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The Initiative In A Nutshell
The "Hunt for Good Organisations"
Welcome to a groundbreaking initiative poised to reshape leadership education! We're not just creating a teaching module; we're crafting an experience that transforms how leadership is taught and learned.
What's It All About? This unique project promises a transformative journey, empowering students to redefine their perception of organizations and leadership; they will examine their own role in shaping a better world. Over the course, student teams will embark on a quest to identify and interview exemplary companies that are transforming their business and operating models in the spirit of responsible leadership. Their mission: to uncover what sets these organizations apart and create insightful case studies that capture "the difference that really makes the difference". Through the elaboration of these case studies, we invite students to actively reflect on their own leadership and empower them to make more informed choices in their future careers.
What Are The Objectives? While our course is titled “Hunt for Good Organisations”, its main objective is to develop responsible leadership competencies. Throughout the project, we explore the theoretical foundations for responsible leadership, in the context of society, economy and complex modern organisations. We draw from cutting-edge research in philosophy, sociology, and management to offer students diverse and critical perspectives on management and leadership. At the same time, we promote a holistic approach to organisational and personal transformation, based on the "Good Organisations" inquiry, which cultivates ethical capabilities by emphasising wise decision-making, moral character, and virtues.
How Is It Different? Our mission transcends the confines of traditional business education, in both content and teaching methods. Traditional leadership education often clings to conventional theories, perpetuating profit maximization, positional competition, and narrow views of success. It neglects the vital integration of ethics, failing to instill the wisdom and virtues essential for responsible leadership. On the didactic front, traditional methods frequently rely on textbook-centered classroom teaching based on mathematical or technical models and simplistic case studies - lacking real-world exposure and essential competency development. Consequentially, students find themselves ill-prepared for the complexities of a rapidly evolving business landscape, perpetuating a cycle of exploitation and suffering.
1. Our innovative methodology seeks to integrate action learning and transformational development, based on a combination of:
2. We use group work and gamification to infuse learning with depth, motivation and fun - enabling students to manage their educational journey in a semi-independent fashion. Ideally, the classroom work provides the “container” and holding environment to foster emotional and cognitive openness to personal development and deeper identity work, whereas the group work becomes a laboratory for personal, relational and institutional exploration. Through individual and group reflection, students shift from a technical, values-free conception of leadership to a more profound understanding of ethical and practical challenges. The aim is to ensure that leaders of tomorrow are not just proficient in “skills”, but also learn to embody practical wisdom to drive positive change.
Join us on this transformative journey as we co-develop a teaching module that doesn't just educate; it inspires, challenges, and equips the leaders of tomorrow with the tools they need to make a meaningful impact on the world!
What Participants Are Saying
I have renewed interest to work for organisations that are creating value and making a significant impact on all stakeholders regardless of domain, industry, role, nature of work, etc. I will prioritize meaningful work, culture, ethical leadership, fair compensation over factors like brand value, size, market capitalization, location, etc.
The quest helped me identify my core responsibility as a budding professional. Apart from the business-as-usual deliverables, I am motivated to give back to society by influencing multiple individuals about why this is important.
As a result of working on this project, I will research an employer's purpose, ethics and responsibility commitments during recruitment… evaluating if my skills will meaningfully uplift communities inside and outside of work.
on behalf of our students, we would like to congratulate all the nominated organisations for their exemplary pursuit of responsible leadership
"Deliver profits through principles"
"We are building on our legacy of storytelling to help building the next chapter for our planet"
"Proactive strategies to prevent human suffering & high healthcare costs."
"Make people's lives better by powering a more prosperous world"
About Our Awards
From Students for Students
Our nominations stem directly from the commendations provided by participating student teams. They do not constitute a comprehensive audit of the respective organizations but instead aim to spotlight particular practices or insights that students wish to acknowledge and applaud. These nominations serve as valuable indicators, particularly for other students keen on forging careers with socially responsible organizations, offering a glimpse into noteworthy aspects that merit celebration and recognition.
Promoting Responsible Leadership
The "Hunt for Good Organizations" is more than an academic pursuit; it's a movement. We are dedicated to identifying and celebrating organizations that are actively contributing to a positive societal and environmental impact. Our students will delve deep into these organizations, uncovering and promoting the remarkable ways in which they enable the greater good. Our plan is to share these case studies and best practices with a global audience to stimulate collective learning. Furthermore, we aim to develop robust measurement instruments that can more objectively recognize and evaluate good organizations worldwide, facilitating qualification and continuous improvement against the highest ethical standards.
Making a Global Impact
Our mid-term objectives are ambitious. In a world grappling with pressing issues like climate change, inequality, and social injustice, the role of organizations and leadership has never been more crucial. We aspire to establish an alternative economic narrative that champions an economy for the greater good, with "Good Organizations" leading the way. We believe that by acknowledging and promoting organizations that are actively embodying positive change, we will not inspire others to follow but also set new benchmarks for businesses as forces for good, driving a systemic shift in leadership and business education. By engaging with this initiative, future employees and investors can make informed choices, supporting organizations that align with their values and avoiding those that fall short. Simultaneously, we want to attract a wider academic and public audience to our change initiative, generating vibrant interest and potential future collaboration.
Participating Universities
Our initiative is currently in its second iteration. After a highly successful pilot at Duke University we are preparing a second pilot round with a number of selected academic institutions. Thereafter, we will open the project for broader implementation and scaling.
Faculty and Co-Creators
The module adopts a highly collaborative approach, fostering active involvement from all participating faculty members who collectively contribute to the creation, engage in iterative testing, and continuously enhance the course to ensure ongoing improvement.
Co-Founders
The initiative sprouted from an idea conceived by Tony and Andy in 2023, envisioning an "ethical overlay" for a conventional management class. Seeking to weave together practical management principles with philosophical insights, the goal was to empower students to uncover "the difference that makes the difference" in businesses that are genuinely transformational. Antoinette and Otti enthusiastically accepted the invitation (and challenge) to build on their "Good Organisation inquiry" and distill the essence of moral leadership theory and practice into a teaching module. The result is an exhilarating project, akin to a "treasure hunt," which guides students to deconstruct many conventional management ideas while reconstructing an evolving vision for responsible leadership. It offers a safe holding environment where students can challenge norms and find intellectual stimulus, thus developing critical thinking and progressing their own leadership development. All our collective activities are entirely pro bono - for the good of all.
O'DRISCOLL
Tony O’Driscoll is a professor, speaker, author, and advisor whose engaging message emphasizes that the key digital-age differentiator is not technology, but people.
Tony has spent the bulk of his professional and academic career at the nexus of Business, Innovation, Technology, Change and Learning, creating and implementing strategies that enable organizations to realize the full potential of their most valuable asset: Human Beings.
hilger
Andy Hilger always had a passion for driving innovative cultures that create opportunities for both team members and clients. For the last six years, he served as the President of the $15 billion global staffing and services company Allegis Group. Currently, he leverages his expertise as guest lecturer at Duke University and American University, complemented by a regular blog on leadership. Andy is a sought-after speaker covering diverse subjects like digital transformation, the future of work, AI, leadership, and analytics.
WEIBEL
Director the Institute for Work and Employment Research University of St. Gallen, Professor for HRM and Organization Transformation, Former President of FINT (International Network of Trust Researchers), Executive Board Member of the Swiss Academy of Social Sciences and the Humanities. Passionate researcher and teacher in the fields of trust within and across organizations and hr/org practices leading to human thriving.
VOGT
Disruptive thinker, amateur poet, unacknowledged internet entrepreneur and passionate global C-level transformation leader with over 20 years of experience in implementing strategic business change in multi-cultural, complex organisations and in building global high performing teams to deliver sustainable shareholder value and happiness@work
How does the course work in practice?
5 min Introduction (Tony O'Driscoll)
Frequently Asked Questions
The student work is organised along six stages: Getting Ready, Identification, Validation, Differentiation, Pitch and Reflection
How to get involved?
If you are interested to get involved please get in touch
The initiative is currently in pilot phase and we are looking for a limited number of participants in order to further develop and test the initiative in different environments and with different audiences. Further scaling and broader participation will be available during the second half of 2024.
Participation is offered at no cost. However, a commitment is expected to cover the essential elements ensuring the integrity of the course, coupled with a willingness to contribute to the ongoing development of teaching materials for the benefit of all participating universities.
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