The four seasons in nature are mirrored by social and economic seasons in our society. Identifying those regular cycles and their generational causes helps business leaders understand and resolve conflicts that occur in the workplace. That's the message from Wednesday's keynote speaker, James T. Harris, who also led the Career Skills Super Session.

"The information I give and the areas we explore help people recognize the cultural forces affecting their business," says Harris. "That helps people get a lay of the land—to identify where we are in the seasonal and generational cycles so they can prepare for what's coming next."

Culture Clash