VCU news

By Frances Altman
VCU School of Business

Pamela Kiecker, Ph.D., professor of marketing in the School of Business, was awarded two international commendations for her leadership as a facilitator with the Central Eurasian Leadership Alliance (CELA) in Istanbul, Turkey under direction of the Society of International Business Fellows (SIBF).

This was CELA's inaugural executive leadership program for future leaders. The Spirit of SIBF Award reflects Kiecker's sessions on gender and leadership focusing on different leadership styles and her innovative work with three women leaders from former USSR countries.

Learning more about other cultures and working with business leaders from other parts of the world are being promoted as keys to a more secure and understanding world.

The training took place on Koc University campus, where Kiecker delivered a presentation on leadership styles, outlining masculine vs. feminine styles, gender advantage and differences within the cultural role. Half of the attendees were women and also included 38 future leaders from the five Central Asian and three Caucuses countries forming CELA.

As a member of the Society of International Business Fellows (SIBF), one of the sponsoring groups along with the EastWest Institute (EWI), Kiecker had the opportunity to see the effects of the conference as a facilitator in breakout groups.

For instance, Mahbuba, Aigul and Gulshan, three women attendees from different countries formerly making up the USSR who would never have met to compare professional notes had they not attended the Istanbul conference, created their own network within a network. Mahbuba will return home to mobilize Uzbek women to improve their legal, social and economic status. Aigul runs an organization focusing on female job training and Gulshan directs a conflict-prevention program empowering women to participate in peace-building exercises.

"These are the experiences and networking opportunities anticipated by CELA as the participants return to their respective countries with a strong network of colleagues from within their region; access to the influential SIBF network and newly acquired skills and experiences," said Kiecker, who added, "It was an extraordinary experience, and we all came away excited about the future of this program and its potential long-term impact in the region."

Story and Photo by Fran Altman