• Q1: What is the IICS International Business
  Leadership Workshops Program?
• Q2: What is the purpose of this program?
• Q3: Am I expected to preach or to evangelize in my presentations?
• Q4: Most of these countries have a very different business and legal system than the US. How we do make sure we are teaching material that is compatible and useful for these countries?
• Q5: I don't speak the language. Are my presentations translated?
• Q6: What are the requirements for participating in an IICS workshop?
• Q7: Will others go with me or do I go by myself?
• Q8: Who makes the travel arrangements?
• Q9: Who pays for the expenses?
• Q10: Who decides what is taught?
• Q11: How is the course outline developed?
• Q12: Are we teaching the same students all the time or different ones each day?
• Q13: Is there a curriculum?
• Q14: Is there an orientation by IICS?
• Q15: How do we avoid cultural mistakes?
• Q16: How long is the commitment?
• Q17: How do I apply for an IICS Business Leadership Series?
• Q18: What information will be needed for the Application Form?
• Q19: What are some topics that I might address based, of course, on my own experience and expertise?

What is the IICS International Business Leadership Workshops Program? (To Top)
The purpose of International Institute for Christian Studies (IICS) is to glorify God by developing leaders who think and live Christianly in every area of their lives. IICS establishes Departments of Christian Studies and provides professors from the entire range of academic disciplines, teaching from a Christian worldview in public universities overseas. To assist in the business programs of IICS, we invite outstanding Christian business leaders to volunteer their time and expense for three to ten days to speak at universities and to build relationships with business students and professors and with business leaders, entrepreneurs and corporate executives in the business community overseas.

What is the purpose of this program? (To Top)
As Christian businessmen and women, we can help shape emerging business leaders and even the economic systems themselves, by sharing our experience and expertise, by building relationships, by providing counsel when asked, by listening and learning, by making disciples among business students, professors and others, and by praying.

Am I expected to preach or to evangelize in my presentations? (To Top)
No. You are invited to the university as a successful business leader, not as a preacher or an evangelist. It is inappropriate to do anything more or less than you would do if you had an audience in North America paying $500 a head to listen to you speak on your stated topic. References to your relationship with Christ should be natural, not forced; appropriate, not manipulative. Your presentationss should be marked with excellence, so that you earn the right to be heard on every topic you might address, whether business or faith. In some countries you will have total freedom to share your personal testimony, if that fits with your topic and your audience. In other countries, such as China, references to your personal testimony would be permitted only in response to questions. In still more restrictive countries, such as Vietnam, you will need to confine the presentation of your personal testimony to one-on-one meetings and even then, with discretion. All of this is assuming that we all seek to be led by the Holy Spirit.

Most of these countries have a very different business and legal system than the US. How we do make sure we are teaching material that is compatible and useful for these countries? (To Top)
We focus on principles instead of practices. When we discuss American business and legal practices, we use them as illustrations and try to put them in our Western cultural context. "This is what we do in America and here is why. But it may not be the best practice in this country. Here is the principle behind the practice. Let's explore ways in which this principle can be applied effectively in your context."

I don't speak the language. Are my presentations translated? (To Top)
In some countries you will be speaking to students and leaders who have some knowledge of English. In other places, you will have a professional interpreter. You will need to provide an outline and text of your presentations in advance so that it can be translated and available. PowerPoint presentations are preferred when possible.

What are the requirements for participating in an IICS workshop? (To Top)
IICS will screen applicants for the following qualifications:

• Living under the Lordship of Christ and practicing Christian ethics in the workplace
• Able to articulate why you are a Christian and how being a Christian makes a difference in your life and in your business
• Willing to provide gifts to IICS to cover all travel, lodging and administrative expenses for your workshop series

Will others go with me or do I go by myself? (To Top)
It depends. Usually teams of 2-5 business leaders will go together to present both individual presentations as well as panel discussions at one or more universities. But if you are approved and willing, you may choose, because of your schedule, to work out a time with the IICS professor, when you can go alone to lecture for several days at the university.

Who makes the travel arrangements? (To Top)
The IICS office normally does, unless the workshop is given as part of a business trip you have already arranged.

Who pays for the expenses? (To Top)
Each participant agrees to assume responsibility for his/her expenses either directly or through charitable donations to IICS. An additional ten percent of the total transportation and lodging costs or minimum of $500 additional is added to cover the expenses of IICS in setting up the arrangements for the workshop series.

Who decides what is taught? (To Top)
You and the IICS professor, in conjunction with the IICS office, will determine the best topics which match your experience and expertise with the needs of the university.

How is the course outline developed? (To Top)
You are responsible for developing the outline and content for your presentations with the consultation of the IICS professor and the assistance of an IICS curriculum specialist.

Are we teaching the same students all the time or different ones each day? (To Top)
It will vary from time to time and from university to university. Usually you will be speaking the same students/executives each day for several days. Sometimes you will be giving the same presentation to several different groups.

Is there a curriculum? (To Top)
No. But IICS provides expertise through its professors and curriculum specialists, in assisting you in "telling your story." In many developing countries however, the knowledge of private free enterprise and business development is so limited, that your presentations will need to be at the most rudimentary level.

Is there an orientation by IICS? (To Top)
IICS holds a week-long orientation conference every July in Kansas City for new IICS professors. Business leaders who plan to participate in the Business Leadership Workshop sometime during the year are asked to participate in this orientation. If that is not possible, IICS will provide orientation materials. The IICS office will provide guidance in preparing for the trip. The IICS professor will provide both advance orientation as well as a briefing upon your arrival on the field.

How do we avoid cultural mistakes? (To Top)
We screen applicants for all workshops. We will approve only those who provide evidence of sensitivity in cross-cultural situations and a genuine regard for others. We prepare thoroughly by learning about the culture and the host university. We bathe all of our efforts in prayer and enlist others to pray for us as well.

How long is the commitment? (To Top)
Typically you will speak over a period of two to ten days. A typical schedule includes one or two travel days, one day for on-field orientation, several days of presentations, followed by one or two travel days returning home.

How do I apply for an IICS Business Leadership Series? (To Top)
Contact IICS
P.O. Box 12147
Overland Park, KS 66282-2147
USA
913-962-4422 or 1-800-776-4427 Fax: 913-962-1912
Email IICS

What information will be needed for the Application Form? (To Top)

• Name and address
• Identify your business skills.
• Briefly describe your business experience
• Tell about how you became a follower of Christ and how He has made a difference in your life and work.
• Tell about a challenge you have experienced to practicing biblical ethics and how you responded.
• Do you prefer a particular country or university?
• What contact, if any, have you had with an IICS professor about this already?

What are some topics that I might address based, of course, on my own experience and expertise? (To Top)

• Autobiographical
• How I Started My Business
• Lessons I Have Learned In The Corporate World
• The Best Books I Ever Read on Business and Leadership (provides a natural way to include the Bible)
• Examples I Have Followed as a Leader (provides a natural way to include Jesus and various Christians)
• The Biggest Problems I Ever Faced in Business or Leadership (provides natural way to make reference to spiritual conflicts or to the role of prayer and God in your life; also helps dispel myth of instant wealth)
• Ten Things I Did in Business That Failed (can include spiritual lessons learned in bad times)
• Businesses I Started That Failed and Why
• What to Do When You Are Down and Out