The conference - an invitation-only event with the theme of "Communicate, Cooperate, Collaborate, Innovate" and held at Ivey Spencer Leadership Centre - consisted of a series of lectures on the underlying characteristics of crises and disasters and included presentations by experts in politics, administration, disaster management, information technology and the military.
Clark detailed the extensive challenges of maintaining strategic leadership during his time as the Supreme Allied Commander Europe of NATO during the volatile Kosovo War in the late '90s.
"Do we need strategic leadership? Absolutely," Clark said in concluding his remarks. "Not just in the United States, but for where we are with humanity right now. Effective strategic leadership is a combination of knowledge and experience."
Leaders must be able to bring together those who disagree in order to get the job done. This collaborative approach was instrumental in helping prevent a larger conflict in the Balkan States, he said.
The lectures and practical exercises brought to life the concept of collaboration among Teams of Leaders. The conference was organized by Associate Professor Gerard Seijts, Ian O. Ihnatowycz Chair in Leadership and Executive Director, Ian O. Ihnatowycz Institute for Leadership, Candace Gibson from the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, and Dag von Lubitz from Central Michigan University.
The conference was made possible through support by IBM Canada, Intact Financial Corporation, the City of London and the Ivey Idea Forum.
For more of Clark's remarks, watch the video.