Thank you for your kind interest and support during the challenging 2011 year.  Fortunately, it ends with a high note, as my European lecture tour in November was a resounding success.  I had the chance to talk and conduct workshops at The British Embassy in Spain, ALSTOM Power, the Swiss Military Leadership Academy at Zurich University, the Olivetti Institute and the prestigious Nobels Colloquia in Venice, alongside Nobel Laureates Christopher Pissarides, Dale Mortensen and Eric Maskin, as well as Dr. Edward de Bono and Michael Spendolini.  Other participants included world-renowned Economics' professors from some of the world's best universities and institutes. My talk was on "Peak Performance and Leadership" and took place at the Procuratoria di San Marco auditorium.

The Nobels Colloquia's general conclusions can be summarized as follows:

1) The European Union should not abandon the Euro currency (any alternative is much worse than sustaining it).  The United States is likely to keep a weak dollar, so competitiveness becomes imperative.  The EU is also selling significant amounts of technology to China, so its cohesion is essential at a strategic level to compete with the U.S. in critical areas.

2) The European Union might have to be restructured into First and Second tier countries, according to their GDP, debt and commitments to fix their internal situations.  It might also require oversight from a central EU organism to better coordinate laws.

3) Instead of "fixing" the Western World's economic system, a new design might be required.  Tackling political corruption and excessive monetary influence on legislators is almost impossible when corporate campaign contributions are considered "free speech."

4) Government intervention might be useful to create temporary jobs and fill-in jobs within the existing laws that allow the unemployed masses to survive, remain engaged in the labor force and educate themselves to tackle new opportunities.  Governments could also stimulate creative solutions to the housing market situation, persuading banks to rent foreclosed homes, for example.  Italy and Spain are pivotal to lead the recovery in these two aspects.

5) The experts were cautiously optimistic about the future of the U.S. economy, emphasizing the need for financial regulation and the application of laws to prevent the reoccurrence of the 2008 financial crisis, two key factors that are currently blocked by partisan battles in Congress and that ignited public cynicism and despair, vented through the "Occupy" movements.  Inaction or further deadlocks in these matters could result in violence and deteriorate the U.S. economic outlook before and after the 2012 elections.

I look forward to sharing with you more peak experiences during 2012, such as the upcoming ones below, in which I hope you can participate or invite others to do so. 

Always, Carlos Salum [Contact me]

SPECIAL PROGRAM - WACC Speaker Series

Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Alan Krueger - Chairman, Council of Economic Advisers

Finding Economic Certainty in an Uncertain World
President Obama's Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers, Alan B. Krueger, will deliver his first speech as Chairman at the World Affairs Council of Charlotte, in Charlotte, NC. During Dr. Krueger's remarks, he will discuss economic certainty (and uncertainties) as it relates to the US economy.

Thank you for your kind interest and support. Please contact me with your ideas and questions.

Carlos Salum - Founder, Salum International Resources and SIR Conferences

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