May 29, 2008

MEDIA CONTACT: Adela de la Torre: (202) 994-6424; adelita@gwu.edu
Jim Robinson: (202) 994-5307; jarob@gwu.edu 

NEUROSCIENCE SEMINAR EXPLORES THE BRAIN'S
CONNECTION TO LEADERSHIP
JUNE 16-17, 2008

WASHINGTON - The Center for Excellence in Public Leadership at The George Washington University announced a new professional development seminar, "The Neuroscience of Leadership," June 16 and 17, 2008 on the GW Foggy Bottom Campus. The center has partnered with David Rock of Results Coaching Systems, to bring to GW this innovative program that will help managers and executives apply cutting-edge knowledge from the field of neuroscience to dramatically increase their leadership effectiveness.

Jim Robinson, executive director of the center, said, "The community will benefit greatly from this forward-thinking leadership development, helping leaders excel in their public, professional, and personal lives."

The seminar will explore the social nature of the brain and how people make decisions, solve difficult problems, and influence others, ultimately providing participants with a new model for interacting in the workplace. Over two days, participants will join in interactive exercises, small group discussions, and summaries of recent research, as well as take away actions they can apply to their jobs.

Rock, founder and CEO of Results Coaching Systems, will lead the program. In 2004, he started the brain-based approach to coaching. In collaboration with neuroscientists, Rock works to explain the neural basis of issues like self-awareness, reflection, insight, and accountability. In 2006, Rock founded the Neuro-Leadership Institute and Summit, a global initiative bringing neuroscientists and management experts together to build the science of leadership development. Rock co-created a coaching curriculum at New York University and is a guest lecturer at universities in five countries. He also authored the books Personal Best, Quiet Leadership, and Coaching with the Brain in Mind.

The program is open to 25 managers and executives from the public, private, and non-profit sectors. Cost for the two-day program is $950. Individuals can register until June 6 online at www.gwu.edu/~cepl or by contacting the Center for Excellence in Public Leadership at (202) 994-5392.

The mission of GW's Center for Excellence in Public Leadership, established in 1997, is to develop public leaders who make a positive difference in their organizations and in the lives of the people they serve. The center offers a variety of professional development programs, including senior executive development training for federal government employees; the D.C. Neighborhood College public-private partnership with the Washington, D.C., mayor's office; and custom programming for government agencies at the local, state, and federal levels.

For more information about The Center for Excellence in Public Leadership, visit www.gwu.edu/~cepl.
For more news about GW, visit the GW News Center at www.gwnewscenter.org.

 -GW-