Warren Bennis Leadership Experience highlights leadership potential in individuals, businesses
Keynote speaker Raj Sisodia outlines the merits of conscious capitalism
The seventh annual Warren Bennis Leadership Experience was held at Tangeman University Center’s Great Hall on April 8. Raj Sisodia, author and co-founder of the nonprofit organization Conscious Capitalism, Inc., delivered the keynote address for the Warren Bennis Leadership Institute’s flagship event.
The student-run Warren Bennis Leadership Experience (WBLE) was established in 2016 by Jack Fitzgerald, BA ’17, MA ’20. The event is open to UC students, faculty, staff, alumni and community members seeking to be inspired by the leadership principles and teachings of Warren Bennis, UC’s 22nd president and regarded as the “Father of Leadership.”
Lara Taylor, BS ’24, WBLE co-president, welcomed attendees and acknowledged the institute’s champions, friends and supporters in the crowd before recapping her personal leadership journey.
Warren Bennis Leadership Institute Senior Adviser and Warren Bennis Leadership Council member Betsy Myers (standing, red jacket) speaks with a student prior to the start of the 2024 Warren Bennis Leadership Experience.
“My experience with the WBLE has given me opportunity to learn and apply Warren’s leadership principles to real-life challenges. It has helped me internalize his belief that leadership is an iterative and inclusive process,” Taylor said. “My aim is to pay forward the belief that was once placed in me, encouraging each of you to discover and leverage your own potential and in turn to inspire the same in others.”
Warren Bennis Leadership Institute (WBLI) Student Fellow Elizabeth Geraghty, DAAP ’23, ’24, recognized the institute’s Leaders Are Made Award recipients, Sabrina Grove, CEAS ’26 and Adit Kulkarni, CEAS ’26. Per Geraghty, Grove and Kulkarni “consistently do the right thing, challenge the status quo, translate vision into reality, make people feel like they're at the very heart of things, and ask how and why.”
WBLI Academic Director Donna Chrobot-Mason, PhD, recalled the institute’s origin story and educated audience members on Bennis’ legacy of leadership prior to introducing Sisodia.
Sisodia emphasizes need for 'higher consciousness’ in capitalism, calls for empathetic leaders
Raj Sisodia, author and co-founder of the nonprofit organization Conscious Capitalism, Inc., delivered the keynote address for the 2024 Warren Bennis Leadership Experience.
During his hour-long address, Sisodia, author of 10 books and 100-plus academic articles, chronicled in detail why his organization believes that conscious capitalism is an “essential transformation that needs to happen in the world of business.”
“Business can be beautiful. There can be so much humanity that can exist in a publicly traded corporation. ... But we also need to recognize that we're living in a time where there's a lot of cynicism about business, a lot of disconnection. Confidence in big business has been actually going down since the 1970s. Last year, only 14% of Americans said they trust big business.”
“We have put profit at the center of our universe when it comes to business. We need to change this. And what happens when you put profit at the center? The irony is it does not lead to higher profits at the level of the economy. When you look at the return on assets, they have gone down ever since we became all about profit maximization.
We need to celebrate capitalism because it has given us so much. But we need to elevate it with higher consciousness. It’s the most powerful tool we’ve ever invented, but every tool is only as good as the consciousness of its own user.”
“We're more educated, more informed, more conscious, more caring, more all of those things. But we still need leadership. Because without leadership, all that extraordinary potential doesn't get honest towards something we need. Better leaders make for a better world. And by the same token, bad leaders can destroy our world. What has taken decades or centuries to create can be destroyed in a few short years by bad leaders.”
“They have no idea how much suffering exists within their own building. How hard life is. How hard people work. They see the business through the lens of numbers. True leaders, servant leaders, are there to uplift and make life better for everybody in the organization. And they genuinely care about the people that they lead.”
“Emotional wellbeing. Spiritual wellbeing. Having meaning and purpose in our life through our work. The impact on our culture. The impact on our bodies. The impact on the planet. These are all the consequences of how we operate as a business. And a conscious business tries to have a positive impact. We know it’s possible because it’s being done by some companies.”
Bennis Leadership Council panel
WBLI Academic Director Donna Chrobot-Mason (second from left) and Lindner Dean Marianne Lewis (fourth from left) with Warren Bennis Leadership Council members (from left) Betsy Myers, Kate Bennis, Pat Zigarmi, Raj Sisodia, Cynthia Cherrey and Doug Conant.
Lindner Dean Marianne Lewis, PhD, introduced Kate Bennis, daughter of Warren Bennis and chair of the Warren Bennis Leadership Council.
Kate Bennis moderated a panel discussion with Sisodia and three council members:
- Doug Conant, former CEO of Campbell’s Soup and Nabisco
- Cynthia Cherrey, president/CEO of the International Leadership Association
- Pat Zigarmi, founding associate and senior consulting partner for Blanchard.
The Warren Bennis Leadership Council strives to raise the vision, visibility and impact of the institute. These esteemed colleagues, scholars and alumni are dedicated to enhancing future leaders and leveraging the legacy of Warren Bennis.
- Kate Bennis, chair
- Betsy Myers
- Doug Conant
- Raj Sisodia
- Cynthia Cherrey
- Pat Zigarmi
- Bob Castellini
- Joan Goldsmith
- Ken Cloke
- Tom Peters
- Dick Thornburgh
- Bill George
- Joline Godfrey
- Ken Blanchard
We need to celebrate capitalism because it has given us so much. But we need to elevate it with higher consciousness. It’s the most powerful tool we’ve ever invented, but every tool is only as good as the consciousness of its own user.
Raj Sisodia Author and co-founder of the nonprofit organization Conscious Capitalism, Inc.
“I’ve found that it's almost impossible to ask people in your organization to honor the agenda of the organization if they don't feel that you're honoring them,” said Conant. “I've lived this belief that the more I honor people, the more everything comes to life in an honorable way.”
WBLE co-president Andrew Martin, BBA ’24, wrapped the event by announcing the 2024-25 WBLE president, Makena Mobley, BBA ’25, and vice president, Ben Richards, A&S ’26. Martin also praised members of the WBLE student team and thanked attendees for their support.
“Tonight's gathering is not just a culmination but a continuation. We hope the discussions, insights and connections forged here will serve as a catalyst for growth and transformation in your own leadership path,” Martin said. “May you face challenges with resilience, navigate uncertainty with grace and inspire those around you with empathy and vision.”
Featured image at top: Lindner Dean Marianne Lewis (first row, far left), WBLI Academic Director Donna Chrobot-Mason (first row, far right) and WBLE keynote speaker Raj Sisodia (second row, middle) with the 2024 WBLE student team. Photos/Lauren Meisberger.
UC's home for interdisciplinary leadership
Inspired by the legacy of Warren Bennis, UC’s 22nd president and “The Father of Leadership,” the Warren Bennis Leadership Institute empowers students, UC alumni and professionals/community members to believe in their potential to lead, preparing individuals to better themselves, their workplace and their community.
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