Bridging the innovation gap: think tank CEOs gather in Copenhagen to develop new strategies

At the conclusion of Atlas Network’s 2018 Europe Liberty Forum in Copenhagen, 18 U.S. and European think tank CEOs spent two days refining their respective organizations’ approaches to advancing the ideas of liberty during the fourth annual Transatlantic CEO Summit. The Summit has become one of the most transformational experiences for some of the think tank network’s top talent.

“Few leadership development programs have challenged my thinking and expanded my capacity like Atlas Network’s Transatlantic CEO Summits,” said Michael Carnuccio, president of E Foundation for Oklahoma.

Working from an innovation diffusion model based on the doctoral research of Dr. Lyall Swim, Atlas Network’s director of training, the group worked together to provide highly targeted analysis and solutions for each organization’s priority challenges and opportunities. To take advantage of the summit’s case study and crowdsourcing formats, each leader came prepared with a priority set of questions and personal goals for the summit. The resulting energetic exchange promises to propel their organizations forward as each CEO returns with new strategies and increased motivation to take their work to the next level.

“One of the reasons the summit works so well is the carefully selected peer group and peer-driven model of the format,” said Matt Warner, Atlas Network’s COO and senior fellow. “These are some of the most talented and experienced leaders in our network, so the key is to unleash this brain trust on itself in a collaborative way. It’s about learning from each other, but it’s also about challenging each other to think bigger.”

The CEOs in attendance covered a variety of topics during the summit including measurement, board engagement, attracting and retaining talent, marketing, and more. Some of the policy reform topics covered judiciary reform, primary and secondary education, welfare state, occupational licensing, and more.

“Atlas Network’s Leadership Academy is meant to create a culture of learning within our movement,” said Swim. “and these CEOs really demonstrated that culture as they engaged in the learning process throughout the summit. The Transatlantic CEO Summit (as with our programs like the Think Tank Essentials course, Think Tank Leadership Training, and Think Tank MBA) is a great example of the kind of transformational learning that we strive for with each of our training and coaching programs.”

The summit represents one of the many opportunities for professional development through Atlas Network’s Leadership Academy where think tank leaders and staff representing any organizational position or role can find valuable resources and opportunities designed to accelerate learning and innovation throughout the network.

To learn more about upcoming training and coaching opportunities for you and your team, visit AtlasNetwork.org/Academy.