The Rise of Future-Making Teams
Through Action Learning: Redefine How We Learn,
Collaborate, and Work in the AI Era
OCTOBER 2026
Celebrating 20 years of
Action Learning in Japan
Emergent Generative Team Leadership (EGTL):
A New Leadership for an Exponentially Complex World in AI Era
KEYNOTE
Co-originator, EGTL · Scholar-Practitioner
KEYNOTE
Co-originator, EGTL · Founder & CEO, Intercultural Systems
Keynote
From the Age of Control to the Age of Connection
As AI makes answers endless, the real question is no longer who has the answer, but what makes a team able to create the future. That is the shift this conference names in its theme, The Rise of Future-Making Teams: the rise of teams that don’t wait for direction but learn, connect, and generate what comes next on their own.
This model of leadership was born not in theory but in observation. During the pandemic, people around the world spontaneously came together to meet challenges that top-down institutions could not — feeding communities, finding shelter and vaccines, supporting front-line workers. What moved these groups was shared intent, active hope, care for one another, and love that bound them together. From that insight, Dr. Randal Joy Thompson and Dr. Kathleen Curran developed Emergent Generative Team Leadership (EGTL).
In their keynote, they trace the shift from an age of control to an age of connection, and show why top-down leadership breaks down in a “complexponential” world where complexity and exponential change collide. The question is no longer how a leader should lead, but how a team can listen, together, for what is trying to emerge. Rooted in the patterns of nature and the wisdom of the Tao, EGTL bridges Eastern and Western thought.
And EGTL is inseparable from Action Learning. When self-organizing teams are ignited by the four forces, it is through the practice of Action Learning that they solve the challenges in front of them, grow each member’s leadership, and design the future itself — the very picture of a Future-Making Team.
The Four Forces
Intent
Clear purpose that guides without constraining; it opens space for emergence.
Hope
Resilience and possibility thinking amid uncertainty.
Care
Individual talents flourish while collective coherence holds.
Love
The binding energy of connection, trust, and commitment.
The age of control is quietly ending; the age of connection has begun. Over two days, Thompson and Curran bring the theory and the practice of Future-Making Teams — and, on October 25, the chance to experience EGTL for yourself at the EGTL Workshop, facilitated by Thompson & Curran. They also leave a message for participants in Japan.
A Word of Welcome to Our Friends in Japan
To everyone joining us in Tokyo — we are honored to be here with you. Japan has long understood what the West is only beginning to name: that the deepest strength of a group lives not in one leader, but in the connection between people. That is the heart of team-led leadership, and of the four forces — Intent, Hope, Care, and Love.
We don’t come to teach so much as to explore alongside you. Over these two days, we hope you’ll join us in that exploration, and discover what your own teams are already capable of creating.
— Randal & Kathleen
KEYNOTE SPEECH
Scholar-Practitioner & Co-originator, EGTL
Fielding Graduate University ISI Fellow
Former U.S. Foreign Service Officer (USAID / U.S. Dept. of State)
About the Speaker
Dr. Thompson is a global scholar-practitioner whose theory of Emergent Generative Team Leadership was forged not in seminar rooms, but in crisis — across more than 20 countries including Iraq, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Ukraine, Liberia, Bosnia, and El Salvador. As a commissioned U.S. Foreign Service Officer and later independent contractor for USAID, she repeatedly witnessed something that conventional leadership theory could not explain: teams that, with no single leader in charge, organized themselves, solved impossible problems, and created lasting change.
That experience became a research question — and ultimately, a framework. Her work spans the intersections of leadership, gender, the commons, and organizational systems, and she holds five advanced degrees from some of the world's most rigorous institutions.
"As a diplomat across 20 countries, I watched teams organize themselves with no one in command — and create what no leader could have ordered. That became the question EGTL answers."
KEYNOTE SPEECH
Co-originator, EGTL · Founder & CEO, Intercultural Systems
Fielding Graduate University ISI Fellow
Faculty, University of Houston-Downtown MBA Program · ILA 2026 Toronto Stream Lead
About the Speaker
If Dr. Thompson's EGTL insights came from crisis and diplomacy, Dr. Curran's came from the inside of the world's largest organizations — across Asia, over three decades. Since founding Intercultural Systems in Singapore in 1996, she has designed and facilitated executive leadership programs in Singapore, Malaysia, India, Greater China, South Korea, and Japan, bringing EGTL principles to life at the intersection of culture, strategy, and human potential.
Her client list spans some of the most demanding global organizations, and her academic work at the University of Houston-Downtown grounds her practice in rigorous scholarship. She brings to Tokyo not just theory, but hard-won knowledge of what makes teams function — and fail — across borders.
"Thirty years inside Fortune 500 organizations across Asia showed me what it takes for teams to function across borders and cultures. That experience flows directly into everything EGTL proposes."
Concept
The Rise of Future-Making Teams
In an age where AI processes information at speeds far beyond human capacity, the fundamental decisions that shape the future of organizations, society, and people still depend on human judgment, creativity, and collective action.
Future-Making Teams do not merely predict the future. They face genuine uncertainty, exercise human discernment, and actively shape a future that does not yet exist.
This conference explores how Action Learning — practiced in over 70 countries worldwide — offers a powerful methodology for exactly this challenge, through research, practice, and dialogue.
"It is not the team with the best algorithm, but the team with the deepest capacity to learn together, that will shape the era ahead."
2026 marks the 20th anniversary of Action Learning's introduction to Japan. The WIAL Global Conference in Tokyo at this milestone brings together gratitude for the past and ambition for the future in a single, extraordinary gathering.
Who Should Attend
For Everyone Who Leads, Facilitates, and Develops People
Executives, managers, and division leaders navigating complex adaptive challenges in the AI era.
HR, L&D, and talent management professionals building future-ready organizations.
Academics and practitioner-researchers deepening the science of organizational learning and team dynamics.
Action Learning coaches, executive coaches, and process facilitators.
WIAL coaches and members from around the world, exploring Action Learning through diverse cultural perspectives.
Consultants and change agents driving organizational transformation with world-class methodology.
What You Will Gain
PROGRAM ARCHITECTURE
Beyond the two main days, the week is designed as one continuous experience for international colleagues making the journey to Tokyo.
THU · OCT 22
Pre-Conference
One-Day Study Tour
A full day designed exclusively for WIAL guests — by private chartered bus.
FRI · OCT 23
Conference Day 1
The conference opens — leadership, vision, and the first sessions.
SAT · OCT 24
Conference Day 2
A 20th-anniversary message, a full day of practice, a celebration to close.
SUN · OCT 25
Post-Conference
A half-day deep dive with the keynote facilitators.
All times, sessions, and evening events are provisional and subject to change.
Pre-conference study tour · optional
One unhurried day across Tokyo — from a working Action Learning site to a lantern-lit welcome on the river — the day before the conference begins.
Why we built it
So we built the day we’d want a friend in Tokyo to give us: real places, a proper Japanese table, and one behind-the-scenes look at the conference theme — Action Learning — at work inside a real company.
You travel as one group, with a private coach at the door. Nothing to plan, nothing to look up. Just turn up and let the city open.
We set off
Shibuya渋谷
Gather in Shibuya — Tokyo’s ‘Bit Valley’ of start-ups and creators, and home to the conference itself. Its venue, Shibuya QWS, is a co-creation space where every project starts from a question — the very belief this conference is built on. Board a private coach and, from here, the city is yours for the day.
The theme, lived
Action Learning, inside viviON
Akihabara秋葉原
Step inside viviON — a company built around Japan’s otaku culture. From its home in Akihabara, it connects the creators of anime, manga, games and doujin works with the fans who love them, and carries that culture from Japan out to the world. viviON has also brought Action Learning into its own teams — training in-house coaches and putting inquiry to work in how its people think and build. A rare, behind-the-scenes look at the conference theme, already in motion, inside one of the engines of Japan’s contemporary culture.
Lunch · Venue to be confirmed
A Japanese table in Ryōgoku
Ryogoku両国
A generous, sit-down Japanese lunch, planned for Ryōgoku — Tokyo’s sumo quarter, where the great wrestlers live and train.
Edo
Four hundred years, in one hall
Edo-Tokyo Museum江戸東京博物館
Newly reopened in March 2026: full-scale, immersive exhibits trace the city’s rise from a riverside town to the world’s largest metropolis — with audio guides in thirteen languages.
The view
All of Tokyo, from above
Tokyo Skytree東京スカイツリー
Ride to the observation deck of Japan’s tallest tower and take in the whole city at once — the river you’ll cruise tonight, the temple you’re about to visit, mountains on a clear day.
Golden hour
The old temple at dusk
Asakusa · Sensō-ji浅草・浅草寺
Pass beneath the great red lantern of Kaminarimon and walk Nakamise, the centuries-old shopping street, up to Sensō-ji — Tokyo’s oldest temple, at its most beautiful as the light turns gold.
The welcome · Subject to change
A welcome on the water
Welcome reception歓迎レセプション
The day ends with a welcome reception for everyone who has travelled to be here. As planned, you’ll board a traditional yakatabune at Asakusa and drift down the Sumida River into Tokyo Bay — past a glowing Skytree and the Rainbow Bridge — over a Japanese dinner with drinks.
TIME SCHEDULE
Day 1 unfolds as a single international track on theory and vision; Day 2 opens in plenary and then runs two parallel halls of practice. Select a day to view the full programme.
Opening Address — WIAL President
Isa Jamaluddin
Board Recognition (8 directors, by country)
The Future Belongs to Teams That Learn
Mark Relova, Ph.D.
Executive Director’s Address
Keynote — From EGTL to Future-Making Teams
Dr. Randal Joy Thompson & Dr. Kathleen Curran
Keynote
Lunch
Why Do Astronauts Spend a Full Hour Reflecting on a Single Hour of Training? — Reflection at the Frontier of Building Teams That Create the Future
Mika Kumahira + Tatsuo Kitagawa
Dialogue
Supporting Leadership Emergence in School Communities Through Action Learning
Marie Tseng
Case Presentation
From Problem-Solving to Transformation: Reframing Action Learning for Organizational Change
Matthew Farmer
Case Presentation
Thriving in Uncertainty: From One Team Toward a Learning Organization Through Action Learning
Paulina Chu & Philip Hsi
Case Presentation
Coffee Break
Action Learning Soccer: Questions, Metacognition, and Performance in a Professional Football Club
Eisuke Ochi, Ph.D. & Rihyei Kang, Ph.D. & Takehara
Case Presentation
When Recruitment Becomes Action Learning: From Assessing Talent to Co-Creating with Talent at AEON Vietnam
Do Nguyen Ngoc Thu
Case Presentation
Teams Guiding Teams in the Investor World
Els Van de Water & Shosuke Kiba, Ph.D.
Case Presentation
Morning — Opening Plenary
Online speech
Dr. Michael Marquardt
Online speech
The Future of Action Learning in an AI Age — Insights from a Global Survey of Action Learning Practitioners
Mark Relova, Ph.D. & Dr. H. Skipton “Skip” Leonard & Cori Hill, M.A.
Video Session
Twenty Years of Action Learning in Japan: Who Comes, What Changes, and What It Means for Future-Making Teams
Fumiyo Seimiya + Sumiko Watanabe
Research Presentation
Coffee Break
Morning — Parallel Tracks
Group Learning in the Age of AI
Bill Thimmesch
Case Presentation
When the System Stretches: What AI Readiness Reveals About How Teams Actually Learn
Alf Carlesäter
Workshop
A Balance of Art & Science: WIAL Action Learning and the Neurodiverse Learner
Craig Senecal
Case Presentation
Applying Action Learning to the Development of Onboarding Mentors
Mirai Kinoshita
Case Presentation
A Behavioral Transformation Program Built on Action Learning Elements: Demonstrating Reflection Supported by Generative AI and Human Coaches
Junko Sato
Case Presentation
Why DX Won’t Stick: A Four-Quadrant Lock-In Perspective on Corporate Transformation
Tadahiro Aochi, Ph.D. / Yuta Hashimoto / Naru Kurosu
Case Presentation
What Kind of Metamorphosis Do “Questions” and “Teams” Require in the Age of Generative AI? — Thinking about “Changing” in an Era When Everything Changes
Ryo Nakadoi + Fumiyo Seimiya
Dialogue
Lunch
Afternoon — Parallel Tracks
From Coordination to Future-Making Teams
Camille Cruz & Gilda “Dada” de Leon-Salud
Case Presentation
Heads in Action: Developing 20 Department Heads through Action Learning & Psychological Safety
Tomasz Janiak
Case Presentation
Inquiry-Driven Transformation: Action Learning in the Age of AI
Nyanaselvi Krishnan
Research Presentation
Learning Through Play: A Game-Based Action Learning Workshop
Shiowjiuan Cheng
Workshop
Human Wisdom and AI in Action Learning Practice for Future-Making Teams
Kirsty Foster
Workshop
Coffee Break
Making Sustainability a Force: Action Learning for 'Future-Making' in a growing Organization
Bharti Maru
Case PresentationWorkshop
The Culture Instinct of Future-Making Teams and the Power of Collective Capacity
Miggy Zaballero
Workshop
Rising with Failure: How Future-Making Teams Turn Breakdowns into Breakthroughs
Leandro “Leo” Castillo
Workshop
The Evolution and Development of Action Learning Communities Among Japanese University Students
Risako Kijima / Iwasaki / Yuri Krüger
Case Presentation
Everyone Jumps, Everyone Leads: What Paratroopers Teach Us About Leadership Without Authority
Mikinari Higano, Ph.D.
Case Presentation
Awards Session
Closing Address — WIAL Vice President
Lynda White
GALA Party
INTERNATIONAL SPEAKERS
International CFP closed April 30 — the response was strong, with consistently rich content from across the WIAL global network.
5 Workshops · 9 Case Presentations · 1 Research Presentation, from across the WIAL global network.
ONLINE SPEAKER
🇺🇸USA
20th Anniversary Video Message — Co-Founder & President, WIAL · Creator of the Marquardt Model
Dr. Michael J. Marquardt is the leading authority on Action Learning in the United States and the creator of the modern Action Learning model — the Marquardt Model. After earning his doctorate in Human Resource Development from The George Washington University, he developed groundbreaking HRD programs built on his own theoretical framework utilizing Action Learning. While teaching at the graduate school, he has provided extensive consulting to government agencies and multinational corporations. In 2002, he co-founded WIAL — the global organization for Action Learning — in Washington, D.C. He brings a special video message to the conference in celebration of WIAL's 20th anniversary.
WORKSHOP
🇵🇭PHILIPPINES
Rising with Failure: How Future-Making Teams Turn Breakdowns into Breakthroughs
Leo Castillo is Founding Partner of Fearless Consulting Inc. and Director of WIAL Philippines, with over 25 years of experience in leadership development and culture transformation across six continents. A WIAL Certified Action Learning Coach for over 13 years and Faculty at GLOBIS University in Tokyo, he specializes in psychological safety and helping teams learn from failure. He believes the teams willing to lean into failure are the ones that will shape the future.
CASE
🇵🇭PHILIPPINES
From Coordination to Future-Making Teams: How Action Learning Shaped Internal Team Capability in Complex Governance Systems
Camille Cruz brings a decade of project management experience in the development sector, informed by her background in sociology and public administration. Her work focuses on strengthening organizational and leadership capacity through training, coaching, and systems-oriented approaches. She has managed multi-stakeholder initiatives and navigated complex environments, with a focus on leadership, capacity building, and social change. Camille is particularly interested in how teams make decisions, adapt to uncertainty, and translate plans into meaningful action, bridging theory and development practice.
CASE
🇵🇭PHILIPPINES
From Coordination to Future-Making Teams: How Action Learning Shaped Internal Team Capability in Complex Governance Systems
With more than two decades at the forefront of Human Resources and Organizational Development in the Philippines, Dada brings both the depth of a seasoned practitioner and the warmth of a certified coach to every room she facilitates. She has led complex Organizational and Development engagements across government, corporate, and development settings. She is a Professional Certified Coach from the International Coaching Federation since 2020, and a Senior Action Learning Coach from WIAL, bringing a thoughtful, human-centered approach to helping teams learn, align, and take action.
WORKSHOP
🏴UK · WALES
Human Wisdom and AI in Action Learning Practice for Future-Making Teams
I am a coach, facilitator and expedition leader rooted in Wales, working at the intersection of people, place and possibility. Over two decades and six continents, I have led immersive learning journeys shaped by challenge, reflection and relationship. As Operations Director and Coach at Emerging World, I design leadership development programmes with a focus on transition, diversity, equity and sustainability.
CASE
🇺🇸USA
A Balance of Art & Science: WIAL Action Learning and the Neurodiverse Learner
Craig Senecal, SHRM-SCP, has spent thirty years in Human Resources creating engaging instructional design & teambuilding workshops for iconic organizations like Macy’s Inc., Lord & Taylor, & Burberry. In his current role as Senior Director, Employee Experience at The New York Public Library, Craig has built practical systems for collaboration, accountability & increased productivity & performance. As President of the WIAL-USA Chapter of the World Institute for Action Learning and Master Action Learning Coach (MALC), Craig partners with organizations to bring the power of action learning to organizations seeking more effective leadership development.
CASE
🇹🇼TAIWAN
Thriving in Uncertainty: From One Team Toward a Learning Organization Through Action Learning
Paulina Chu is the founder of InnoVision International and a WIAL MALC with 26 years of experience. Holding the ICF ACTC and ICA ToP Facilitator credentials, she specializes in building high-value creating learning teams and organizations. Paulina has supported award-winning practices at organizations like MSI and Thoughtworks and focuses on helping teams navigate uncertainty through her “Team Evolution Academy” curriculum.
CASE
🇹🇼TAIWAN
Thriving in Uncertainty: From One Team Toward a Learning Organization Through Action Learning
Philip Hsi is an HRD professional with more than 39 years of industry experience. His career bridges corporate leadership and consultancy. He spent 15 years as L&D Director at TSMC. Previously, he held senior leadership roles at FarEastone Telecommunications and Harvard Management Consulting in Taiwan. As a certified WIAL Action Learning Coach, he combines deep industry practice with insight to drive organizational performance through the powerful art of questioning and organizational development initiatives.
CASE
🇧🇪BELGIUM
Teams Guiding Teams in the Investor World
Passionate about organisational transformation and developing leaders, Els has extensive international experience working with world-class organisations across different industries. Els is a WIAL board member, a Senior Action Learning Coach and EMCC-accredited Business Coach and Practitioner (EIA). She is also a certified Excellence Assessor. She is core faculty at Luiss Business School and she teaches at the Collège des Ingénieurs. She serves on the Merit Awards Advisory Board. Els holds a Master’s in Counselling and Coaching for Change from INSEAD. She is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Leadership at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.
CASE
🇯🇵JAPAN
Teams Guiding Teams in the Investor World
Dr. Shosuke Kiba is Managing Partner and CEO at Universal Materials Incubator (UMI), a Tokyo-based venture capital firm investing in deep tech, materials innovation, energy, and industrial sustainability. Trained as a materials engineer, he also serves as a Visiting Professor at Tokai National Higher Education and Research System (Nagoya University) and as Program Director for Japan’s Cabinet Office SIP Phase 3. His work bridges advanced science, policy, industry and venture investment, with a particular focus on how teams learn, maintain coherence under uncertainty, and build long-term value beyond technical excellence.
WORKSHOP
🇵🇭PHILIPPINES
The Culture Instinct of Future-Making Teams and the Power of Collective Capacity
Miggy is the Chief Growth and Innovation Officer of Management Strategies - Asia, a consulting firm specializing in Culture Invigoration. Over 16 years, he has partnered with hundreds of organizations and thousands of leaders to transform leadership experience & workplace culture. He co-authored the Culture Invigoration Model©, launched We Canvas©, and is a certified Culture Invigoration Consultant and WIAL Action Learning Coach. In 2023, he was recognized as one of the country’s 40 under 40 HR Leaders.
WORKSHOP
🇸🇬SINGAPORE
When the System Stretches: What AI Readiness Reveals About How Teams Actually Learn
Alf Carlesäter has spent over twenty years in senior HR leadership roles across Goldman Sachs, GE, Meta, and Braze, covering operating model design, governance architecture, and organisational advisory in more than thirty-five countries. He is the founder of GROW HR Consulting, a Singapore-based fractional HR leadership practice working with founder-led and scaling organisations across APAC and EMEA. He holds an ICF ACC coaching credential and is the author of When Systems Stretch (2025).
WORKSHOP
🇮🇳INDIA
Making Sustainability a Force: Action Learning for 'Future-Making' in a growing Organization
Bharti Maru is a facilitator, learning designer, Founder of Flying Fox Leadership Optima, and Chair of IAF India. She works across sectors as a professional facilitator, designing leadership, capability-building, stakeholder alignment, sustainability, and regenerative change interventions. Her practice blends group process facilitation, accelerated learning, systems thinking, and reflective dialogue. She is also involved in outreach programs with communities, faculty groups, autism centres, caregivers, and support ecosystems, using facilitation to build voice, agency, and collective action.
WORKSHOP
🇹🇼TAIWAN
Learning Through Play: A Game-Based Action Learning Workshop
Shiowjiuan Cheng has promoted Action Learning across Taiwan and Chinese-speaking communities, helping leaders and teams develop reflective thinking, powerful questioning, and collaborative leadership. With more than 30 years of experience living in Japan, she brings a cross-cultural perspective to leadership development and previously taught leadership at Rikkyo University. She also translated “Optimizing the Power of Action Learning: Leading with Questions” (2010) and “Building Team Brain” (2011) into Chinese.
CASE
🇵🇱POLAND
Heads in Action: How a Combination of Action Learning and Psychological Safety Developed 20 Heads of Departments in an International Telecommunications Company
Tomasz, since 2015, has been helping major companies in Poland develop leaders and teams. Trained in Action Learning in New York and London, he has worked for great organizations including Volvo, PwC, Roche, Santander, Accenture, Avon and AstraZeneca. He has been training and certifying Action Learning Coaches and Team Psychological Safety Facilitators. He has served as a board member of the World Institute for Action Learning. He lives in central Poland with his wife and two sons.
RESEARCH
🇲🇾MALAYSIA
Inquiry-Driven Transformation: Action Learning in the Age of AI
Nyanaselvi Krishnan has spent over 18 years shaping how financial services organisations build, stretch, and retain their people. She currently leads Learning & Development at CACEIS Malaysia, and has previously held senior roles at Royal Bank of Canada, AIMIA, and HSBC. A certified executive coach and PhD researcher in Education at UNITAR International University, she created the ILEAR Model — a research-backed framework for cultivating self-aware leaders. Her work sits at the intersection of introspection, emotional intelligence, and leadership effectiveness.
CASE
🇺🇸USA
Group Learning in the Age of AI
Bill Thimmesch is a faculty member in Communications at the University of Nevada, Reno where he teaches courses in small group communication. He is retired from the federal government where he led innovations in action learning for the United States Department of Justice in Washington, D.C., and is currently a Certified Action Learning Coach and consultant.
CASE
🇫🇷FRANCE🇲🇾BASED IN MALAYSIA
Supporting Leadership Emergence in School Communities Through Action Learning
Marie Tseng is the founder of Cultural Impact, where she helps organisations build inclusive, high-performing teams through cross-cultural facilitation, psychological safety, Exchange Theatre, and Action Learning. With over 30 years of international experience across Asia, Europe, and the Americas, she helps organisations navigate diversity and strengthen collaboration. Since 2022, she has served on the Board of the World Institute for Action Learning, advancing inclusive and action-driven learning globally.
CASE
🇬🇧UK
From Problem-Solving to Transformation: Reframing Action Learning for Organizational Change
Matthew Farmer is the Founder and Managing Director of Emerging World, a global leadership and transformation consultancy. Over more than 15 years, he has applied Action Learning in organisational transformation contexts with global companies including Microsoft, Salesforce, Philips, Maersk, Johnson & Johnson, and UBS. A WIAL-certified Master Action Learning Coach, he is particularly interested in how Action Learning can serve not just as a development tool but as a core mechanism for enabling organisational transformation.
CASE
🇻🇳VIETNAM
When Recruitment Becomes Action Learning: From Assessing Talent to Co-Creating with Talent at AEON Vietnam
Do Nguyen Ngoc Thu is Manager of Talent Acquisition & Manpower Planning at AEON Vietnam, where she drives the strategic integration of talent management and leadership succession pipelines. With a comprehensive background spanning HRBP, Talent Acquisition, and Organizational Development, she specializes in designing collaborative, human-centric solutions for complex retail operations. An MBA graduate from Columbia Southern University, she is a Certified Action Learning Coach (CALC), ICF Level 2 Certified Chief Master Coach, and Career Development Coach. A strong advocate for transformative dialogue and team empowerment, she actively embeds Action Learning into talent assessment and managerial development to build future-ready, agile teams.
KEYNOTE
🇵🇭PHILIPPINES
The Future Belongs to Teams That Learn
Dr. Mark Relova is a Professional Action Learning Coach (PALC) and the first Filipino Executive Director of the World Institute for Action Learning (WIAL), where he champions leadership and team development through the global advancement of Action Learning. With 25 years of experience in Learning, Talent, and Organization Development across diverse industries worldwide, he is a certified practitioner of Team Psychological Safety. He holds a Ph.D. in Organization Development and postgraduate certificates in Strategic Organization and Talent Transformation from the University of the Philippines, the National University of Singapore, and Pennsylvania State University.
WIAL BOARD
🇨🇦CANADA
President, McLeod White & Associates · WIAL Board Member
Lynda White is President of McLeod White and Associates, providing organization development consulting in change, systems thinking, facilitation, equity, diversity and inclusion, leadership, and strategic planning across North America and globally. Previously, she was a Senior Human Resources Professional and team leader of global Diversity and Employment Equity at RBC Financial, where her team led award-winning organizational change initiatives. She has served on Canadian Government task forces and advisory committees, and presented at UN Conferences on Women and the UN Alliance of Civilizations. Her non-profit board service includes the World Institute for Action Learning and the Centre for Global Inclusion, and she is a Past President of the Diversity Collegium.
PRESIDENT
🇸🇬SINGAPORE
President, World Institute for Action Learning (WIAL)
Isa Jamaluddin is President of the World Institute for Action Learning (WIAL). Based in Singapore, he was introduced to Action Learning in 2009 and became a Senior Action Learning Coach (SALC) in 2014. Since then he has helped establish and support WIAL affiliates in Cambodia, Indonesia, and Myanmar, and served as a Director with WIAL Malaysia, delivering Action Learning training across Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Cambodia, China, Vietnam, Malaysia, and the Philippines. He is the founder and Managing Director of Compas Management Consulting, an Approved Training Organisation operating in Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia. A certified coach, facilitator, and consultant, he holds an MBA from the University of Western Australia. Before founding Compas in 2005, he served as a commissioned officer in the Singapore Armed Forces for 22 years.
VIDEO SESSION
🇺🇸USA
Co-Founder and Board Member Emeritus, WIAL · Co-Principal and Managing Director, Learning Thru Action, LLC
Dr. Leonard is Co-Principal and Managing Director of Learning Thru Action, LLC, a consulting firm that provides action-based solutions for developing organizations and people. He is a co-founder and Board Member Emeritus of the World Institute for Action Learning (WIAL). He has consulted with numerous Fortune 500 and Global 1000 companies such as Pfizer, Microsoft, Target, Wells Fargo, American Express, AstraZeneca, Boeing, and Dell, as well as NGOs including the IMF and the World Bank, and US government organizations such as NIH and the US Army. He has served on the faculty of the Carey Business School at Johns Hopkins University, George Washington University, and American University. A leader in his profession, he is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association, Past-President of the Society of Consulting Psychology, and founding editor of the peer-reviewed Consulting Psychology Journal.
VIDEO SESSION
🇺🇸USA
Principal Consultant, MDA Leadership · WIAL AI Workgroup
Cori Hill is a Principal Consultant with MDA Leadership with more than 30 years of experience in leadership development, executive coaching, talent strategy, and organizational transformation. She advises executive teams and coaches leaders from frontline managers to C-suite executives across healthcare, technology, manufacturing, financial services, government, retail, and media. She holds a Master of Arts in Human Resource Development from the University of Minnesota, and her professional certifications include SPHR, Coaching, Hogan Assessments, AI Case-Based Learning, and Design Thinking. An author and speaker, her work has been featured in Forbes and Harvard Business Review. Her focus is developing leaders who can successfully lead change, build organizational capability, and improve business performance.
Anchoring 20 years of Action Learning in Japan — practitioners and researchers from across the country.
RESEARCH
🇯🇵JAPAN
Twenty Years of Action Learning in Japan: Who Comes, What Changes, and What It Means for Future-Making Teams
Fumiyo Seimiya is the Representative of the Japan Institute of Action Learning (WIAL Japan), where she has led the development and dissemination of Action Learning in Japan for two decades. Marking the twentieth anniversary of organized Action Learning practice in Japan, she presents an empirical study drawing on one of the country's largest longitudinal practitioner datasets — a survey of roughly 500 people who have passed through the Association's programs over twenty years — exploring who chooses Action Learning, how it is experienced within Japanese organizational culture, and what participants report changing in themselves afterward.
RESEARCH
🇯🇵JAPAN
Twenty Years of Action Learning in Japan: Who Comes, What Changes, and What It Means for Future-Making Teams
Sumiko Watanabe is a faculty member at Tokyo Keizai University and a WIAL-certified Senior Action Learning Coach. Over more than two decades in human resource and organizational development — including at the Fuji Xerox Learning Institute and Persol Research Institute — she has designed over 100 management and leadership programs. She holds master's degrees from the University of Tsukuba and Digital Hollywood University Graduate School and is currently a doctoral candidate at the Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology. At Tokyo Keizai University she has pioneered the integration of Action Learning and AI in project-based learning, work recognized with the 2024 WIAL Action Learning Innovation Award. Her current research explores how combining AI coaching with Action Learning can foster the emergence of micro-agency and shared leadership in teams. (Co-presenting with Fumiyo Seimiya.)
RESEARCH
🇯🇵JAPAN
Why DX Won't Stick: A Four-Quadrant Lock-In Perspective on Corporate Transformation
Tadahiro Aochi is a consultant and coach working at the intersection of digital transformation, corporate transformation, and people and organizational development. At LTS, Inc., he supports a wide range of organizations across manufacturing, services, and infrastructure industries in developing transformation talent, designing organizational structures and HR systems, advancing human capital management, and creating initiatives for well-being enhancement and cultural transformation, from concept to implementation.
After earning a Ph.D. in Safety Engineering from the Graduate School of Engineering, Yokohama National University, he began his career at a national research institute before joining a consulting firm. For approximately 25 years, he worked in fields that support business continuity and organizational reliability, including risk management, business continuity planning and management, supply chain risk management, and quality and service management. In recent years, building on this experience, he has expanded his work into organizational and people development, health and productivity management, and program design for digital and organizational transformation.
He is a National Career Consultant, an ICF Associate Certified Coach (ACC), a WIAL Japan Certified Senior Action Learning Coach, and TOGAF® 9 Certified. Integrating adult development theory, integral theory, coaching, and action learning, he specializes in supporting transformation by moving between business structures and human growth, connecting individual development with organizational culture change.
RESEARCH
🇯🇵JAPAN
Why DX Won't Stick: A Four-Quadrant Lock-In Perspective on Corporate Transformation
Yuta Hashimoto is a consultant, coach, and facilitator at LTS, Inc., working at the intersection of business transformation and human development. An economist by training (M.A., Keio University), he began his career at Recruit in 2018 in new business and organizational development. He holds coaching credentials from both U.S.-rooted (ICF ACC, Co-Active) and European (ICC) traditions and is a WIAL Japan Certified Action Learning Coach. His practice integrates systems thinking, the learning organization, Theory U, adult development theory, NVC, Integral Theory, and design thinking. (Co-presenting with Tadahiro Aochi.)
RESEARCH
🇯🇵JAPAN
Why DX Won't Stick: A Four-Quadrant Lock-In Perspective on Corporate Transformation
Naru Kurosu is a consultant and coach at LTS, Inc., working at the intersection of digital transformation, corporate transformation, and people and organizational development. She supports organizations in the wholesale and service industries in developing transformation talent and advancing organizational change. After completing her studies in International Development at Saitama University, she joined LTS, Inc., as a new graduate and has since worked on company-wide well-being and talent development initiatives, as well as organizational design and development to advance digital transformation in the marketing domain. A WIAL Japan Certified Action Learning Coach, she also holds the CAPM (Certified Associate in Project Management) and ECBA (Entry Certificate in Business Analysis) credentials, and specializes in supporting individual transformation while fostering organizational growth.
CASE
🇯🇵JAPAN
Applying Action Learning to the Development of Onboarding Mentors
Milai Kinoshita is Manager of the Global Human Resource Development (GHRD) Division at WiLLSeed Inc., where she leads the development of learning solutions for global talent development, and a WIAL Japan Certified Senior Action Learning Coach. Since joining WiLLSeed in 2010, she has been engaged in the planning, design, and development of corporate learning programs for learners ranging from new employees to emerging leaders. In recent years her interests have focused on workplace learning, experiential learning, and Action Learning, which she explores through both practice and research.
CASE
🇯🇵JAPAN
Action Learning Soccer: Questions, Metacognition, and Performance in a Professional Football Club
Minoru Takehara is General Manager of Y.S.C.C. Yokohama (Yokohama Sports & Culture Club), a multi-sport club founded in 1986 whose football team competes in the Japan Football League. As GM he has led the club's adoption of "Action Learning Soccer" and its partnership with Hosei University, positioning inquiry-based learning within player development and club culture in the club's fortieth-anniversary year. (Co-presenting with Rihyei Kang and Eisuke Ochi.)
CASE
🇯🇵JAPAN
Action Learning Soccer: Questions, Metacognition, and Performance in a Professional Football Club
Rihyei Kang is a Professor in the Department of Systems Design, Faculty of Engineering and Design, Hosei University, and founding Director of the university's Entrepreneurship Education Research Institute. Her research centers on entrepreneurship, the traits and development of entrepreneurs, and entrepreneurship education across all ages. In this collaboration she designs and leads the Action Learning sessions with the club. (Co-presenting with Minoru Takehara and Eisuke Ochi.)
CASE
🇯🇵JAPAN
Action Learning Soccer: Questions, Metacognition, and Performance in a Professional Football Club
Eisuke Ochi is a Professor in the Faculty of Bioscience and Applied Chemistry and the Graduate School of Sport and Health Studies, and a member of the Sports Research Center, Hosei University. Specializing in exercise and muscle physiology, sports nutrition, and exercise oncology, he studies how training reshapes the body across athletes, youth, cancer survivors, and older adults. In this collaboration he leads the sports-science measurement of players. (Co-presenting with Minoru Takehara and Rihyei Kang.)
CASE
🇯🇵JAPAN
Everyone Jumps, Everyone Leads: What Paratroopers Teach Us About Leadership Without Authority
Mikinari Higano is a pioneer of college leadership education in Japan. In 2006 he launched the Business Leadership Program (BLP) at Rikkyo University — the first credit-bearing undergraduate leadership program in Japan — and later founded the Leadership Development Program (LDP) at Waseda University, where he served as Professor until 2025 and remains an Invited Research Fellow. The model of "leadership without authority" he has championed for two decades has since spread to more than thirty universities across Japan. He is the founding representative of the Japan Leadership Development Network (JLDN) and serves on the Board of Directors of the International Leadership Association (ILA). A two-time WIAL award recipient, he holds a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Tokyo, and now devotes himself to developing leadership in everyone — students, professionals, and occasionally dinner guests.
CASE
🇯🇵JAPAN
The Evolution and Development of Action Learning Communities Among Japanese University Students
Risako Kijima is Community Manager at the Japan Institute of Action Learning (WIAL Japan), where she leads +ALab, Japan's student-led Action Learning community. She encountered Action Learning through a university course and earned the Certified Student ALC qualification in her first year, going on to establish an Action Learning team on campus. After a spell at a management consulting firm she joined 9CROSS Inc. as marketing lead for job-seeker acquisition, reaching four times her numerical target within a year. In winter 2024, a reunion with WIAL Japan Representative Fumiyo Seimiya led to her appointment as head of the official student community, where she now expands +ALab around the vision of "a society where students can hold diverse values and live true to themselves." (Co-presenting with Iwasaki and Yuri Krüger.)
CASE
🇯🇵JAPAN
The Evolution and Development of Action Learning Communities Among Japanese University Students
Iwasaki is a third-year student at the University of Tsukuba and the student representative of +ALab, the student Action Learning community. Majoring in philosophy and religious studies, he is particularly interested in dialogue and mutual understanding among people. Alongside facilitating philosophical dialogues, he works to create spaces where students can learn, question, and grow together through Action Learning. (Co-presenting with Risako Kijima and Yuri Krüger.)
CASE
🇯🇵JAPAN
The Evolution and Development of Action Learning Communities Among Japanese University Students
Yuri Krüger graduated from the School of Culture, Media and Society at Waseda University and, after working at an HR consulting firm, now plans and manages leadership-development programs for universities and corporations at Innovst, Inc., focusing on university–industry collaborative program design. At Waseda he studied Action Learning through the university's Leadership Development Program and went on to earn his Coach certification from WIAL Japan. He was drawn to two things that make Action Learning distinctive: building skills in reframing problems, and the way even short-term relationships can generate genuine self-insight through reciprocal feedback. In his current role he applies the method across projects and university courses to foster dialogue and reflection. (Co-presenting with Risako Kijima and Iwasaki.)
DIALOGUE
🇯🇵JAPAN
Dialogue: What Kind of Metamorphosis Do “Questions” and “Teams” Require in the Age of Generative AI? — Thinking about “Changing” in an Era When Everything Changes
Ryo Nakadoi is CEO of Authentic Works, Inc. and a board member of the international NPO Reals. Centering his work on leadership development and organizational development, he supports the integration of inner transformation and outer change. A leading force in bringing Theory U and adult development theory to Japan, he has translated, supervised the translation of, and authored numerous works, including C. Otto Scharmer's Theory U and books by Robert Kegan. He has engaged with organizational challenges at more than 100 companies through field-led process consultation, provided executive coaching to leaders at over 20 companies, supported the leadership growth of more than 4,000 individuals, and developed over 50 programs for shifting mindset and behavior. (Co-presenting with Fumiyo Kiyomiya.)
DIALOGUE
🇯🇵JAPAN
Dialogue: Why Do Astronauts Spend a Full Hour Reflecting on a Single Hour of Training? — Reflection at the Frontier of Building Teams That Create the Future
After earning her MBA from Harvard Business School, Mika Kumahira worked on launching new businesses under Den Fujita, founder of McDonald’s Japan. She later went independent and began her consulting career in collaboration with the developer of General Electric’s leadership development programme for building a “learning organization.” In 2014 she was appointed Dean of the Showa Women’s University Career College, and in 2015 she founded the 21st Century Learning Institute, working with companies to cultivate Japan’s capacity to learn. She proposed the inclusion of reflection in the Fundamental Competencies for Working Persons, revised by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry in 2018. She currently serves as Specially Appointed Professor at the Graduate School of International Management, Aoyama Gakuin University, and as a member of the Harvard Business School Global Advisory Board. (Co-presenting with Tatsuo Kitagawa.)
DIALOGUE
🇯🇵JAPAN
Dialogue: Why Do Astronauts Spend a Full Hour Reflecting on a Single Hour of Training? — Reflection at the Frontier of Building Teams That Create the Future
Tatsuo Kitagawa is a former Japanese diplomat and researcher, and Visiting Professor in the Faculty of Symbiotic Science at Seisa University. From 1991 to 1998 he served at the Embassy of Japan in Finland, concurrently covering the Embassy of Japan in Estonia. He studied historical linguistics and developmental education at the University of Helsinki and conducts research into Finnish educational methods. Since leaving the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he has co-translated and edited Finnish primary school language arts and reading comprehension textbooks, working to promote an approach to education centred on dialogue and reading comprehension. He has held positions including National Expert Committee Member for the PISA 2009 Reading Literacy Assessment, and is currently engaged in non-cognitive skills training for astronaut candidates. (Co-presenting with Mika Kumahira.)
CASE
🇯🇵JAPAN
A Behavioral Transformation Program Built on Action Learning Elements: Demonstrating Reflection Supported by Generative AI and Human Coaches
Professional Learning Advisor, Reskilling Unit, NEC Life Career, Ltd.. After joining NEC, she was involved in planning and running training programs for executive candidates at the former NEC Learning, Ltd., and subsequently engaged in the planning, development, and delivery of human-skills training as well as workshop facilitation. Since 2023, she has been part of the team developing "LA habit," a behavioral change program at NEC Life Career, Ltd., where she serves as a Learning Advisor, supporting participants' behavioral change through one-on-one sessions and group coaching.
JAPANESE SPEAKERS
Anchoring 20 years of Action Learning in Japan. Domestic CFP and curated invitations are in progress; the slate below is illustrative of the topics already in motion.
SPORT · CASE
Action Learning inside a professional football club — reflection as a competitive edge.
STUDENT COMMUNITY · CASE
Japan's student-led Action Learning community under WIAL Japan — monthly sessions and a Kitchen Car Series across six university campuses.
ACADEMIC · RESEARCH
Research presentation on the measured effects of AL when embedded in higher education curricula.
20-YEAR REVIEW · RESEARCH
Longitudinal survey of Japan's certified Action Learning Coaches — what 20 years of practice reveals.
View Profile →
MORE TO COME
Further sessions are being curated with Sumiko's program team. Final Japanese slate to be confirmed by mid-summer.
Venue
Shibuya Scramble Square 15F, Tokyo
Shibuya QWS
Shibuya Scramble Square 15F, 2-24-12 Shibuya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
QWS (Questions Will Start) is one of Tokyo's premier innovation spaces, located at the heart of Shibuya Scramble Square. Designed for cross-boundary collaboration and co-creation, this venue offers a panoramic view of Tokyo — a perfect stage for our conference theme: teams that create the future.
Registration
Register early for special pricing.
$640
Online Only
$100
Live streaming access
Study Tour · Thu, Oct 22
One unhurried day across Tokyo the day before the conference — a behind-the-scenes look at Action Learning at work inside a real company, a Japanese lunch, the Edo-Tokyo Museum, Tokyo Skytree, Sensō-ji at golden hour, and a welcome reception on the Sumida River. Private coach all day. Open to attendees and their companions.
$100
per person
Speaker discount available. Co-presenters of accepted sessions receive the Early Bird rate regardless of registration date. One complimentary registration per accepted session. Travel and accommodation costs are the responsibility of the participant; the Japan Team will assist with accommodation arrangements.
FAQ
What are the dates and times of the conference?
The conference takes place on Friday, October 23 and Saturday, October 24, 2026, from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM JST (Japan Standard Time). Please note that the schedule is tentative and may be updated.
Where is the venue?
Shibuya QWS, located on the 15th floor of Shibuya Scramble Square, Tokyo. The venue is directly connected to Shibuya Station, one of Tokyo's major transportation hubs. Shibuya is known as "Bit Valley" and is an area where many famous IT companies and venture companies are located. Many foreign companies, including Google, also have their Japanese headquarters in Shibuya.
What is the conference theme?
"The Rise of Future-Making Teams — Through Action Learning: Redefine How We Learn, Collaborate, and Work in the AI Era."
Who is organizing the event?
The conference is co-organized by the World Institute for Action Learning (WIAL) and WIAL Japan.
How can I contact the organizers?
For inquiries, please email conference2026@ldcjp.com.
What language will the conference be conducted in?
(To be confirmed — please contact the organizers for details on session languages and interpretation services.)
How do I register, and what is the participation fee?
Register here: https://lnkd.in/gScsBVqU
Price is Early Bird $540, Standard $620, Early Bird + Study Tour $640, Online Only $100.
Do I need a visa to enter Japan?
It depends on your nationality. Many countries have visa-exemption agreements with Japan for short stays. Please check with your nearest Japanese embassy or consulate, or visit the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan website well in advance.
What is the best airport to fly into?
Haneda Airport (HND) is closer to central Tokyo (approximately 30 minutes to Shibuya).
Is travel insurance recommended?
Yes. Japan has excellent medical facilities, but treatment costs for foreign visitors can be high. We strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance that covers medical expenses.
How do I get to Shibuya QWS from the airport?
From Haneda, take the Keikyu Line or Tokyo Monorail and transfer to a line bound for Shibuya (about 30–45 minutes total). From Narita, take the Narita Express (N'EX) to Shibuya Station (approximately 90 minutes). Shibuya Scramble Square is directly connected to Shibuya Station.
Do I need to buy a special transit card?
We recommend getting a Suica or PASMO IC card (available at airport stations and convenience stores), which works on virtually all trains, subways, and buses in Tokyo. You can also use contactless payment via Apple Pay or Google Pay with a mobile Suica.
Is the venue easy to find?
Yes. Shibuya Scramble Square is a landmark building directly above Shibuya Station. Look for the building entrance and take the elevator to the 15th floor (QWS). Signage will be available on the day of the event.
Are there recommended hotels near the venue?
There are many hotels within walking distance of Shibuya Station across various price ranges. Nearby areas such as Ebisu, Daikanyama, and Omotesando are also convenient. We recommend booking early, as October is a popular travel season in Tokyo. We have summarized the hotels near the venue here.
How far in advance should I book my hotel?
We suggest booking at least 2–3 months ahead, especially for hotels near Shibuya.
What currency is used in Japan?
Japanese Yen (JPY). Credit cards are widely accepted in Tokyo, but it is a good idea to carry some cash, as smaller shops and restaurants may be cash-only.
Is there Wi-Fi available at the venue and around Tokyo?
Shibuya QWS has Wi-Fi access. For general connectivity around Tokyo, consider renting a portable Wi-Fi device or purchasing a prepaid SIM card at the airport.
Do I need to speak Japanese?
While English signage is common in central Tokyo, Japanese is the primary language. Translation apps are very helpful. Train stations and major landmarks typically have English signs.
What is the weather like in Tokyo in late October?
Late October is autumn in Tokyo, with comfortable temperatures around 15–20°C (59–68°F). Light layers and a jacket are recommended. Rain is possible, so bringing an umbrella is a good idea.
Are there any cultural etiquette tips I should know?
A few helpful customs: remove your shoes when entering certain traditional spaces, avoid talking on the phone on trains, and tipping is not practiced in Japan. A small bow is a common and appreciated greeting.
Sponsors
This conference is made possible by the support of the following companies and organizations.
Register
Register now to receive priority access to Early Bird pricing, speaker announcements, and program updates before anyone else.
Inquiries: conference2026@ldcjp.com