Projo 7 to 7 News Blog

PROVIDENCE, R.I. Rhode Island School of Design President John Maeda, addressing the U.S Conference of Mayors before lunch on Sunday, talked about the need to move away from traditional concepts of a leader towards a more creative, dynamic type of leadership.

In his half an hour speech, Maeda, who just finished his first full year at the helm of the university, kept things loose and fast, at times cracking up the crowd with a wide-ranging slide show presentation, which covered everything from the basics of design theory, to musings on how technology can and should "bring people back to humanity," and his work with Mayor David N. Cicilline to get more students to stay in Providence after graduation.

Maeda filled in for guest speaker Shaun Donovan, President Obama's Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, who was among a hundred White House officials that backed out of the conference after Obama's administration became aware of a planned picket by city firefighters, who are locked in a contract impasse with Cicilline's administration.

The speech was centered around the idea that the old concept of leadership -- of an authoritarian, military-style hierarchy -- is outmoded. New leaders, Maeda said, should be inspirational leaders, more focused on being "real" than being "right" and being less risk-averse and more willing to make mistakes and learn from them.

Outside the Rhode Island Convention Center, meanwhile, about 65 firefighters and their families and friends kept up a relatively calm protest that began with the start of the conference on Friday.

 Tags  cicilline john maeda mayors providence ri risd

Comments

Dan said:

One would guess that Maeda would not approve of Cicilline's style of alleged leadership, since Davids action are definately the "old concept". More dictatorial than authoritarian. He definitely takes good care of his allies while brutally punishing those who disagree with him. $102,000 for a press secretary, $38k raise for the fire chief, bloated staff, and a self-absorbed police chief who considers him except from the law. What leadership?

Link | June 14, 2009 11:31 PM
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