|
What
is the International Leadership Forum?
|
|
An
Internet-based think tank composed entirely of highly influential
leaders. |
| What
is the mission of the ILF? |
|
To
elicit the collective wisdom of top leaders on the great policy issues
of our times, and to communicate that wisdom to policymakers and to
the general public. |
| Who
are its members? |
|
Outstanding
CEOs from major corporations and nonprofit organizations around the
world, augmented by top government and military leaders, authors,
scientists and artists. |
| Why
tap CEOs instead of professional experts? |
|
Far from being
ignored, professional experts participate in every ILF discussion.
CEOs, however, like other ILF leaders who are at the very top of
their fields, are a breed apart. Tempered by extraordinarily complex
and burdensome responsibilities, they have developed unique and
extremely valuable perspectives, often more encompassing than those
of specialists.
The policy recommendations
of other think tanks are too often ideologically narrow and largely
unheeded. The great need is for a think tank that represents a full
spectrum of opinion, and whose analyses can be delivered with major
clout.
|
| How
does it work? |
|
In
the company of distinguished specialists who facilitate the deliberations,
the ILF community meets annually in La Jolla, California and in policy
task forces throughout the year on the Internet. By and large, the
online discussions are not conducted in real time, but at times convenient
to each individual. |
| Why
use the Internet? |
|
Top
leaders have no time in their busy schedules for extended residential
programs that would permit intensive and prolonged deliberations.
The Internet, however, makes such deliberations possible by enabling
brief participation anywhere, anytime. Improbable as it may seem,
typically over-booked leaders will take the time to interact on the
Internet if the task is important. Experience has shown that typing
ability has never limited participation, and new speech recognition
and video technology makes participation even easier. Moreover, all
ILF discussions are stored and searchable, and more important, disseminated
broadly in a specially designed interactive form to thousands on the
Internet who can read, react and question. In this way the ILF deliberations
can powerfully influence public discourse. |
| How
does the ILF differ from other programs that seek to involve top leaders? |
|
"Blue Ribbon"
committees typically ratify reports that are essentially devised
by lower level staff members.
Other distinguished
gatherings of influential leaders, such as the World Economic Forum
in Davos, the Young Presidents' Organization, and the Aspen Institute
conferences, are relatively brief residential programs usually designed
to inform or educate the attendees and permit them to make new contacts
useful to their businesses.
None of these
treats the leaders as a brain trust, develops them as a continuing
community, marshals their intelligence through the use of advanced
communication technology, generates ideas, strategies and wisdom
to deal with vital issues beyond the operations of their own organizations,
and through though the ILF digest gives their thinking on these
larger issues the wide distribution they deserve.
|
| Who
sponsors the ILF? |
|
The
ILF is the flagship program of the Western Behavioral Sciences Institute
(WBSI), a nonprofit, tax-exempt organization founded in 1958 in La
Jolla, California and devoted to research, education and advanced
study in the broad field of human affairs. Its work has been supported
by most of the major foundations and government agencies, and its
staff has always included distinguished scholars and scientists. |
| Why
is WBSI qualified to conduct this program? |
|
Experience.
In 1981, long before there was an Internet, WBSI began creating online
communities of leaders. |
| What
are some examples? |
|
Its highly regarded
School of Management and Strategic Studies, which included senior
executives from 26 countries, launched the burgeoning field of online
distance education, now involving millions of people.
Its Teleconference
on Productivity, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Commerce, brought
together 50 CEOs of Fortune 500 companies, along with top labor
leaders, to elicit their perspectives on the declining rate of productivity
in the U.S economy. This project proved that leaders at the very
top could be mobilized via computer communications to address complex
issues personally, thoroughly and successfully in online discussions
lasting several months.
Its online Task
Force on Abortion Policy, including outstanding specialists representing
the full range of opinion, created what is doubtless the most illuminating
and useful discussion of abortion ever held, one that if conducted
in a face-to-face meeting surely would have produced acrimony and
polarization.
|
| How
are issues for ILF deliberation chosen? |
|
The
members, known as Fellows, assisted by outstanding specialists, set
the agenda. |
| How
is the ILF funded? |
|
Becoming a Fellow
of the ILF is honorary and by invitation only, therefore no fees
are associated with participation. Financial support for the ILF
is developed in other ways. Financial support comes from individuals
and foundations who believe in the work of the ILF. Contributions
are fully tax deductible.
|
| Why
is the ILF mission so important? |
|
Among politicians
and government officials everywhere, there is a dangerous lack of
fresh and workable ideas, especially ideas that emerge from the
collaborations of a powerful group of independent leaders. The ILF
gives the world access to that wisdom.
|
