Triple-Strength Leadership in Diplomatic and Non-Profit Work: A Focus on the Middle East & Latin America
Our world is increasingly dominated by specialists with narrow areas of expertise and focus in disciplines like government, business, science, and medicine. While the march toward ultra-specialization brings with it important advances for society, the trend also raises the specter of the decline of professionals with broad-based interdisciplinary knowledge -- generalists. A new movement argues that solving society’s most vexing problems requires the development of more “Triple Strength Leaders” -- professionals who have experience in and can move easily between the business, government, and social/non-profit spheres. Yet, it is becoming harder to develop such individuals, owing to a widening disparity between business, government, and nonprofit incomes; the onerous confirmation process for senior government jobs; and differing incentives and cultures in the three sectors.
[Cosponsored by the International Relations Program, FSI Student Programs, Stanford in Government, Stanford Global Studies]