Leadership is a hot topic. In the last 90 days only 2,733 new books were released on the subject (source: amazon.com). Yet, the lack of good leadership is clearly one of the biggest reasons behind the issues we are facing in our society.
Few times in our life we are lucky enough to come across someone we immediately realize is a great leader, winning our hearts and minds. What happens when you have the chance to meet, altogether, few of today’s most influential leaders? Simple: you come out from the meeting with hope, a sense of direction, engaged on something bigger, and committed to do something different in your life.
About two weeks ago, I participated to Wisdom 2.0 Asia, the first gathering in the region bringing together top leaders in business, society and wisdom practices to explore how to lead most effectively in the digital age. I cannot face the daunting challenge to summarize the experience, the learning and key takeaways from the two days. But for the purpose of sharing, I will list here the key speakers of the two days, and leave it to the reader to explore more about this amazing people I met.
Dr. Dan Siegel, currently clinical professor of psychiatry at the UCLA School of Medicine where he is on the faculty of the Center for Culture, Brain, and Development. Founder and Executive Director of the Mindsight Institute, he has lectured for the King of Thailand, Pope John Paul II, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Google University, London’s Royal Society of Arts (RSA), and TEDx.
Father Laurence Freeman is a monk of the Olivetan Benedictine Congregation of Monte Oliveto Maggiore and Director of The World Community for Christian Meditation. Watch Father Laurence conversation with Lee Kuan Yew (the founding father of Singapore and the man behind the incredible success, corruption-free, of the Country) about meditation and leadership.
Tenzin Priyadarshi is the founder, President & CEO of the Dalai Lama Center for Ethics and Transformative Values at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where he design and disseminate innovative programs on teaching secular ethics and human values. Together with Joi Ito, Director of the MIT Media Lab, he is promoting the contribution that awareness and focus can bring to the creativity process.
Jack Kornfield founded in 1987 the Spirit Rock Meditation Center in Woodacre, California. He has organized teacher trainings and led international gatherings of Buddhist teachers with the Dalai Lama, other than coaching corporate leaders of the caliber of Bill Ford (watch his interview with the CEO of Ford Motor Co.)
Roshi Joan Halifax is a Buddhist teacher, Zen priest, anthropologist, and pioneer in the field of end-of-life care. She is Founder, Abbot, and Head Teacher of Upaya Institute and Zen Center in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Dr. Ariyaratne is the founder and president of the Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement in Sri Lanka. Hailed as the Gandhi of Sri Lanka, his movement led the opening of more than 30 thousands schools in rural villages.
Enjoy the journey toward authentic leadership.
