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The Talk on Cross-Cultural Leadership Issues in 21st Century was held on Nov. 15th at UIC. Dr. Peter J. Stark, who is from Augsburg College, shared his opinion and had discussion with UIC students.

Founded in 1869, Augsburg College is located in Minneapolis, State of Minnesota, and has established close relations with UIC. Augsburg College provides graduate programs in Doctor of Nursing Practice, MA in Education, MA in Leadership, MA in Nursing, Master of Business Administration, MS in Physician Assistant Studies, Master of Social Work, and other degree programs.

With the sentence "The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who can not read or write. They will, instead, be those who can not learn, un-learn, and re-learn", Dr. Stark opened the topic of Cultural Leadership Issues in 21st Century Organizations.

Mrs. Lisa Zhang introduced Dr. Peter J. Stark

In the lecture, Dr. Peter J. Stark organized a number of interactive sessions. The freedom atmosphere strengthened the interaction between Dr. Stark and students. He repeatedly emphasized that leadership was not entirely linked with IQ, but closely related with EQ. Two qualities are essential: authenticity and conscientiousness.

Then the group discussions of “the biggest issues or greatest challenges for leadership in the 21st century" invoked the students’ attention and thinking. They raised issues such as globalization, racial discrimination, political manipulation, cultural conflict, high-tech, resource shortages, and lack of motivation. Dr. Peter J. Stark praised the divergent thinking of UIC students, which highlighted his point of view that good leadership was interactive. It meant bringing all knowledge together, to allow people to think and change by themselves. Leadership provoked others to do the best. Just like an old Chinese saying: “It’s better to teach a man fishing than to give him a fish”.

Dr. Stark also pointed out that critical thinking was quite important in the issues of leadership: “Ask the right question, and you can influence anything to change”.

Dr. Peter J. Stark organized interactive sessions

Around the topic of leadership, Dr. Peter J. Stark discussed a series of questions such as the quality between collective wisdom and individual wisdom, the status between leaders and followers. Undoubtedly, this was a very meaningful talk.

Dr. Peter J. Stark encouraged students to ask questions