Can the performing arts change the way we lead?
Yes — when we stop using art merely as an illustration and instead make it the very starting point.
The "Aesthetic Leadership" track is a development program where the performing arts meet reflection and leadership. The program is structured around three questions:
- Who am I?
- Who do I want to be?
- Who do I need to be?
These questions are addressed to both the individual and the leader. They explore self-awareness, relationships, responsibility, and the context in which we lead.
When art is allowed to speak
The program is inspired by the “Shibboleth Effect”, an art-based approach developed by Dr. Julia Romanowska at the Karolinska Institute. The core concept is simple yet radical: instead of being presented with a model or a set of instructions, participants engage with art. Reflection follows.
The performing arts act as a mirror, rather than a lesson in leadership.
Three levels of leadership
The program can be structured as a cohesive developmental journey or delivered module by module.
1. Self-leadership
Who am I? What patterns and experiences do I carry with me? What happens when I let go of control and listen?
2. Leading and being led by others
Who do I want to be for others? How do I provide and receive leadership? How do I navigate power, dependency, and relationships?
3. Leading and being led in an organisation
Who do I need to be within the organisation I am part of? What do the operations, my colleagues, and the external environment require of me?
These three levels follow the progression of leadership—from the individual, to relationships, to the organization.
