By Kristen Kubisiak, American Farriers Journal Managing Editor
From the September 2019 Lessiter Link newsletter
The 2019 Global Leadership Summit attendees have a favorite expression to describe the experience: "It was like drinking from a fire hose."
According to Sussex firefight Zach Pratt, a standard fire hose produces about 150 gallons of water per minute at a rate of 170 psi. With 15 speakers and 7 sessions over 2 days — the sheer volume of information and the speed at which it was transmitted did at times feel like a figurative fire hose.
The event, which took place Aug. 8-9 and was telecast at Elmbrook Lake County Church in Hartland, Wis. included an impressive roster of speakers and musicians. Presenters had diverse backgrounds and experiences, but common themes emerged across the sessions — and resonated with LM staff.
LM encourages participation in events like this for ongoing professional development. In fact, registration fees were covered by the company, and the opportunity was extended to the entire staff.
Below are our "baker's dozen" of takeaways (and the presentations that served as inspiration).
- "We need to recognize the difference between the pursuit of perfection and the pursuit of excellence." — Kevin Reitz ("Bend the Curve" by Craig Groeschel)
- "To make transformational change you need to track the negativity back from the fruit, through the branch, down the trunk and into the roots to identify the ultimate cause of the problem." — Julia Gerlach ("Leading Transformational Change" by Danielle Strickland)
- "If we're not clear with our expectations, we're going to be disappointed when others don't live up to them — but did we even give them a fair chance to meet our expectations?" — Kim Schmidt ("When Vision Overcomes" by Aja Brown)
- "Admit I am different and I am OK with it. Hang with those who encourage your difference." — Ronda Iten ("Your Difference is Your Destiny" by Devon Franklin)
- "Each of us needs to prioritize what is most important in our lives and it's a never-ending search for balance." — Jack Zemlicka ("Herding Tigers" by Todd Henry)
- "Different generations have different points of view on how things should get done and expectations, as well as ways of communicating." — Christopher Nielson ("Generational Clues Uncovered" by Jason Dorsey)
- "As a leader you need to build trust and earn the right to be followed." — Jeff Lazewski ("Herding Tigers" by Todd Henry)
- "Rejection is an opinion." — Luke Weigel ("Rejection Proof" by Jia Jiang)
- "Passion can be developed over time. It can come from experience, experimentation time and an openness to learn." — Tory Terrill ("Beginner's Pluck" by Liz Bohannon)
- "Eliminate the options of turning back. Commit to your plan and see it through. Work with a sense of urgency and cooperation." — Patrick Sharpe ("Bend the Curve" by Craig Groeschel)
- "Stories stick, facts fade ... When you use a story, you connect the heart of emotions to the strength of logic igniting a powerful action." — Dave Kanicki ("Heart Over Head" by Craig Groeschel)
- "Loosen the grip. It's not about doing the work, it's about leading the work, and emerging from leading by control to leading through influence." — Mike Lessiter ("Herding Tigers" by Todd Henry)
- "Embrace limitations. If you had everything you want you might not see what you need." — Kristen Kubisiak ("Bend the Curve" by Craig Groeschel)
Read more about what the LM team learned here: "7 Leadership Summit Takeaways"
