Ralf Schneider, Chief Learning Officer at PwC and
Dr. Nicola M. Pless CCC '05, Visiting Senior Research Fellow
at INSEAD talk about their views and work
on Responsible Leadership

The collapse of some once-respected global companies such as Enron, Worldcom and Parmalat, highlight the need and importance of responsible leadership and corporate governance.

The ability to develop future generations of leaders capable of facing the challenges of global business has become a key concern for forward-thinking companies. In 2000 Ralf Schneider, Chief Learning Officer at PwC launched the Ulysses Programme, a leadership development programme, giving partners at PwC the opportunity to develop their leadership skills, drive cultural change and promote a global perspective in difficult environments.

After an intensive introduction to leadership and coaching Ulysses participants are divided into small teams and sent to developing countries to work pro bono for NGOs, community based organisations and intergovernmental agencies on issues such as poverty, conflict and environmental concerns.

Thomas Maak and Nicola Pless CCC '05, Visiting Senior Research Fellows at INSEAD, co-direct the research stream on developing responsible leaders for sustainable business in the PwC-INSEAD research initiative on high performing organisations. They have recently published a book which identifies the crucial dimensions of responsible leadership in business, virtues and competences that individuals need to lead people and organisations in global, multi-cultural business environments.