Discussions typically center on issues such as risk-taking and leadership, making ethical judgments, and balancing the sometimes conflicting claims of conscience and duty. Seminars can be designed to focus on a range of specific concerns such as decision-making, cultural diversity, gender equity, or effective team building. WCH facilitators work closely with host organizations to tailor each session to the priorities of the participating professionals. Format A typical Humanities at Work program serves 18-24 participants. The program may also be condensed to a two-hour format to accommodate conferences or annual meetings.
Participants discuss three shorter works of literature, two in the morning and one in the afternoon.
The participants are the most important discussants. Texts are sent out in advance, and the seminar format is conducive to full participation by all. A shared lunch provides further opportunity for participants to reflect upon and talk abut their professional lives. Faculty Humanities at Work faculty include distinguished college and university teachers, as well as experienced practitioners in such areas as law and business. Because the program emphasizes discussion of moral and ethical issues, rather than teaching literary criticism, facilitators come from a variety of humanities disciplines and have many years' experience in facilitating discussion programs for adults.