Call for Proposals

 

26th ILA Global Conference, Architects of Change: Leaders, Followers, & Communities. 7-10 November 2024, Chicago, ILA USA

Invitation

The International Leadership Association is the professional home of a global community of leaders and leadership researchers, educators, and development specialists from a wide array of sectors and disciplines who believe that leadership is the key to a just and thriving future for all people. For more than 25 years, the ILA has advanced the study and practice of leadership by creating opportunities like our Global Conference for people to connect and engage with one another to explore innovative ideas, create new resources, and multiply our collective impact.

We invite you to submit a proposal for this year’s Global Conference, “Architects of Change: Leaders, Followers, and Communities,” which will take place 7-10 November in Chicago, located on lands that are the traditional homelands of the Anishinaabe, or the Council of the Three Fires: the Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi Nations.

Questions?
If you have any questions or need assistance with the CFP, please contact us. Email: conferences@ilaglobalnetwork.org or call +1 (202) 470-4818 ext. 106.

Prepare Your Submission

Download the 2024 Call for Presentations Guide, which compiles all of the information you'll need to complete the proposal submission process. 

Submit Your Proposal

Proposal Deadline:  31 March, 11:59 PM EDT

You may review, revise, and resubmit your proposal(s) anytime prior to the proposal deadline.

Volunteer to Review

Sign Up to Peer Review by 5 April, 11:59 PM EDT

Calling all ILA members! Can you share a few hours of your time and talent to serve as a peer reviewer for this year’s submissions?

Important Dates

  • 1 March Call for Presentations Submissions Portal Opens
  • 15 March Call for Peer Reviewers Form Opens
  • 31 March, 11:59 PM EDT, Call for Presentations Portal Closes
  • 5 April Peer Review Recruitment Closes
  • 12 April – 29 April Peer Review Period
  • 3 May – 20 May Stream Review Period
  • Early June Acceptance Notifications are emailed.
  • 24 June Presenter Registration and Edits Deadline

What You Can Submit to the Global Conference

For complete descriptions of presentation format options, download the 2024 Call for Presentations Guide.

Cafecito Roundtable

Cafecito, or “little coffees,” is often used as an invitation to a chat over coffee.  A Cafecito roundtable is a conversation or dialogue on a question a submitter proposes to convene and host as a roundtable. This is a time to connect and converse with curiosity over questions of leadership. 

Panel

An informed 60-minute dialogue or debate by panelists moderated by a chairperson, with time reserved for audience participation, questions, and comments. Short opening remarks by the panelists set the stage for robust discussion with each other and the audience.

Pecha Kucha

Chit-chat in Japanese, Pecha Kucha is a unique presentation style consisting of 20 slides that are each displayed for 20 seconds, automatically progressing to the next one. This results in a total presentation time of 6 minutes and 40 seconds.

Poster

A visual display of a paper, a research project, a developing idea, or a program or practice that is set up and hosted by the creator(s) during a poster session. Posters will be set up and displayed during the conference poster session (and potentially earlier).

Presentation/ Paper

A concise, oral presentation (typically 10-15 minutes) that shares best practices, model programs, case studies, theory building, research findings, pedagogy, etc. Upon acceptance, presentations/papers are grouped together with two other submissions to form one 60-minute session.

Workshop

An interactive 60-minute demonstration or experiential session on a leadership-related topic that is rooted in audience participation and active learning. Half or more of the time must be dedicated to experiential learning and innovative, active audience participation. 

Conference Streams

All sessions have a stream corresponding to an ILA member community or a topic of interest to the conference. Explore the streams below or in the 2024 Call for Presentations Guide.

We extend a sincere thank you to our stream leads who lend their time and talent to make ILA’s Global Conference the must attend event for all those interested in expanding what we know about and how we practice leadership for a better world for all peoples.

Arts and Leadership

The Arts and Leadership community recognizes and embraces the value and power of the Arts to influence, strengthen, and improve all forms and contexts of leadership. Leadership research, development, decision-making, practice, improvisation, and wisdom benefit from the exploration, practice, and appreciation of all varieties of creative expression including visual arts, music, dance, multi-media, poetry, storytelling, graphic design, scenario development, storytelling, and theater. Engagement with the arts promotes inclusivity, imagination, flexibility, and new metaphors of perception that strengthen, transform, and inspire leadership, especially relevant during uncertain times of complex change. We welcome all approaches to arts and leadership. Stream Leads: Dorothy Agger-Gupta, Lea Metz

Business Leadership

The purpose of the Business Leadership Member Community is to unite a global network of leaders and learners – business leaders, entrepreneurs, scholars, developmental practitioners, and students – to inspire, enrich and advance the practice of business leadership. transforming it into a powerful catalyst for positive change. Stream Leads: Angela Craig, Kathleen Curran, Debra Mynar-Kowalchuk

Coaching and Leadership

The Coaching and Leadership stream brings together practitioners and scholars from around the world to explore the intersections of coaching and leadership. This stream welcomes a wide variety of coaching perspectives and works to create opportunities to connect, collaborate, and grow knowledge around coaching and leadership. We seek submissions that explore perspectives and intersections around various methodologies and types of coaching; mentoring, advising, or other helping relationship intersections with coaching and leadership are also welcome. We are committed to creating equitable opportunities for all. The stream looks forward to receiving submissions that advance the field of coaching and leadership. Stream Leads: Mary Tabata, Andrew Wefald

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Belonging (DEIB)

In today’s complex, diverse world it is imperative that both scholars and practitioners come together to help create a space of belonging. The focus of the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) stream proposal is to provide content related to today’s issues that raise awareness related to all aspects of social advocacy and justice. The stream encourages proposals that demonstrate best practices, models, assessments, and theoretical perspectives that are emerging in the field. Stream Leads: Joanne Barnes, Bjørn Ekelund

Ethics and Leadership

The Ethics and Leadership Member Community is an ongoing platform for discussions about research, practices, frameworks, and contextual approaches concerning ethics and leadership. Stream Leads: Emily Schuck, Jeffrey Youngquist, Alexandra Perry

Followership

The Followership Member Community is dedicated to the development of knowledge, competencies, and programs concerning the leader-follower relationship. We focus on research, collaboration, and dissemination of ideas and information. We are a passionate group of academics and practitioners looking to engage in conversations for all things followership! Stream Lead: Leah Sciabarrasi

Healthcare Leadership

The Healthcare Leadership Member Community aims to unite leadership educators, practitioners, consultants, administrators, and scholars from all healthcare-related settings. We offer a platform to exchange philosophies, conceptual approaches, curricula, programs, experiences, assessments, and scholarship to optimize healthcare leadership and followership. A proficient healthcare professional requires leadership knowledge, application, expertise, and collaboration. The healthcare stream at the global conference will provide opportunities for individual and team growth as innovations and awareness of leadership education and development will enhance patient outcomes and healthcare systems. Lastly, we strive to explore the significance of and find meaning in organizational leadership and followership within healthcare. Stream Leads: Erin Barry, Suzanna Fitzpatrick, Tiffany Jordan, Bill Tholl, Neil Grunberg

Indigenous and First Peoples Leadership

We stream together with ancestral leadership, in the spirit of collective – generational leadership.  In our time of prophecy, we are called to reweave Indigenous knowledge to nurture the power of our cultural identity and uplift wise practices in community leadership to vision our way forward.  We carry a responsibility to catalyze Ethical Space and Two Eyed Seeing, gesturing towards Planetary Health transformation and Indigenous Futurisms.  We welcome all of our relations to come together, share your gifts, wisdoms, and what you feel is relevant and needed now. Stream Leads: Erin Dixon (Gizhagatte) and Dr. Lana Leslie (Kamilaroi)

Leadership Development

Leadership development improves both individual and collective leadership capabilities through activities such as training, workshops, experiential learning, resilience, self-care, mindfulness, coaching, and mentoring. The objective is to empower individuals and groups to guide themselves and others toward specific achievable goals that may change over time. The Leadership Development Member Community welcomes practitioners, scholars, teachers, students, coaches, trainers, and others who cultivate leadership knowledge and skills in themselves and others. Stream Leads: Chrys Egan, Robin Roberts, Deirdre Dixon

Leadership Education

The Leadership Education stream is interested in sessions that serve leadership educators, professors, and teachers working in and/or interested in curricular or co-curricular programs in higher education institutions as well as primary and secondary (k-12) schools and other educational settings. We seek opportunities to share curricula, pedagogies, programs, and research to advance the how, what, and why of leadership education. Stream Leads: Elizabeth Goryunova, Kyle O’Dell, Kyle Small

Leadership for Peace

The Leadership for Peace Member Community seeks researchers, educators, practitioners, and others who care about peace – in the mind and body, community, and in the world. Our aim is to draw thinkers and doers to focus on peace, peacebuilding, and developing, explaining, and educating for a culture of peace. Our hope is to increase the conditions for justice, tolerance, acceptance, hope and understanding anywhere and everywhere and for positive change in individuals, groups, organizations, and governments that lead to freedom from oppression, conflict and war, and aggression, through dialogue, action plans, research, practice, teaching, and learning. Stream Leads: Lazarina Topuzova, Whitney McIntyre Miller

Leadership Scholarship

The Leadership Scholarship Stream offers a home for scholars across disciplines, from aspiring researchers to seasoned academics. It accepts research from multiple methodological traditions (e.g., qualitative, quantitative) and encourages innovative methodological practices. Further, it embraces theoretical and conceptual development and explores critical perspectives in leadership studies. The stream also offers a home for the professional and personal development of scholars, such as grant writing, interdisciplinary connections, publishing in journals, crafting book proposals, and transforming dissertations into articles. Ultimately, the stream aims to democratize access to high-quality scholarship, nurturing collaboration and advancing leadership research globally. Stream Leads: Nathan Eva, Rich Whitney, LJ McElravy, Kerry Priest

Philosophy, Religion, and Worldviews

This stream and ILA member community promote an understanding of the healthy nexuses between leadership and philosophy, religion, and worldviews. Philosophy, religion, and worldviews touch the very core of human experience and address assumptions people make about life. These assumptions structure people’s leadership theories and practices. Evaluating leadership theories and practices at the most basic level will generate greater insights into the intersection of leadership with culture. We encourage philosophers and religious leaders to actively participate as a means to hone their leadership skills for use in their respective spheres of influence and to provide corresponding insights to others. Stream Leads: Lisa Friesen, John Shoup, Chad Newton

Public Leadership

Issues in the public realm – e.g., climate change, health crises, inequality, poverty, violence – extend beyond a single sector. How do public leaders and their organizations address complex problems and achieve the common good? How can we create collective and relational leadership approaches that bring diverse groups and organizations together, so we can effectively work in a sustained way across boundaries and differences?  Please share examples of new ways to teach, research, and practice public leadership, including policy change, community organizing, and cross-sector collaboration. We encourage you to collaborate with one another, and across streams and geographic regions. Stream Leads: Ariel Kaufman, Chrys Egan

Sustainability Leadership

The Sustainability Leadership Member Community focuses on leadership for sustainability and regeneration and is seeking submissions designed to expand practices, contribute knowledge and insight, learn about, and engage around leadership that precipitates a more sustainable and regenerative future for the planet. We recognize the deep and interconnected social and environmental challenges that pervade our world, and we seek sessions in which we as leadership scholars, educators, and practitioners can address those challenges. Stream Leads: William Smedick, Kate Sheridan

Women and Leadership

The Women and Leadership stream welcomes submissions that focus on the following areas: philosophical views, supporting women at all stages, future generations, wellness, and intersectionality. This includes perspectives on women’s roles, exploring gender equality, impact, and cultural norms, and supporting women in all stages of leadership, a lifelong process involving youth, mentorship, networking, and creating supportive environments. Within this focus, we recognize some women face adversity and challenges when navigating their leadership journeys while also dealing with the duality of race, ethnicity, and other identities. Additionally, we believe prioritizing wellness and maintaining balance are essential for women to thrive. Stream Leads: Chanda Elbert, Merike Kolga

Being in Community With One Another

When we enter into the trusted space of the ILA, we are making a commitment to be in community with a diverse group of learners from around the world.

The most powerful lever for change is in how we relate to, and connect with, one another, especially across differences.

Connections are created and nurtured as we share our experiences and learn from the experiences and perspectives of others. This engenders a feeling of belonging that nourishes our creativity and advances our collective purpose of advancing the practice and study of leadership for a just and thriving future.

Being in community with one another at ILA’s Global Conference is not just a vision, it is a leadership practice. Each person who enters this trusted space shares the responsibility to create an environment where everyone is respected and valued.

Conference Policies

Conference Registration is Required. If your submission is accepted, all listed presenters and co-presenters, including those later designated as chairs, are required to register and pay the published conference fees by the deadline noted in the acceptance email. Accepted submissions will not be scheduled until registration is complete. Registration rates vary according to student status, member status, and time of registration.

IMPORTANT: The ILA does not pay honoraria, reimburse expenses (e.g., travel, lodging, copying, poster production, etc.), or waive or discount conference registration fees for presenters or chairs.

Consent of Presenters. All participants listed in a proposal must give their consent to be part of the proposal prior to submission. It is the responsibility of the submitter to adhere to this rule for all individuals listed in the proposal. It is also the responsibility of the submitter to make sure participants are aware of the conference registration requirement (see above) prior to submitting.

Scheduling Requests. The ILA does not take scheduling requests. If you submit to the conference, please be prepared to present at anytime from the start of the conference on 7 November through the conclusion on 10 November. By submitting a proposal, submitters are confirming the availability of all presenting participants during the conference.

Rule of Two. All presenters may only appear on up to two submissions as presenters and up to two submissions as chairs. People who violate this policy create a lot of extra work for reviewers and the conference team who then have to weed out their excess submissions. Please be considerate.