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Growing Your Leadership Over the past few weeks we have looked more closely at the issue of change, both how to embrace change in your business and personal life. Stepping outside of your comfort zone is exactly what we all need to do. On the subject of embracing change, on a scale of 1 being awful to 10 being awesome, how you rate the current state of your leadership skills? Interestingly enough, I spend time every day with leaders of businesses that are never quite satisfied with the current state of their leadership abilities. In fact, based upon my research over the last ten years, on average business leaders in the Okanagan rate their own leadership skills between a 6 and an 8 out of 10. Not one CEO/business owner/leader that I have ever met thinks that they have reached the summit of their leadership experience. While they may put on a brave face to the public and appear to an invincible leader with everything together, the truth may be very different. Deep down they have doubts about their own leadership abilities. They long to reach the "leadership summit" but most great business leaders clearly understand that leadership is a multi-faceted growing process that is not only a life long journey but is one that should permeate every aspect of our lives. So, what if your business is already successful? Doesn’t that make you a good leader? Perhaps, but being a successful business owner doesn’t necessarily make you a great leader. I have met many successful business owners in the Okanagan that are not leading their businesses very well. They have become complacent and their customer, suppliers and employees know it. I have also met great business and community leaders that long to be a better leader as a father or mother. Success in one aspect of leadership doesn’t necessarily translate to other areas of your life. They may require very different skill sets. For example, perhaps your business demands bold leadership to make decisions that involve enormous personal and financial risks, while leadership at home requires that you listen more effectively and stop acting like you have everyone else's life figured out. Different circumstances can require very different leadership skills. I am going to ask you to step outside of your comfort zone and take action to grow your leadership skills. On that note, I encourage you to attend the Leadership Summit hosted by Willow Park Church in Kelowna in conjunction with The Leadership Centre Willow Creek Canada, which is also located in Kelowna (www.growingleadership.com). This excellent, three day leadership conference is being broadcast live via satellite in over 100 cities, including 14 Canadian sites, involving 50,000 leaders from August 11 to 13, 2005. You might ask why would I encourage you to attend what appears to be a faith-based Christian leadership event? Having attended last year, I think that any leader, regardless of your religious affiliation, can benefit from having their leadership skills stretched, challenged and developed. Last year’s leadership conference was on par with some of the best leadership training that I have ever had, including weeks of leadership training from one of the largest consulting firms in the world. The conference was directly relevant to the business owner and will provide you with fresh perspectives and new ideas. This year's conference is jam packed with a high dose of leadership adrenaline. Imagine three days with some of the world’s authorities on leadership, including Ken Blanchard (co-author of The One Minute Manager), John Maxwell (The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership), Rick Warren (The Purpose Driven Life), Colleen Barrett, President of Southwest Airlines who was named one of America’s Top 50 Leaders by Fast Company Magazine and Curtis Sliwa, founder and president of a 5,000 member volunteer organization called The Guardian Angels, just to name a few. The conference will cost you around $250, which is an extraordinary price for this top notch training. There are three easy ways to register for the conference:
In the past month I had the privilege of meeting with John Baergen, Executive Director and CEO of the Leadership Centre Willow Creek Canada. John's leadership was instrumental in bringing this conference to Kelowna. I asked him why he would encourage business leaders to attend the Leadership Summit, "We have endeavoured to bring to Kelowna a world class leadership conference. From my perspective, from the business leader to the church leader, no one will leave this conference the same. It will challenge each of us, in our businesses and in our personal lives, to be the effective leader that God has called each one of us to be." As Ken Blanchard so adapted summarized, "the leadership ball is clearly in your court. You alone are accountable to grow your leadership skills. I can't imagine a better place for you to hone your leadership skills in a God-honouring way than at Willow Creek's Leadership Summit." So step outside of your conference zone and take your leadership to the next level by attending this excellent conference. It could be the defining moment of your life! Steve Burns, CA, CMC, CFP, is the president and CEO of Burns Innovation Group Inc. (www.burnsinnovation.com) and Steve Burns Inc. Chartered Accountant (www.steveburns.ca), which provide consulting and accounting services to entrepreneurs. You can reach Steve at 763-4716 or via e-mail at: steve@burnsinnovation.com or steve@steveburns.ca. |
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