International Leadership Association Conference to Feature Session on Perspectives On Leadership in the U.S. Presidential Elections

DENVER, Oct. 19, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The International Leadership Association (ILA) is hosting its 14^th Annual Global Conference on October 24-27 at the Hyatt Regency in Denver. Conference attendees will have the opportunity to explore new approaches to leadership to bring diverse contexts together, create cultural inclusion, and deal with complexity and rapid change. The conference offers a unique opportunity for multisector, multinational, and multicultural examination of leadership across great divides, and features distinguished keynote speakers, such as Ambassador James Joseph, who served under four U.S. Presidents.

The Global Conference, which expects close to 1,100 attendees from around the world, offers concurrent session tracks focusing on leadership in education, business, scholarship and research, development and coaching, and public institutions.

The ILA conference sessions are topical in nature, including a panel discussion on "Perspectives On Leadership in the U.S. Presidential Elections." The panel will be led by Tom Cronin of Colorado College and Michael Genovese of Loyola Marymount University, and will analyze the U.S. Presidential elections with reference to leadership issues, strategies, and styles. Special attention will be given to an analysis of leadership as it was reflected in the October Presidential debates, including one held at the University of Denver.

"This year's ILA Conference on 'Leadership Across the Great Divides: Bridging Cultures, Contexts, and Complexities' is so appropriate for the American election season. Our hope is to address the challenging divides that test leadership across all sectors and national borders in the 21^st Century, including those of political nature," said Linda Olson, ILA Conference Chair. "While our differences offer a richness of perspective and approaches to life together, we know it takes openness, understanding, and commitment to work through them as opportunities for a better life together. We expect that our time examining the research and practice of leadership in the complexities of our ever polarizing world, will lead to knowledge building and development of leaders and followers equipped to create a world of inclusion, justice, and dignity."

Keynotes speakers at the event include Brene Brown, research professor at the University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work, whose talk at the 2011 TEDx in Houston is one of the most watched talks on TED.com; Hikmet Ersek, president and chief executive officer of The Western Union Company; Ambassador Dr. James Joseph, professor of the practice of public policy studies and executive director of the United States – Southern Africa Center for Leadership and Public Values at Duke University; and Rinku Sen, president and executive director of the Applied Research Center (ARC) and publisher of colorlines.com.

About the ILA
The International Leadership Association, founded in 1999, furthers the study and development of leadership around the globe. Through annual conferences, monthly webinars, regular publications, and the Directory of Leadership Programs, among other services, the ILA provides resources, which support leadership educators, practitioners, and scholars from across disciplines and sectors to enhance leadership knowledge and practice worldwide. The ILA currently has 2,400 members from 74 countries. To learn more about the ILA, please visit www.ila-net.org.

SOURCE International Leadership Association