History abounds in the names of heroes and exceptional leaders who rose to the challenge in an hour of need, for example: Spartacus, Joan of Arc, John III Sobieski, Queen Victoria, Winston Churchill, and Martin Luther King, to name a few. To be effective, leaders of today can learn from history, but they must also adjust their leadership styles and behaviors to the present day. During a seminar organized by the Center for Research on the Economics of Memorial Sites, Professor Michael J. Urick from Saint Vincent College in Pennsylvania, USA, will present a cultural and historical perspective on leadership.
HEROES AND LEADERS
A Cultural Perspective for Creating a Better Future by Learning from the Past
Organizer: the Center for Research on the Economics of Memorial Sites at SWPS University
Researching Memorial Sites Around the World
The strategic goal of the Center for Research on the Economics of Memorial Sites is to conduct international comparative research, at the memorial sites, where the former German Nazi concentration camps, extermination camps and the largest places of mass executions were located, including the following countries: Austria, Belgium, Belarus, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Holland, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Latvia, Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Ukraine.
Over the past two years, the Center has significantly advanced this goal and is currently ready to expand its research to memorial sites around the world, including the USA.
Thanks to the cooperation with Saint Vincent College, the Center will expand its research scope not only geographically, but also contextually, to include memorial sites stemming from non-European culture and history located on the territory of the United States.
Additionally, the seminar will provide an excellent opportunity for a meeting and exchange of ideas between 60 scholars and students from Saint Vincent College and SWPS University. The Center for Research on the Economics of Memorial Sites will also present its activities and research from the past two years.
13.00-13.30 – Welcome and refreshments
13.30-13.40 – Opening Address – prof. Marcin Jacoby, Rector's Representative for International Relations
13.40-14.00 – presentation of the Center for Research on the Economics of Memorial Sites – prof. Igor Lyubashenko, dr Katarzyna Wojtkiewicz
14.00-14.30 – Heroes and Leaders: A Cultural Perspective for Creating a Better Future by Learning from the Past – prof. Michael J. Urick, the Alex G. McKenna School of Business, Economics, and Government, St. Vincent College in Latrobe, PA, USA
14.30-15.00 – Q&A session and discussion
15.00-15.30 – Guided tour of SWPS University campus
Heroes and Leaders: A Cultural Perspective for Creating a Better Future by Learning from the Past
One definition of leadership is that it is a process of influence. To become more influential, a leader can learn from successful leadership styles and behaviors from the past. After examining historic "leadership heroes," a leader must then also consider the current context which would include one's culture, attributes of potential followers, and other external elements. There are likely both elements that are similar to and different from historic contexts and so a modern leader must adapt what she or he has learned from past leaders to fit the current environment. In doing so, leaders need to consider their own leader behavior preferences and acknowledge that they may need to change their style to fit their context. Throughout the presentation, various examples of historic leaders and heroes will be considered as will many fundamental theories of leadership and culture.
Prof. Michael J. Urick – Graduate Director of the Master of Science in Management: Operational Excellence (MSMOE) program and Associate Professor of Management and Operational Excellence at the Alex G. McKenna School of Business, Economics, and Government at St. Vincent College in Latrobe, Pennsylvania (USA). His research interests include lead¬ership, conflict, and diversity in the workplace. Michael J. Urick is an Associate Editor of the Journal of Leadership and Management, serves on the board of ISM-Pittsburgh and is currently President and also volunteers on the board of several other nonprofit organizations. He was recognized by the Institute for Supply Management as "Person of the Year" in the learning and education category in 2015.
Center for Research on the Economics of Memorial Sites at SWPS University
March 05, 2020, 13.00-15.30
SWPS University, Chodakowska 19/31, room no. N317 (3rd floor)
Associate Professor Adam Szpaderski, Head of the Center for Research on the Economics of Memorial Sites
e-mail: aszpaderski@swps.edu.pl