On the morning of May 13, 2025, PACE Institute of Management hosted a PACE Webinar featuring Dr. Gian Tu Trung, with nearly 1,000 leaders, managers at all levels, and entrepreneurs nationwide in attendance. This event is part of the PACE Webinar Series - an initiative by PACE to accompany the business community as it navigates through turbulent times.
Turbulence: Not an Exception, but an Inevitable Reality
“Turbulence” is no longer an unexpected occurrence, but rather an inevitable feature of a world operating with unprecedented complexity. Amidst waves of change - from technology to society, from the environment to people - the webinar posed a profound question to participants:
“How should we live, work, and lead in such an era?”
Dr. Gian Tu Trung shared insights into the root causes of every crisis, emphasizing that to truly solve problems, leaders must address the root, not just the symptoms.
Enlightened Leadership: Opening Minds and Unlocking Human Potential
Enlightened leadership is not only essential for overcoming turbulence but also for fostering breakthrough and sustainable organizational development. Leaders need to master themselves, build solid internal strength, and remain undisturbed by external forces or instincts. From this foundation, they can create organizations where people are empowered to learn, develop, and live authentically - no longer constrained by outdated management models. As a result, businesses generate not only economic value but also contribute to social progress.
Enlightened leadership means opening minds and unlocking human potential. Truly free individuals will not simply follow a leader, but follow the “right flag” that the leader raises. An Enlightened Leader is one who can successfully guide free individuals to achieve a shared vision and common goals together.
In addition to encouraging participants to rethink prevailing concepts related to leadership and management, the speaker pointed out: “An enlightened leader is someone who is able to enlighten him/herself, and at the same time enables team members to enlighten themselves so that everyone can work together toward shared visions and goals.”
Dr. Gian Tu Trung also emphasized that, in order to thrive in a turbulent world and a rising era for the nation, we need a new generation of entrepreneurs - one not only equipped with leadership skills or business acumen, but also possessing cultural depth, humanity, and patriotism; a generation of entrepreneurs who are “very human, very national, and very much themselves,” who always remember that doing business is about making money by serving society through good and meaningful products and services.
Dr. Gian Tu Trung presented a profound perspective on the leadership model of the future - the “Enlightened Leadership” model - which advocates for three key values: Practical Learning, Enlightenment, and Professionalism. These serve to help each individual discipline themselves to become a Free Person, a Responsible Citizen, and an Outstanding Professional. The speaker also highlighted that cultural competence is the most important factor in enabling human development.
He shared that, up to now, this Enlightened Leadership Model has been implemented for 18 years at the IPL Scholarship - the liberal arts school for young entrepreneurs and leaders, initiated by PACE Institute of Management and a dedicated group of entrepreneurs and intellectuals since 2007.
The PACE Webinar “Thriving in a Changing World with the ‘Enlightened Leadership’ Model” concluded on a note of openness, helping participants not only understand a pioneering leadership model of the future, but also embark on a new journey of contemplation - building inner strength to weather turmoil and move towards a new generation of entrepreneurs who are both effective and humane.
PACE Webinar Series - an initiative by PACE to accompany the business community as it navigates through turbulent times. You are cordially invited to join the next PACE Webinar, themed “Business Development in a world that never stops changing”, organized by PACE at 10:00 AM on May 15, 2025, with guest speaker Professor Frank V. Cespedes from Harvard Business School.
