A Round Table

Our recent Highland Institute announcement seeking twelve “Advisory Board members” drew a number of comments and questions, essentially asking what sort of advice, and who exactly is this group advising?

The short answer is, the leadership group we are striving to assemble is tasked to lead Highland Institute towards achieving the goals outlined in its Manifesto. However, what distinguishes this group from a traditional Board of Directors, or Board of Advisors, is that this group has no formal head, meaning each of its twelve members carries equal status and has an equal voice, which is the literal and figurative meaning of the historical Round Table throughout the ages.

The desired dynamic reflects the highest ideals of Highland as a Securus Locus, an environment in which to exercise Socratic dialogue as the means to better understand the nature of a problem on the way to solving it. The ideal candidates would be distinguished more by their genuine curiosity and desire to probe possible blind spots in the position of other members, than for any specific philosophical and intellectual credentials.

Striving to avoid unnecessary hierarchy and bureaucracy, this newly expanded and more structured leadership group of twelve will take up the mantle from those early participants who helped us launch Highland Institute. Not everyone who has expressed interest in the Round Table will be asked to serve as one of our major goals is the achievement of a political, gender, and social balance.

I encourage you to consider this great opportunity to serve. Please call me with any questions or to set up a time for a private chat to ascertain whether this might be the right opportunity for you to participate in what will prove to be a lofty adventure.

— Sina.