Be The Fruit

Leadership Summit Day 1

by Bill Blair on 10/08/07 at 7:36 pm

This is my first Leadership Summit.  Day 1 featured a great group of speakers. 

Session 1 featured Bill Hybels who gave a talk titled Vision to Die For.  His main point was that there must be widespread ownership of any vision for it to succeed.  He contrasted the Sinai Approach  with the Team Approach.  The Sinai approach is where a leader goes away and returns with the vision from Godmuch like Moses did in the Bible when he received the Law from God.  The team approach is just like it sounds.  He emphasized that you must include everyone in the development stage to create widespread ownership.

Key Thoughts

• Not everyone has to have their way, but everyone wants their way considered.

• Enter into a process with your people when developing vision.

• Vision leaks – The people you try to inspire will forget the vision so you have to keep filling the cup.

• Celebrate Progress.

• Followers will own the vision only to the extent at which they believe you own it.

I left session 1 with one question in my head.  How do I create ownership in a vision that I am developing when I am not currently in a position of leadership to implement it?

Session 2 featured an interview of Carly Fiorina by Bill Hybells.  This interview talked about her book Tough Choices.  Bill informed the audience that her book is one of his favorite leadership books.  I bought one for my wife.  They talked about how she had to overcome fears, change direction, and once went to a strip club to try to close a deal with a client.

Session 3 featured Floyd H. Flake who is a pastor, college president, and former congressman.  He focused on impacting the community you live in.

Session 4 featured author Marcus Buckingham.  His focus and passion is to get people to focus on their strengths and not their weaknesses.  He believes that too many people focus on trying to improve their weaknesses instead of their strengths.  He believes that people will only grow where they are strong.  

A good illustration of his ideas can be seen by thinking about a football team.  Offensive lineman are big and strong so the defense can’t run them over and get to the quarterback.  So, should they work on speed drills or strength drills to make the team better?  Obviously they won’t ever be fast receivers so focus on what will help the team which is to focus on what they are already good at.  Very simple concept, but it seems like most of us get this wrong.  You can find more about Marcus here.

You can learn more about the Summit by clicking here.