ICSB’s human-centered approach to learning and leadership for a new era
Entrepreneurship education is standing at a crossroads. Around the world, educators, students, and employers are asking the same question: Are we truly preparing the next generation to lead in an unpredictable world?
A powerful new answer has arrived in the form of Extreme Pedagogy — a concept introduced by Dave Silberman, Herman Aguinis (The George Washington University), and Rob Carpenter in their groundbreaking article published in Entrepreneurship Education and Pedagogy (2023).
Their message is clear: traditional entrepreneurship education has become fragmented. Universities teach, instructors grade, students perform, and employers hire — but rarely do they work together as a single team. This disconnection leaves graduates with degrees, but often without the entrepreneurial skills to thrive and create value in today’s fast-moving economy.
Extreme Pedagogy offers a bold solution. Drawing from the principle of “extreme ownership” used in elite military teams, it calls for shared responsibility and collective intention among all stakeholders. Everyone — universities, instructors, students, and employers — must take ownership of the same mission: to produce graduates who can build, innovate, and lead with purpose.
From Teaching to Co-Creation
Extreme Pedagogy shifts education from a classroom model to a collaborative ecosystem.
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Universities set the vision and enable cooperation.
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Instructors guide learning that builds fundamental skills, not just grades.
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Students own their growth and become active participants in their learning.
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Employers help shape curricula and articulate the capabilities they genuinely need.
This approach is not about adding complexity — it’s about simplifying education around human connection, accountability, and shared value creation.
ICSB’s Vision: Human-Centered Innovation
At the International Council for Small Business (ICSB), we see Extreme Pedagogy as a natural extension of our long-standing commitment to Human-Centered Entrepreneurship (HCE) — built on the 3Es: Empathy, Empowerment, and Enablement.
It gives structure and strategy to what ICSB has been championing for years: putting people first. Where Human-Centered Entrepreneurship focuses on how entrepreneurs lead, Extreme Pedagogy focuses on how we teach those leaders to emerge.
Our ICSB Signature Events in Sydney, Seoul, and Paris proved this approach in action. Participants consistently voiced what they value most: intimate discussions, the right people at the table, genuine alliances, and simple formats rich in human connection. These events are living examples of Extreme Pedagogy in motion — short, powerful, and deeply human.
A New Chapter: From Ownership to Opportunity
As digital learning platforms and alternative credentials challenge traditional universities, the world needs a model that keeps education relevant, relational, and real. Extreme Pedagogy provides that model, merging theory with humanity, and innovation with accountability.
For ICSB, it strengthens everything we do, from the ICSB Academy and Global Awards to our commitment to supporting MSMEs through research, policy, and practice.
And now, as we look toward 2026, this foundation leads us to the next significant evolution in ICSB’s mission —
🌍 Entrepreneurship for All — a movement to ensure that the opportunity to create, innovate, and lead is open to everyone, everywhere.
Because the future of entrepreneurship belongs to all of us.
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