The discussion explored how ancient liberal arts concepts provide a foundation for modern management and leadership. Management was described as a liberal art—an ethical and creative discipline that demands moral judgment, adaptability, and problem-solving. The conversation also emphasized using liberal arts principles to shape a vision for 21st-century education and collaborative learning models.
Participants examined how liberal arts should inform the study of management rather than serve as its complement. They discussed reading as a layered analytical practice—akin to consulting—and considered distinctions between leadership and management. The group reflected on the value of virtues such as temperance and the concept of “response-abilities” in fostering reflective, ethical decision-making.
The session positioned management as a discipline of practical wisdom aligned with liberal arts traditions. Discussion centered on adapting to technological change, using historical shifts (from mainframes to e-commerce) as examples. The key argument was that managing technology and innovation requires the same habits of mind cultivated through liberal arts training—rigor, ethics, and adaptability.
The conversation reviewed a leadership course designed around innovation, creativity, and responsibility. The course highlighted themes such as poetic leadership, media literacy, and moral development. Participants stressed that leadership education should balance theory with practice and nurture both leaders and followers as contributors to shared progress.
A philosophical debate examined whether leadership is uniquely human or observable in other species. One view held that leadership is rooted in human dignity and moral capacity; the other suggested leadership patterns appear across biological systems. Despite differing perspectives, participants agreed on exploring leadership emergence and leader-follower interdependence within democratic contexts.
The discussion highlighted the underrepresentation of liberal arts traditions in management education. Examples from executive classrooms illustrated how classic texts can reshape leaders’ understanding of ethics and purpose. The group also compared historical technological transitions to the social transformation caused by digital media, emphasizing the need to reinterpret old concepts in light of new technologies.
The topic centered on recognizing and responding to change within complex systems. Participants discussed how innovations simultaneously enhance, render obsolete, retrieve, and transform prior technologies. The airplane was used as an example of how innovations reshape industries and cultural patterns. The group reflected on how to teach these dynamics through active observation and listening.
This discussion examined how leadership and followership theories influence ethical practices in organizations. It challenged overly individualistic leadership models, emphasizing relational dynamics, moral virtues, and the social context of work. Participants discussed implications for human resources and diversity management, particularly in the Canadian workplace.
The final segment focused on teaching philosophy—valuing humility, curiosity, and collaborative learning. Participants discussed the importance of removing labels, bridging knowledge gaps collectively, and expanding the study of followership. The group also mentioned upcoming academic conferences and opportunities to advance conversations about leadership education and community-based scholarship.