Author Gladwell marks nonprofit's anniversary

Best-selling author and social-change guru Malcolm Gladwell urged local leaders yesterday morning to make the most of Philadelphia's "human potential."

Speaking to a sold-out gathering of about 540 at the Union League of Philadelphia, Gladwell offered three reasons he believes this potential, in general, is underused: the limits of poverty, "stupidity" in how leaders often approach problems, and negative attitudes.

"The question of how much we want to achieve in a certain area is up to us," he said, arguing against the idea that some people are destined for success.

Yesterday's event was the first of several planned to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the nonprofit Leadership Philadelphia. The organization runs training programs for business and public-sector leaders in the region. Noted alumni include Mayor Nutter, who went through the training program in 1989.

The organization is also known for its "Connector Project," in which Leadership Philadelphia staff compiled lists of the region's most effective leaders, or "connectors." The project was inspired by Gladwell's 2000 best-seller on social change,

The Tipping Point.

Liz Dow, executive director of Leadership Philadelphia and a 1986 program alumna, said Gladwell's role in shaping the agency's programs made him a natural choice to kick off the anniversary celebration.

His ideas "informed the way that we teach leadership," Dow said.

Gladwell is on tour promoting his newest book,

Outliers,

which explores the qualities of successful or extraordinary people, such as Bill Gates. Gladwell, a regular writer for the New Yorker, also wrote the 2005 best-seller

Blink,

about decision-making.

Philadelphia is one of the last stops of his tour, which began in November. He also spoke Monday night at the Free Library main branch.

In an interview before his speech, Gladwell - who wore sneakers with his jacket, button-down shirt and slacks - said he was not aware of another program inspired by his work that was "as large or sustained" as Leadership Philadelphia's Connector Project.

"A book is an abstract thing. . . . It's a writer's dream to have someone take [your idea] and make it a reality," he said.

Marybeth DiVincenzo, 53, who went through the program in 1998 and works for an economic-development group in Chester County, said Gladwell's speech spoke directly to Leadership Philadelphia's mission.

By bringing together leaders from different backgrounds, the organization "gives us an alternate way of looking at our human potential," she said.

Wendy Kaufman, 53, WHYY program director and a 2001 Leadership Philadelphia alumna, said that when it came to an issue like fixing local schools, Gladwell got it right with his message about attitude.

"We can remove constraints if we care enough about whatever it is that's important to us," she said.

Leadership Philadelphia was founded in 1959 by members of the Fels Institute of Government at the University of Pennsylvania. The organization separated from Fels in 1978.

Since 1959, Dow said, about 3,000 local business and community leaders have passed through the nonprofit's programs. In addition to Nutter, prominent alumni over the years include Constantine Papadakis (1996), president of Drexel University; Don Smolenski (2005), Philadelphia Eagles chief financial officer; and Dennis O'Brien (2002), president of Peco Energy Co.

Through 2009, Dow said, the organization plans several anniversary programs.

The nonprofit will coordinate with local public-radio affiliate WHYY to broadcast several essays by alumni about their values. The broadcasts are part of WHYY's "This I Believe" project, which airs belief statements by famous personalities and ordinary people. Nutter was the first alumnus to broadcast, on Jan. 1.

The celebration will be tempered by the recent economic downturn, she added, which has made fund-raising for programs, let alone the anniversary, hard.

Before his speech, Gladwell also expressed concern about the ability of nonprofit groups like Leadership Program to function in the near future as budgets shrink.

"Precisely at the moment we need them most, they're in the toughest position," he said.