Presenters Name: David Ross
Employment Title: Strategist
Company: Phoenix Strategic Management
Biography: Working internationally as a strategist, David Ross advises organisations and their leaders on how to successfully navigate through their most complex – and at times, most divisive – big picture issues. So concerned was he with the stories he was hearing from leaders and managers about their inability to thrive in the 21stCentury that he authored the award-winning book, Confronting the Storm. David is also a Fellow of both the Royal Society of Arts, Manufactures & Commerce as well as the Institute of Managers and Leaders
Presentation Title: Confronting the Storm: Regenerating Leadership in the Age of Uncertainty
Presentation Abstract: In a world battered by overlapping and accelerating crises—economic uncertainty and decline, employees having greater expectations, technological disruption, global inequality, climate change, and escalating geopolitical tensions—our long-held leadership and management mindsets within our corporations are no longer fit for purpose. The familiar stories we tell ourselves about how leaders and managers should act, decide, and behave are now buckling under the weight of this complexity. Incremental progress and legacy approaches are no longer enough. In this provocative talk, I challenge the outdated assumptions that continue to limit our ability to respond effectively to volatility and uncertainty. Drawing on real-world examples gained from the research for my book, Confronting the Storm, I reveal why today’s challenges demands a profound shift in leadership and management mindset and practice. Leaders must move beyond siloed thinking toward systems awareness, from rigid control toward genuine collaboration, and from a mindset of mere survival to one of meaningful contribution and responsibility. This session goes beyond describing the problem—it demonstrates how leaders and managers can improve engagement, trust, productivity, and performance. Attendees will leave inspired and equipped with practical ways to rethink their responsibilities and their relationships with their teams. In an increasingly fragile world, leadership and management must transform—or face their organisations, too, becoming increasingly fragile
