Leading Horses

“Geranio, my horse, is the best leadership professor I ever had!” says leadership professor Pino Bethencourt Gallagher, laughing. “Because,” she adds, “when he reacts to stuff related to body movement that I don’t know about, and that other people can react to, he is showing me that there are things I still don’t know how to do.”

Prof. Bethencourt Gallagher is a highly trained international advisor whose aim is to improve the executive efficiency of economic and political leaders worldwide. She is also the author of the book “Success in Six Cups of Coffee,” which provides some very useful hints on how to improve your network skills and your professional performance.

I really believe that the lessons she draws from horses are worth hearing. Listen to what she says about leading horses and leading people. I learnt a lot, and I think you will too if you give it a try!!!

Photo Professor Pino Bethencourt Gallagher in theotherphoto.blogs.ie.edu

The Centaur

“In the 20th century we have discovered that rational thought by itself leads to disaster. We need to balance our minds with another type of discourse: that of myth” says Mythic Thought Professor Juan José Prat.
Prof. Prat has devoted his academic research to the study of verbal culture, with a special focus on the relation between orality and scripture.

Besides research and his classes on mythic thought, Professor Prat loves music. He has edited guitar pieces by 19th century Spanish composer Fernando Sor, and is currently working on the transcription and adaptation of piano music from the late 19th century for an amateur chamber ensemble comprised of strings, woodwind and guitar.

He is also the author of the only general history of folkloristics ever written. This extensive work, published in 2008 under the title of Bajo el árbol del paraíso (Under the Tree of Paradise), presents an analysis of the various – and sometimes ludicrous – theories formulated since the Renaissance about folklore fact and production by the urban literate world.

As you can see he is quite the walking encyclopedia, but most importantly he is just a really nice person to hang out with!!! He even manages to fit some short stories into this video. Don’t miss the one about the centaur!

Four Visions: OECD

“It’s all about people”— this was the message at the heart of the debate for the discussions at the 2013 annual OECD Week held in May. The event served as a platform to address major issues on the global agenda, and to get a broad range of stakeholders involved – not just ministers, but also key players from the worlds of business, labor, civil society and academia.

Participants in the conference, which focused on jobs, equality and trust, included two IE MBA students, Benedikt Broil from Germany and Agnes Blanco from Brazil,  and two IE Professors, Celia de Anca and Lee Newman.

Here they discuss diversity and prejudice issues in the light of the demonstrations against the gay marriage that recently took place in France. Check out the students’ replies to the professors!!!

Les Trois Sports

I don´t know about you but the image of a Professor that I have in my mind is of someone who sits for hours reading in a room with his pipe and a chimney. And if he makes a move, is because he is going for a walk with his dog.

I know that Leadership Prof. Juan Carlos Pastor reads a lot. However, instead of a walk he trains really hard cycling, swimming and running. Thriathon is his passion.

Triathlon is considered by some to have its beginnings in 1920s France. According to triathlon historian and author Scott Tinley, the origin of triathlon is attributed to a race during the 1920s–1930s that was called variously “Les trois sports”, “La Course des Débrouillards”, and “La course des Touche à Tout.” This race is held every year in France near Joinville-le-Pont, in Meulan and Poissy.

In this video Prof. Pastor draws very interesting lessons from the 3 sports he practices. Leadership is also a matter of hard training he seems be saying all the time.