CMED 2019 Keynote Speakers and Sessions
Opening Keynote: What is Executive Education’s North Star? Positive Organization Development
David Cooperrider is best known as the co-creator and creative thought leader of Appreciative Inquiry (AI). His founding work with AI is creating a positive revolution in the leadership of change; it is helping institutions all over the world discover the power of the strength-based approaches to multi-stakeholder innovation and collaborative design. Dr. Cooperrider’s work is especially unique because of its ability to enable positive change, innovation, and sustainable design in systems of large and complex scale. Today AI’s approach to strengths-inspired change is being practiced everywhere: the corporate world, the world of public service, of economics, of education, of faith, of philanthropy, and social science scholarship—it is affecting them all.
In this keynote presentation, Cooperrider will explore the proposition that when people in organizations work toward building a more flourishing world, they too are poised to thrive in ways that ignite innovation, leadership development, and inspired workplace performance. Put another way, being a great corporate citizen “out there” is not only about serving external stakeholders; it is fundamental to bringing out the best in people inside the organization.
The businesses and institutions you work with daily in executive education have the opportunity to be the most positive forces on the planet. Dr. Cooperrider will show how the design of positive institutions—institutions that magnify and refract our highest human strengths outward into the world—is Business’s ultimate North Star. He will also discuss the transformational role university-based executive education programs can play as he envisions a watershed moment in organization development research and practice.
Be prepared for a keynote experience summed up best by Professor Marty Seligman, the father of the positive psychology movement who once wrote: “David Cooperrider is a giant: a giant of discovery, a giant of dissemination, and a giant of generosity.”
What it really means to be a company – moving forward with purpose
Identify the factors that will move you beyond the bond of shared office space and matching branded apparel to become a company that works purposefully for employees and customers alike.
A brief look back at the origins of the word “company” can teach us a great deal about what it really takes to share a mission, work effectively as a team, and find purpose in our work. Using his proven V-REEL® Framework for strategic thinking as a guide, Dr. David Flint sets the stage for leaders and team members alike to learn more effective communication, begin thinking critically as a team, and realize the long-term benefits of sharing more than a brand. Educator, author, consultant, podcast host, and dog walker, Dr. Flint weaves themes of critical thinking, (V-REEL) Value creation, Rareness, Eroding factors, Enabling factors and Longevity with stories from more than 30 years of walking alongside students, entrepreneurs, corporate clients, and his dog, Leska, as they seek fulfillment in work and in life. Dr. Flint’s unique combination of management expertise, and knowledge of global markets, and thought provoking, light-hearted story-telling will move the audience to seek something better for themselves and their teams. His keynote address will provide both inspiration and a new way of thinking that will move them from understanding the status quo to realizing the power of thinking and working with purpose.
During this session you will gain:
- Inspiration and a tool to use to move to a new level of team work and business operations
- Introduction to the V-REEL® Framework; thinking through Value, Rareness, Eroding Factors, Enabling Factors and Longevity in order to think and communicate more effectively about how the organization and individuals within it create value in the marketplace
In order to have honest conversations about success, we need to have honest conversations about failure. Learn how failure-tolerant leaders pave the way for real change in their lives and in their organizations.
The psychological, social, and emotional stigmas of failure can be crippling. These stigmas create crushing fear, which in turn threatens positive change, innovation, and progress. How can we develop failure-tolerant leaders? How can we as leaders create cultures of openness, learning, and resilience by leveraging our own personal shortcomings and failures? How do we prepare for failure, respond to failure, and build on failure, whether it’s our own or someone else’s? In this raw and refreshing session, we will get real about failure and its critical role in personal, team, and organizational development.
During this session you will discover:
- Cognitive restructuring: Learn how to shift the mindset of failure from fear to courage.
- Speaking up about failure: Learn how to reflect, embrace learning, and be a model for change in your team or organization.
- The progress equation: Practice building resilience and sparking action, even amidst failure.
- Six-word stories: The audience is encouraged to share their six-word failure stories on social media using the hashtag #sixwordfail during the keynote and beyond.
A Manager’s Guide to Mentoring
Dr. Basu is a fun and entertaining educator and his session on mentorship is designed to help you walk away with influence tips to help you grow your leadership qualities.
Your employee’s productivity is most directly impacted by your ability to mentor him or her. This session will focus on your ability to influence others during discussions, informal negotiations and personal interactions. Learn to break through the barriers that often block your message. You will develop the power necessary to be an effective and well-received messenger, learn to avoid conflicts and confrontations and use bargaining power to your advantage. These goals are achieved by identifying important factors that impact your ability to persuade and connect with others around you.
During this session you will learn how to:
- Connect with others and lead through quality relationships
- Focus on the needs of others
- Become a persuasive messenger
- Lead with fairness
Digital Transformation of Executive Education – Real world examples of successful digital learning programs and badges for Microsoft
Join leaders from Intrepid by VitalSource and Credly to learn how forward-thinking executive education programs are partnering with companies to deliver engaging and scalable digital learning experiences that develop people and help organizations adapt to quickening change.
The rapid pace of change and digital disruption in the workforce is driving heightened demand for innovative executive education programs that can help companies stay competitive. See how leading organizations are using digital learning credentials to help recognize, document and promote new learning and skills. Examples will include how Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management, London Business School and INSEAD addressed the transformation needs of Microsoft with innovative digital approaches.
In this session you will:
- Understand the changing expectations of corporate buyers of executive education
- Learn about innovative and impactful digital executive education approaches to address those needs
- Hear how open digital badges and credentials can add value to your programs.
Closing Keynote: The Calm Before the Crisis
The Calm Before the Crisis is an interactive workshop to prepare leaders for crisis communications. For more than 20 years, Jackson Spalding, a national full-service marketing communications agency, has helped clients prepare for and react to crisis. This session will explore practical steps to communicating when it matters most. Jackson Spalding partner Joanna Singleton and senior strategic counsel Becky Powell-Schwartz will share what they see in their industry, so you can start to prepare for a crisis.
The agenda includes defining a crisis, exploring the crisis mindset and the steps in responding to a crisis. Brands have worked too hard to build their reputation, only to be unprepared for a crisis that will damage their reputation. The Calm Before the Crisis will provide clear action steps to make sure you and your organization are prepared.
“Every year I am looking forward to attending CMED, which brings together talented passionate higher education professionals committed to lifelong learning.”
“This was my first CMED experience, and it was a wonderful conference. It was so easy to engage and network with other participants with like-minded programs, successes and challenges. As I heard from several others; “I found my people”