Who We Are
“We are attempting to have a transforming impact on the way people in business and other organizations think and lead… The truth is, I find the majority of people are concerned about many of the things that are taking place in society. We’re trying to encourage people to do something about it.” - Don Soderquist, Founding Executive
Mission: Equipping People with the transforming power of ethical leadership
Vision: To be a globally recognized resource on ethical leadership for current and emerging leaders and high performing organizations
Values:
- Relationships: We view relationships as the foundation to leadership and life.
- Trust: We seek to mirror our words and actions while passionately pursuing the hard truth.
- Collaboration: We desire a unified culture that encourages respect, communication and responsibility.
- Excellence: We strive for excellence in word and deed, constantly exceeding expectations.
- Experiential Learning: We value learning by discovery and reflection.
Values-Based Leadership
Leadership philosophies vary. At The Soderquist Center, we believe that leadership begins on the inside. Clarifying personal values and committing to live by them is a necessary prelude to aligning with organizational values and upholding them in decisions and behaviors in the workplace.
Values-based ethics actually focus on the culture of the organization. Companies determine what their core beliefs are, and build programs and services on those core beliefs. They train and actively encourage their people to make daily decisions according to those core beliefs.
The Soderquist Center for Leadership and Ethics chooses to take a values-based approach. When a dilemma comes up, the employee knows how the company feels. Their decisions are clearer when they know that the company will stand behind their ethical decision.
Experiential Learning
Experiential Learning is one of our core values that we live and operate by. But why is it so important to us? Because we believe that people and groups learn best through experience! Experiential Learning encompasses group problem solving with a strong emphasis on visual, tactile, and kinesthetic learning. It is a very hands-on approach to grasping new skills.
Participants are engaged in the process at three levels: Group level which focuses on what is happening to the entire group, Interpersonal level that addresses the dynamics between individuals, and Intrapersonal level which deals with issues that relate to a single individual. The Experiential Learning Cycle takes a group through an experience, reflections on lessons from the experience, and application of those lessons back to every day life.
This process reinforces learning and provides a common experience for community building and accountability. The combination of all these factors and a desire for outcome galvanizes a team toward individual and team building & development.