather a deep recession. 

Jim Ellert, IEDC-Bled School of Management, Slovenia; Emeritus, IMD Lausanne, Switzerland

Driver for Sustainable Management

Actual challenges, developments and trends for a New Economy! Management stands at a crossroad right now. International supply chains are disrupted and global markets are dynamically changing. Either businesses are failing due to the actual crises or taking the opportunity to develop innovative solutions for a new economy. Studies show that Sustainability becomes a main driver for economic change and an important success factor for management. How responsible leadership affects the performance of your enterprise and how a new management paradigm could look like will be discussed in this webinar.

René Schmidpeter, Cologne Business School

“Your Network is Your Net-Worth”

What does research reveal about smart, powerful networking? It is not what you may think.  In this interactive, fun session we will explore a key “secret” of successful networking. We will do so by examining recent cutting-edge insights from research. But more interestingly, by watching and discussing a 10-minute fragment of an extraordinary movie by the New York film director, Jim Jarsmuch (a fascinating story reflecting the mistakes one should not make)... and by inviting you to evaluate, through several brief exercises, your own network. Ultimately this Webinar will give you important insights on how to expand your network towards the future.

Jose M. Alcaraz, Munich Business School

Innovations by Design Thinking Method

The world needs leaders who can manage uncertainty and think creatively to improve business and society. History has taught us that out of crisis, comes opportunity. In these uncertain and challenging times, we need to think differently about solving problems and creating new opportunities.

Salman Mufti, Smith School of Business, Queen's University, Canada

Strategic Thinking for a New Future

Future is now. Session to reflect about four key factors for a sequential strategic thinking in challenging times as we are experiencing nowadays. It’s about excelling at Leadership, Immediacy, Future and Digital. Much depends on how we lead ourselves first, and then Team, Organization, Sector and Society. Understanding the now and coping with it taking fast action. It’s our role to write a better future for all. Let’s embrace technology fast. Critical drivers for a new world.

Miquel Llado, IESE, Spain

"Which comes first:

customer centricity or employee centricity?"

A strong employer brand is a great advantage for the company that helps attract new employees and becomes an attractive employer to best talent, while at the same time increasing the satisfaction and commitment of existing employees. Although the initiative to systematically build an employer brand is often taken by the HR department, which usually takes the lead in building an employer brand, it is an imperative to leverage the synergies with other departments and not least to ensure there is management’s support.

Aleksandra Kregar, Employer Branding Director at COMPETO

Leading in times of uncertainty:

COVID – 19 and its Impact on Leadership

Covid-19 pandemic is a perfect example of a “black swan theory” come true. The theory, developed by N.N.Taleb, describes a black swan event as a happening of a large magnitude that would be impossible to predict and consequences of which are hard to foresee. The situation of uncertainty that we are all witnesses to now,  puts immense pressure on businesses and on leadership in the first place: an incredible shift of power develops in from of our eyes. Coupled with major communication problems, leadership challenge can be narrowed down to a simple question that might not have a a simple solution: “How to rebound quickly and…re-invent ourselves? “

Pierre Casse, Moscow School of Management Skolkovo, Russia and IEDC-Bled School of Management, Slovenia

Key Organizational Financial Planning Considerations in a Time of Crisis

It is impossible to predict the full implications of a global pandemic crisis like COVID-19. Despite that uncertainty, what are the steps that organizations can be taking now to help protect their financial condition? In this webinar Dr. Daniel Szpiro of the IEDC – Bled School of Management discussed key considerations and actions that organizations should be taking now to help survive the COVID-19 pandemic.

Danny Szpiro, Cornell University, USA

Deep Diversity (IEDC HR Brunch Topic)

A lecture on the topic of Diversity & Inclusion about how HR departments can implement Deep Diversity and avoid some of the worst pitfalls of Diversity & Inclusion as it is implemented in many companies today. 

Peter Gilles, GMD Consulting