History always repeats itself, and I think that’s because we never take the time to learn from our mistakes. We should view the recent financial crisis as a teaching moment, as the lessons learned today will be foresight for the future. With this in mind, organizations should evaluate what happened, why it happened, how it happened, and the changes that will come as a result.!@!
According to a recent Forbes.com article, “Leaders in this new era will need to be able to operate more effectively in a world defined by closer relationships between government, business and other stakeholders. From climate change to international poverty, the most pressing challenges of our time will demand a response that is beyond the reach of any single group, organization or sector of our economy. The most effective leaders, the ones who will reshape America’s financial system, will understand this delicate interaction.”
Another related Forbes.com article stated that two leadership qualities — intellectual rigor and intellectual flexibility — which at first seem at odds, are critical to the leaders of this new era.
“As our current economic climate demonstrates all too well, the rules of the game do change, sometimes in an instant. Future business leaders must be creative, adaptable and comfortable with change — whether it is change they bring about themselves or change that is imposed on them.”
Learning organizations can use the circumstances of the financial crisis as a way of teaching leaders these qualities. Have you used the recent fallout as a teaching moment? If so, how did you incorporate it into your teaching?
