FELLOWSHIP
LEADING COLOMBIA
Aspen Leadership Program
The Leading Colombia program aims to strengthen people who have already demonstrated leadership and professional excellence in their area, supporting them in the purpose of articulating among a diverse group, who share the interest of collaborating to contribute and solve some of the main challenges facing Colombia.
The Leading Colombia program aims to strengthen individuals who have already demonstrated leadership and professional excellence in their field, supporting them in their purpose of connecting with a diverse group that shares an interest in collaborating to contribute to and solve some of the main challenges facing Colombia.
In Leading Colombia, leaders embark on a journey of personal exploration and reflection that takes them beyond personal success to a place of collective significance. The Programme employs a Socratic dialogue approach to explore the challenges of leadership in balancing the pursuit of goals while staying grounded in core values. This course helps participants refine their purpose—both for their personal development and their organizations.
The Programme consists of the Opening Seminar, two in-place seminars, and the Closing Seminar. We work under the four key components of the Aspen methodology: moderators, readings, participants, and time.
Core elements of the Programme:
1. Readings
The readings are the focus and cornerstone of our dialogue; their interpretation fuels the conversation and they serve two complementary functions. First, they anchor our discussion by providing a common starting point for exploring the topics we want to address. Second, they are intellectual tools to facilitate dialogue about the dilemmas inherent in decision-making. Ultimately, they are an opportunity to rethink, through dialogue, big questions about our lives and our role in society. Following the classic Aspen method of moderated, text-based dialogue, the text curation is designed to provoke three conversations: a conversation with the author, one with other participants, and one within oneself.
2. Participants
The group selected to participate in the seminar is very diverse. The different perspectives will enrich the conversation and allow the discussion to move beyond technicalities, opening it up to some of the fundamental issues that all leaders must confront from different perspectives.
3. Moderators
The moderators will lead the dialogue based on the texts. Their role is not to lecture or offer answers. Their primary task is to facilitate questions about the readings and help clarify how these readings invite us to think about our leadership within our organizations, companies, and our social commitment. The moderator's role is not to teach, but to facilitate conversations about timeless ideas and ideals and their timely application. The dialogue is not designed to lead you to any particular conclusion, but to provide you with an open opportunity to gain a better understanding of yourself, your colleagues, and your role in addressing the pressing issues of our time.
4. Time
Taking the time to read beforehand and enjoy a space away from the distractions of daily life is an essential aspect of the Aspen seminars. Too often we are absorbed by our occupations and fail to make room to reflect on the reasons that drive us and determine our decisions. The “Leading Colombia” program offers the necessary time and space for that reflection.
Aspen Global Leadership Network
The Leading Colombia fellowship is part of the Aspen Global Leadership Network (AGLN), a global community of more than 3,000 business, government, and nonprofit sector leaders in more than 50 countries. Being part of the AGLN, fellows commit to moving from success to significance by acting as leaders on some of the world's most pressing challenges.
"Leading Colombia 2050 marks a before and after without a doubt, leaving each of the experiences being the same person is impossible. Discovering what unites us, what makes us human, and also what separates us, allows us to believe that building a better future is possible, and that doing it alone is also possible, but that it will be more rewarding and with greater impact if we do it together."
"Having the opportunity to talk and learn from people with such diverse points of view opened my mind and I want to think that it has made me a better person. I learned that I can disagree with people and that through respectful dialogue, we can understand the differences and build on the issues that unite us."
"It is a wonderful opportunity to reflect and debate with high quality and with an excellent level of depth on the most fundamental questions of our society and our role as individuals and leaders in achieving the Colombian society that we dream of."
