LEADING WITH DIGNITY:
How to Create a Culture That Brings Out The Best in People
“The need has never been more urgent for people in leadership positions to be educated in matters related to dignity. The desire to feel valued is universal; it is our highest common denominator. At the same time, we are all vulnerable to having our dignity violated, creating conflicts wherever human beings cluster—in families, communities, in the workplace and among nations. Dignity violation is one of the root causes of conflict, yet it is rarely addressed when attempting to manage and negotiate a resolution to disputes. How can something so fundamental to the human experience have been neglected for so long? In this leadership training, the Dignity Model, an approach to understanding the role dignity plays in our lives and relationships, will be taught, so it can be applied to any leadership challenge.” Dr Donna Hicks
About The Programme
At some point in our lives, every one of us can remember feeling humiliated. We have had our sense of self-worth undermined in some way by a person or a situation we have found ourselves in, for example. Our sense of dignity has been threatened. It causes conflict within us, and in our relationships with others. Sometimes our dignity is deliberately violated by others. Often by those who have greater power than we have. Other times it is violated unintentionally. Either way the consequences are often serious and sometimes devastating. Relationships, which always depend on trust, fail. Governance, leadership, and corporate culture are issues that receive a massive amount of attention within businesses and organisations, and by thought leaders and business school professors. They are all inextricably linked to the concept of dignity, but dignity is rarely mentioned.
It is probably not mentioned very often because it is not well understood, surprising given its importance each of us. Donna Hicks is aiming to increase the levels of Dignity Consciousness in each of us, and in society in general. She has seen how greater consciousness can help solve major international conflicts in her work with people like Archbishop Desmond Tutu. In his forward to her first book, Archbishop Tutu proposed said we should all become Agents of Dignity. I certainly think all leaders should. I also believe they would benefit massively as a result. That is why I proposed creating this Executive Education Program.
Who Will The Programme Benefit?
DIRECTORS & EXECUTIVES
Leaders and senior managers working in all sectors: business, government, local government, health, education, charities and other institutions. In short, anyone who want to understand how to establish and maintain healthy relationship, avoiding or overcome conflict, and create a culture that brings out the best in people.
Those involved in culture change or transformation efforts, or executive / people / talent development, and organisational development and HR functions or DEI initiatives will benefit greatly.
CONSULTANTS
People who can see the benefit of adding dignity employing Donna's methods and tools to their existing service offer.
ACADEMICS
Researchers and educators in relevant disciplines, including those want to contribute to the Leading with Dignity approach.
Who Is Delivering The Programme?
Dr Donna Hicks
Dr. Donna Hicks is an Associate at the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs, Harvard University and was previously Deputy Director of the center's Program on International Conflict Analysis and Resolution (PICAR). She worked extensively on the Israeli/Palestinian conflict and as a member of the third party in numerous unofficial diplomatic efforts. In addition to her work in the Middle East, Dr. Hicks founded and co-directed a ten-year project in Sri Lanka. She has also worked on the conflicts in Northern Ireland and Colombia and conducted several US/Cuba dialogues. She is the Vice President of Ara Pacis, an Italian non-governmental organization based in Rome. They are currently involved in a dignity restoration project in Syria and Libya. And, Dr. Hicks was a consultant to the British Broadcasting Company where she co-facilitated encounters between victims and perpetrators of the Northern Irish conflict with Archbishop Desmond Tutu.
Dr. Hicks has taught courses in conflict resolution at Harvard, Clark, and Columbia Universities and conducts trainings and educational seminars in the US and abroad on the role dignity plays in healing and reconciling relationships in conflict as well as dignity leadership training. She consults to corporations, schools, churches, and non-governmental organization.
Donna is the author of the book, Dignity: It’s Essential Role in Resolving Conflict was first published in 2011 by Yale University Press. A tenth Anniversary edition was published by them in 2021.
Her second book, Leading with Dignity: How to Create a Culture That Brings Out the Best in People, was published by Yale University Press in August 2018.
Paul Barnett
Paul is the Founder and CEO of the Enlightened Enterprise Academy, the Enlightened Enterprise Institute and Enlightened Enterprise Media.
Paul will support Donna in the delivery of this Programme, as he has with other programmes he has developed with experts for the Enlightened Enterprise Academy.
Programme Agenda & Structure
The 10-Week Programme of 10 Modules will be delivered via the Enlightened Enterprise Academy Hub, an online platform.
Each module will be released weekly as a folder of content to be watched, listened to, or read. The content will include a prerecorded video featuring Donna in dialogue with Paul, discussing that week's topic. This is to be watched before the weekly livestreamed dialogue.
If you are unable to make a live session you will find the recording in the folder afterwards. And the content associated with the whole programme will be accessible for a minimum of 12 months after the programme ends.
Each week the 90 minute livestreamed event will feature Donna in a dialogue with special guests. That dialogue, plus the audience Q&A session, will be moderated.
Before the start of the programme all delegates will be invited to join a small Reflection Group (optional). The groups will consist of up to 15 delegates to consider the content of each module at the end of each week. This programme feature is designed to help participants develop their thinking about ways to apply the insights they have gained. Such applied thinking strengthens the chances of seeing and understanding the direct relevance and Leading With Dignity in practice.
The Enlightened Enterprise Academy Hub is also designed to support the ongoing development of learning communities long after the programme ends. This will allow you to develop strong and lasting relationships among a network of peers with similar interests.
Feel free to contact us if you have any questions about any aspect of the design and delivery of the programme.
MODULE 1: Introduction to the dignity model
• Brief history of how Donna discovered the critical role dignity plays in conflict and how to use dignity to repair broken relationships
• The definition of dignity (different from respect)
• How to achieve Dignity Consciousness (3 C’s).
• Brief history of how the model was developed
• The role of dignity in the exercise of leadership
MODULE 2: Understanding the evolutionary roots of dignity
• The ten temptations to violate dignity
• Challenges to Overcome Ten Temptations
• Strategies for Overcoming evolutionary self-preservation instincts
• I and Me
MODUE 3: Understanding the role that early imprints to our dignity have on our adult relationships. Introducing the Vulnerability Inventory
MODULE 4: Introducing dignity skills development
• Dignity Self-Assessment
• Acknowledgment Exercise
• Case studies
MODULE 5: The role dignity plays in developing trust in teams and organizations.
• Creating safety
• Giving, receiving, and soliciting feedback
• Responsibility taking
MODULE 6: Identifying and Addressing Structural Indignities in Organizations
• Internal Sources
• External Sources
MODUE 7: Healing and reconciling relationships in conflict: Highlighting dignity’s contribution in diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) work
MODULE 8: How to introduce dignity leadership training in an organization: Identifying challenges and opportunities
MODULE 9: Creating a Dignity Pledge for organizations: A necessary step in creating a culture of Dignity
MODULE 10: Bringing all together and Applying it in Practice
In this final session, participants will be challenged to reflect on the previous modules, how they relate to each other and how they relate to their own experiences and their own organizations.
What are the Programme Objectives?
And What Happens After?
OBJECTIVES
-
Create an understanding among participants of the importance of Dignity and its impact on human relationships and organisational culture, by developing Dignity Consioussness.
-
Equipping participants with an understanding of the methods and tools developed by Donna in the course of her work
-
Helping participants understand how to apply the methods and tools in practice by making them aware of ways to address the challenges they will face
-
Introducing others to share their experiences and insights from applying the methods and tools in a wide variety of contexts, to further enrich the understanding of participants.
AFTER THE PROGRAMME
-
Participants completing the programme will continue to have access to all the course content for at least 12months after the programme ends.
-
Participants will continue to be able to engage with other participants and other members of the programme alumni on the Enlightened Enterprise Hub.
-
Participants completing the programme will be offered free membership of the Enlightened Enterprise Institute for the first six months
-
Participants will enjoy a 20% discount on any other programmes offered by the Enlightened Enterprise Academy.
-
A certificate of completion of the programme may be requested
What Investment Is Required?
And How To Apply
THE INVESTMENT
The standard rate for the programme is £1,000 and applies to delegates in high income countries. To make the programme accessible globally, we offer discounts of 25-75% for middle and lower income countries, as part of our pricing policy.
Payment plans are also available if you wish to spread the cost.
Additionally, a 50% discount is available to students (proof required). And partial discounts are available to anyone in any country in exceptional circumstances. FULL DETAILS
NEXT START DATE
Details of the next dates for the programme are published in the NEWS section of this site
RESERVE YOUR PLACE
You can reserve your place online now.
REFUNDS
Refunds may be requested and will be considered prior to the start of the program, but not once it has started.