YPS Sessions 2016

 

Workshop: Amping Up Your Empathy for Decision Making​​

Effective stakeholder engagement is critical for identifying new insights that can lead to better decisions; by knowing the needs, behaviors, and motivations of your constituents or clients, practitioners can unlock insights necessary for innovation. Whether you're looking to develop a new policy, break ground with a new product, or tweak an existing one, enhancing your engagement approach can pay dividends. This hands-on workshop will introduce participants to methods for stakeholder engagement drawing on techniques from various disciplines; during the workshop participants will learn and test approaches while identifying opportunities to put these ideas into practice in their own work.

Workshop: Building Your Public Persona

Reputations matter. In today’s world, building a positive and attractive reputation is increasingly linked to the power of your ideas and how you convey your mission statement to the rest of the world. This interactive workshop will explore peer-to-peer learning and use group exercises to help you sharpen your leadership style and be more aware of your strengths and weaknesses as you construct and develop your public persona. The session will guide participants through a process to develop their mission statement, explore elements of professional networking, learn how to build a supportive team, and devise strategies for identifying resources to accomplish your goals and maximize your professional impact.

Night Owl Session:  Confronting Populism across the Atlantic

The rise of extreme populism as seen with the United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) or the Alternative for Germany (AfD) is not a new phenomenon. However, the impact of the parties on political decision-making in Europe has become more palpable in recent years. On the other side of the Atlantic, the United States is experiencing this with an unprecedented amount of supporters for more extreme conservatives, including Tea Party members and, more recently, the “Trump phenomenon.” Citizens supporting these populist movements often feel misrepresented by their government but also crave simple answers to the highly complex questions of globalized societies. Countering these movements requires taking voters’ concerns seriously and offering compelling solutions to questions of national security, economic stability, migration, or, in the case of the EU, further integration.

Guiding Questions

  • What are the roots and the driving factors of the current populist movements in the United States and EU?
  • What policies should leaders adopt to regain the votes lost to populist parties? How can we as a society prevent the ongoing rise of populist parties?
  • When engaging with elected representatives from extreme groups, and given the winner-take-all-system in the United States versus the proportional representation systems of most European countries, can developments on both sides of the Atlantic be meaningfully compared?
  • What can our leaders do to prevent and further address the rise of populist movements?

Disrupting the Workplace: Investing In and Retaining Talent

In today’s fast-paced society, the workplace is evolving and looks dramatically different than that of previous generations. Traditionally, talent was seen as a commodity that could be replaced.

However, with a new generation of talent driven by large-scale global innovations, the workplace has overturned those traditional patterns, and talent and employers are now engaging each other on more equal terms, with less regard for national borders.  This new workforce is increasingly comprised of workers with no formal ties to organizations, working remotely and virtually across organizational and geographic boundaries.

Investing in new talent can be seen as costly, but organizations, governments, media, and the non-governmental sector should view talent as an asset that could be developed into a strategic investment that can help establish a comparative advantage over global competitors, increasing creativity and productivity. Like any investment, employers must stand ready to engage and deploy this talent. Unfortunately, many sectors are currently falling short.

  • How can corporations, governments, and NGOs attract and invest in this talent pool? Is it through flexibility in the workplace? By providing a work-life balance ?
  • What role do education and technology play in advancing the workplace? 

Night Owl 2: Confronting Right-Wing Populism across the Atlantic

Night Owl 2: Confronting Right-Wing Populism across the Atlantic The rise of right-wing populism as seen with the United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) or the Alternative for Germany (AfD) is not a new phenomenon. However, the impact of the parties on political decision-making in Europe has become far more palpable in recent years. On the other side of the Atlantic, the United States is experiencing these processes with an unprecedented amount of supporters for the more extreme right-wing conservatives, including Tea Party representatives and, more recently, the “Trump phenomenon.” Citizens supporting these populist movements often feel misrepresented by their government but also crave simple answers to the highly complex questions of globalized societies. Countering these movements requires taking voters’ concerns seriously and offering compelling solutions to questions of national security, economic stability, migration, or, in the case of Europe, further European integration.

Guiding Questions

  • What are the roots and the driving factors of the current populist movements in the United States and Europe?
  • What policies should our leaders use to promote and regain the votes lost to populist parties? How can we as a society prevent the ongoing rise of populist parties?
  • When engaging with elected representatives from right-wing groups, and given the winner-takes-all-system in the United States, while most European countries work with proportional representation systems, can the developments on both sides of the Atlantic be compared?
  • What can our leaders do to prevent and further address the rise of populist movements?

Workshop: Intercultural Development Inventory

The Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) assesses intercultural competence—the ability to shift cultural perspectives and appropriately adapt behavior to cultural differences and commonalities. Intercultural competence has been identified as a critical capability in a number of studies focusing on international effectiveness of expats, business adaptation and job performance, student adjustment, transfer of technology and information, study abroad, and inter-ethnic relations within nations. This workshop will engage participants in completing the IDI, which comprises a questionnaire available online that can be easily completed and will be analyzed during the workshop. 

Workshop: Power Simulation: Navigating the Architecture of Systems

Every system – such as an organization, a society, or an alliance – has its own specific architecture, its own internal processes, its own way of framing interactions, and its own power structure. Individuals within systems therefore act based on predetermined constructs that constrain and shape their behavior. But they also react depending on perceptions of power and their own capacity to influence decisions and effect change. The future of every system hence relies heavily on the capacity of its various groups  to collectively manage the capabilities and the needs of each other. Power, in this sense, can take multiple forms. It can flow in many directions, and can be used and abused in a variety of ways.

This exercise will offer participants the opportunity to take part in a Power Simulation designed to show the dynamics of power at every level of a given system. It seeks, through the creation of a specific framework, to examine the interaction between perceptions of power and structural aspects of power. Participants will have the chance to immerse themselves in an environment emphasizing the necessity to reach out, listen, and collaborate, in order to reach an optimal decision for the group.

(Re)Formation: Transatlantic Leadership Amid Crisis

Despite some differences, the United States and European Union share a dynamic political partnership. Collaboration between these two powers has been essential in developing joint positions and effective policy coordination. The partners also enjoy strong economic ties and are each other’s biggest trading partners. Moreover, they have similar cultural values and are part of the largest alliance in terms of military spending, military capabilities, and active personnel.

While the United States, EU, and other European countries cooperate on a number of issues, they have been diverged on a number of policy positions, including different positions on Iraq, NATO enlargement, and the 2 percent pledge on national defense spending as well as different approaches to the global economic crisis, data protection, and relationships with emerging economies.

As the United States gears up for its next presidential elections and the EU undergoes multiple internal challenges such as the Greek crisis, a potential BREXIT, the refugee crisis, and the rise of anti-EU populist parties, strong leadership is vital to maintain a strong U.S.-EU relationship and ensure the transatlantic partners remain key players in the global economy and of international negotiations.

Guiding Questions

  • As 2016 unfolds, what are the biggest challenges for leaders on both sides of the Atlantic?
  • What approaches should stakeholders take to constructively engage with their counterparts?
  • Given the multitude of crises, how should stakeholders balance the need for immediate responses on one hand and longer-term planning on the other? 

Rethinking Strategies for a Changing Security Landscape

The post-Cold War era has given way to new security threats challenging existing security frameworks. In addition to conventional security concerns, today’s transatlantic community also faces threats ranging from cyberattacks and disinformation, to terrorism and failed states, to hybrid warfare and climate change.

Instability in Europe’s neighborhood and the current refugee crisis underscore today’s transnational challenges where state sovereignty is more easily breached.  Policy frameworks and tools, including deterrence and flexible response principles, will likely need to be adapted for today’s security requirements. Security nowadays is a much broader issue than interstate conflict. As the way we view warfare gets redefined, it is imperative to address the issue of hybrid threats which focus on targeting the hearts and minds of populations in new and more impactful ways using modern technologies. To fully understand the new challenges that the transatlantic community has to face, it is critical to ask ourselves difficult questions:

  • As the United States shifts some capabilities away from Europe in the face of geopolitical requirements and decreased defense budgets, can we expect European countries to be greater “producers of security rather than consumers of it” in the near future?
  • What role will the EU and the new European Security Strategy play in responding to these threats? Will the EU play a larger role in addressing future global security and defense issues? What is the future role of NATO in the context of a new security environment increasingly focused on unconventional warfare?
  • How can NATO member states further address the increasingly hybrid threats? Does NATO have the capacity to prevent and address unconventional threats in the long term?

Session 1: Setting the Stage: Evaluating U.S. and European Leadership in Times of Crisis

Despite some differences, the United States and Europe share a dynamic political partnership. Enhanced communication between these two powers has been essential in developing joint positions and better policy coordination. The partners also enjoy strong economic ties, since they are each other’s biggest trading partners. Moreover, they have similar cultural values and are part of the largest alliance in terms of military spending, military capabilities, and active personnel.

While the United States and Europe cooperate on a number of issues, they have been confronted with a number of diverging policy positions, including different positions on Iraq, NATO enlargement, and the 2 percent pledge national defense spending and different approaches to the global economic crisis, data protection, or relationships with emerging economies.

As the United States gears up for its next presidential elections and Europe currently undergoes multiple internal challenges such as the Greek crisis, a potential BREXIT, the refugee crisis, and the rise of anti-EU populist parties, strong leadership is vital to maintain a strong U.S.-EU relationship and ensure the transatlantic partners remain at the center of the global economy and of international negotiations.
 

Guiding Questions

  • As we enter into 2016, what are the biggest challenges for leaders on both sides of the Atlantic?
  • What approaches do stakeholders take to constructively engage with their counterparts?
  • Given the multitude of crisis, how do stakeholders balance the need for immediate responses on one hand and longer-term planning on the other?

The Global Race for Innovation: The Tortoise and the Hare?

Connected devices, 3D printing, cloud data storage, and big data are becoming an integral part of daily business. In the digital age, innovation is flourishing everywhere in the world, but at different paces. This is largely due to innovation ecosystems, regulations, and existing frameworks facilitating the development of start-ups and new skills. In the global race for innovation, and through the digitalization of everything, much can be done by transatlantic partners to address the economic, societal, and political transformations underway. Europe might be lagging behind, but it has taken important steps toward encouraging innovation and building its digital market. Initiatives such as the EU’s Horizon 2020 demonstrate public stakeholders’ willingness to partake in restoring the continent’s global competitiveness. Indeed, governments and industries need to work in unison to create ecosystems for innovation to thrive and compete globally.

Guiding Questions

  • What existing initiatives support innovation on both sides of the Atlantic? Are they competing with or complementing each other?
  • Can technology hubs in Europe develop as an alternative to the United States’ Silicon Valley model? Will there ever be a European Silicon Valley?
  • Where do Europe and the United States stand vis-à-vis global competitors, especially China? Will the next Google and Amazon emerge in Europe or in Asia?

Night Owl 1:  A Changing Middle East: Broader Challenges for the Atlantic

As the Middle East struggles with conflict and disorder, the future of the region has significant implications for the transatlantic security architecture. While many hoped the Arab Spring would bring a better future, 5 years after the beginning of the Syrian civil war that country is torn to pieces with over 250,000 dead. The UN Security Council is playing a much stronger role in halting the fighting and supporting a political solution. The actors involved should pave the way for a stable Syria, while directly addressing the rise of extremism in the region. With recent attacks directed or inspired by from ISIS on both sides of the Atlantic, there is mounting pressure for an international push to counter violent extremism more broadly, but finding coordinated approaches remains a challenge. As Russia bolsters its support for Assad’s regime, Iran re-emerges from sanctions, Turkey struggles with refugees, and Arab Gulf states and Israel also assert their interests, finding a regional security framework that works is a core element for a stable Middle East.

Guiding Questions

  • What are the prospects for a more democratic and stable Middle East and what measures can the international community adopt in order to promote it? What role does technology play?
  • How should the transatlantic community further address the rise of extremism in the region?
  • What are the prospects for a successful peace process in Syria and how can the transatlantic community ensure it?
  • What does the Syrian conflict mean for the EU and U.S.-Russia relations?

The Refugee Crisis: The Ultimate Stress Test for Europe?

The refugee and migration situation that occupied the transatlantic community in 2015 continues well into 2016 and has put Europe and the European Union through a test of its commitment to humanitarian principles, solidarity mechanisms, and capacities to absorb large numbers of asylum seekers. Given the speed at which refugees are arriving in Europe, dealing with the refugee crisis has been difficult enough and especially with the current shift to the right in Europe and an increasingly negative public debate.

Immigrants have long brought economic benefits to the countries they settle in, but with the rapid pace of change that new migration flows have brought, governments are facing the challenge of ensuring economic, social, cultural, and linguistic integration into their societies. While this takes time and resources, the real need lies with strong leadership and multilateral approaches to set policy objectives and seek to adjust with these flows and changing demographic, economic, and geopolitical trends. This makes it vital for governments to ensure that their policies provide opportunity, economic growth, job creation, and to prepare society to deal with migration.

  • How can the United States, EU, and other European countries cooperate to manage the flow of migrants and asylum seekers?
  • What are some of the lessons learned from the other side of the Atlantic?
  • How can governments prepare their societies to integrate migrants and refugees?
  • What are some of the policies leaders can put in place today to manage the next crisis?

Engaging a New Generation of Transatlanticists to Think the Unthinkable 

 With global issues mounting, a joint transatlantic approach and, more importantly, strong leadership and solidarity, remains vital for Europe and the United States to maintain their strategic partnership and to work constructively with external actors to solve both near- and long-term challenges. However, as the world becomes more interconnected and multipolar, current leaders are struggling to face the on-stream constant global challenges and unexpected obstacles. Current leaders are lacking the scope and often muscle to think through the unthinkable and navigate through these disruptive, non-normative global developments that occur with little to no warning. What is needed is stronger core leadership on all fronts; the key challenge is how to lead a company or government departments through the speed and nature of these fundamental changes that up end global order. What we need is to engage a new generation of leaders willing to think through the unthinkable, the unknowns, and the unpalatable. 

As we conclude the discussions at the sixth edition of the Young Professionals Summit and join the Brussels Forum, we want to reflect on the value of the transatlantic relationship and what concrete steps can be taken to increase engagement by the next generation of leaders. 

Guiding Questions 

  • How can the transatlantic relationship be encouraged to engage its current and future leaders to tackle imminent global issues more effectively?
  • What are some of the avenues that corporations and governments can take to invest skill sets such as thinking through the unthinkable?