Until recently, ‘spiritual leadership’ referred to religious leadership; it would have been an oxymoron in the business world. Yet, today they are (strange?) bedfellows. Academic leadership research abounds with references to spiritual leadership, and increasingly the business world is paying attention.
Forms of spirituality are no longer a strange part of esoteric leadership training seminars; now mainstream literature encourages companies and their leaders to pay attention to the spiritual dimension of their company, their workers and their leadership.
This conference seeks to explore leadership and spirituality, especially as it relates to innovation, a primary focus of business and political leadership in today’s rapidly changing world. Spirituality relates to values such as contributing to the common good, contributing to equality and justice in ethically responsible ways and cooperating with mutual respect for the whole person to achieve this good. From these values, leaders and employees draw significance for their lives that transcends self-interest and self-actualization.
This raises a number of questions. In what sense are companies spiritual? How does spirituality contribute to the innovative potential of companies? And how should leaders influence the emotions of their followers to shape this spiritual dimension? How do leaders relate to this spiritual dimension without becoming religious leaders? What is their spiritual potential and pitfall?
Price: 20€ – students 7€ (lunch included)
Location: ETF
List of Speakers and Abstracts of Presentation
Dr. Peter Heinckiens: The Impasse of Leadership Today
One of the two perspectives from practitioners on the impasse of old style leadership in newly developing challenges for innovation in business and organization.
Bio
Peter Heinckiens (Ph.D.) has a wide experience in different industries: he has been leading strategic change projects in an international banking context, in government, in manufacturing, in telecom, and in logistics. He is currently Vice President Customer Advisory and EMEA Head of Innovation at SAP. He is author of three books, is a frequently invited speaker at international conferences, and lectures at several universities. He holds a PhD in Applied Sciences, a Masters in Electrical Engineering, followed the Advanced Management Program at IMD (Switzerland), and has been nominated Fellow of the University of Leuven (Belgium). Peter is conducting research on continuous business innovation – how companies can build structural capabilities that will allow them to become innovation leaders.
Mr. Chris Start: The Search for Spirituality in the Business World
Abstract
One of the two perspectives from practitioners on the impasse of old style leadership in newly developing challenges for innovation in business and organization.
Bio
After 25 years in Marketing and General Management with Procter & Gamble, Chris now runs Start Development bvba, a consulting company which he and his wife, Ann, founded in 2006. Their mission is to help leaders in the private and voluntary sectors to develop themselves and their people, strategies and plans. Chris and Ann have worked with more than thirty clients across ten countries including RETRAK, a development charity working with street children in eastern Africa, for whom Chris and his son Danny ran the Brussels 20km). Chris is deeply involved in Executive Education including as an Associate Professor at the Louvain School of Management and as a guest lecturer at ETF. He also coaches and mentors a growing number of young business leaders in Europe and the US.
Dr. Joke van Sanne: Spirituality and the Psychology of Leadership Credibility
Abstract
Leader credibility is paramount amidst leadership failure. Spiritual traditions offer inspiration and principles that enable leaders to maintain their credibility amidst change and innovation.
Bio
Joke van Saane (Ph.D.) is a psychologist of religion at VU University Amsterdam, department of Theology. As a psychologist of religion she combines concepts and theories from psychology with all kinds of religious phenomena. Besides an introduction to the psychology of religion, she published about religious experiences and emotions, faith healings and recently about leadership. The credibility of leadership is related – among other factors – to the match between the personality of the leader and important characteristics of the group. Van Saane provides a model and an online test to determine one’s credibility as a leader. For leaders in mom-religious contexts, spiritual concepts can be helpful to increase leadership credibility. Van Saane explores the value of concepts like moral, myths, rituals and metaphors for the practice of leadership.
Prof. Dr. Johan Verstreten: Spirituality as a Source of Inspired and Innovative Leadership
Abstract
Spirituality in leadership is a key factor in innovation.
Bio
(Ph.D./STD). After studies in religion, philosophy and theology at KU Leuven, he subsequently worked as a research assistant in the Department of Political Sciences (1982-1987) and Economic Sciences (1987-1990). He is currently professor of theological ethics at the Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies (KU Leuven) and has been extraordinary professor of Business Ethics at the University of Tilburg (1995-1997). He became involved in leadership formation via a combination of a profound training in Ignatian spirituality and research in business ethics. He occasionally delivers seminars on spirituality and leadership for senior and junior executives in the private and public sector (via the Avicenna Academy for Leadership and Comenius Groningen). Married and father of Jan and Marianne (+ 1985).
Prof. Dr. Patrick Nullens: Leadership spirituality as participating in Christ: King, Prophet and Priest
Abstract
Christians with a leadership role in the public domain often experience a painful dualism between their professional calling and their private spirituality. In this article a theological construct of the three offices of Christ is proposed to overcome this gap. Although leadership spirituality is mostly described broadly and even beyond the limitations of religious traditions, there is also a need to root leadership spirituality in one’s own Christian tradition.
Bio
Patrick Nullens (Ph.D.) is married and father of three sons. He is professor of Christian Ethics and Rector of the ETF and he is cofounder of the Institute for Leadership and Ethics at the ETF. During his career he was mostly involved in different leadership roles. Innovation and spirituality are two core values in his personal journey. He is convinced of the importance of theology in practice. Therefore, he regularly preaches in both the
Netherlands and Belgium. He publishes regularly in the field of theology, ethics and leadership.
Dr. Jack Barentsen: A Call to Faithfulness: The Ambivalence of Spirituality and Identity as Sources for Innovation
Abstract
Innovative leaders create a vision of corporate identity that enhances innovation. Spirituality strengthens that identity and increases the leader’s power and empowerment, which reveals the toxicity of leadership. How can Christians be both innovative and faithful leaders in today’s business environment?
Bio
Jack Barentsen (Ph.D.) is married and has two daughters. He studied physics, philosophy and theology in the US, and moved to the Netherlands in 1988 as pastor and church planter. Working with new church plants provided ample opportunity to learn about leadership development, learning that continued as Jack started teaching at the ETF. It seemed a natural fit to research leadership development in early Christianity through the lens of modern leadership theory, to complement traditional theological categories. Currently, Jack investigates current leadership practice as assistant professor of Practical Theology and as member of the Institute for Leadership and Ethics at the ETF.
A publication is currently being prepared for this Study Day. Interested parties, please do not hesitate to contact us for further details.
