Leadership Conference

Want more information on the Leadership Conference? View our video below!

Session Descriptions

KEYNOTE:

TOPGUN Lessons Learned
Patrick Houlahan

Graduating from TOPGUN wasn’t just a rite of passage and it wasn’t just a check mark along a career path. It was a validation of hours upon countless hours of hard work, reflection, and a meticulous level of attention to detail. In the cockpit, as in leadership, it’s critical that you hold yourself and all those around you to the highest of standards.

In this presentation, Patrick Houlahan discusses the top five lessons of his TOPGUN training and shows audiences how to leverage them. The top five lessons—Purpose, Dedication, Humility and Honesty, Tough Love, and Debrief—give leaders and teams an actionable template for developing and leading high-performing teams whose commitment to excellence, to each other, and to continual improvement is equal to their “need for speed,” and to being “with the best of the best.”

WORKSHOPS

Good Speakers Get More
Todd Cohen

Did you know that the number ONE fear of most people is public speaking? It’s true! Good speakers get more. Yet, mastering this skill makes you memorable, advances your presence and leadership credibility, and advances your career.

In this interactive half-day workshop, Todd Cohen will share and teach you the tips, tricks, and tactics of being a good speaker and how to make it your number ONE thing you want to do! Good and confident speakers are top of mind. You don’t want to miss this experience!

Creating a High Performing Team

Ed Wallace

AchieveNext

Leaders are continually challenged with bringing people and teams together to process projects and improve company performance. Teams sometimes fall short of their promise due to:

• Lack of clear understanding of the team’s value proposition
• Misalignment connecting value proposition to company strategy
• Influence but not decision-making authority in getting resources and implementing recommendations
• Lack of strong relationships needed to deliver
• Other company priorities

But it doesn’t need to be this way. In this workshop, participants will:

1. Understand the characteristics of a high performing team
2. Apply the 5 Principles of Relational Leadership to team building scenarios
3. Learn about and use tools to support impactful team performance
4. Form a team and compete against other teams to win the Ultimate Team Challenge
5. Leave with at least one idea that can immediately be applied to team situations

Bring your dealership team to engage the thinking of all and to create synergy around this team performance workshop. Participants will receive a copy of Ed’s newest book The Relationship Engine.

TOPGUN Lessons Learned
Patrick Houlahan

Graduating from TOPGUN wasn’t just a rite of passage and it wasn’t just a check mark along a career path. It was a validation of hours upon countless hours of hard work, reflection, and a meticulous level of attention to detail. In the cockpit, as in leadership, it’s critical that you hold yourself and all those around you to the highest of standards.

In this presentation, Patrick Houlahan discusses the top five lessons of his TOPGUN training and shows audiences how to leverage them. The top five lessons—Purpose, Dedication, Humility and Honesty, Tough Love, and Debrief—give leaders and teams an actionable template for developing and leading high-performing teams whose commitment to excellence, to each other, and to continual improvement is equal to their “need for speed,” and to being “with the best of the best.”

5 Laws of Leadership

Geoffrey Love

Randall Reilly

No matter where you are in your leadership journey, the more you learn about the laws of leadership the better leader you will be. In this session we will explore 5 laws that have helped countless leaders to grow not only themselves, but also those around them. This session is focused on raising your awareness to the fact that leadership is a teachable skill.

There are four ideas to keep in mind as we explore the laws:

• The laws can all be learned – some easier than others.
• The laws can stand alone, but they each complement the others.
• The laws carry consequences. Ignore them and you will not lead well. Implement them and people will follow you.
• These laws are the foundation of leadership

Learn the laws of leadership and strive to apply them to every aspect of your life to achieve your full potential as a leader.

Marketing for Growth: The Vital Role Digital Plays in Lead Generation, Recruiting and Brand Building

Laura Love

GroundFloor Media

In this session, GFM|CenterTable will share their experience in developing custom digital communications campaigns for a heavy equipment dealership that engaged target audiences, delivered new revenue opportunities, broadened brand reach and fostered company pride. Building a company brand isn’t limited to the marketing department; learn how you can leverage these tools in your own department or area of responsibility such as parts, sales, rental, or human resources.

Mental Health and Suicide Awareness in Construction

Vince Hafeli

In this session, Vince Hafeli, President of Ajax Paving, will discuss his journey through life and the night he attempted to take his life. He will present the statistics on suicide in the construction industry, common warning signs, and action steps.

Key learning objectives include:

• What the numbers say
• Steps your organization can take relating to mental health and suicide
• How suicide can happen to even successful people that appear to have it all, and the warning signs to be on the lookout for

Learn how to promote a culture of caring in the industry, and work toward having open conversations pertaining to mental health awareness.

How to Leverage New Technologies into Profit

Adam Gilbertson

RDO Equipment Co.

Creating a Culture of Empowerment: How to Spend Less Time Doing Your Employees’ Jobs
Summer Jelinek

Have you ever found yourself wondering “Why are people always asking me how to do something?” Does your jaw clench thinking of your employees coming to you about every choice or decision? Do you ever feel like you do too much hand-holding? Leaders today walk a tight rope of being strong, but not aggressive, being polite, but not a pushover. Add in the generational dynamics of leadership and it is exhausting!

By the end of this session, you will:

• Uncover the Jedi Mind Trick of Self-Management so you can manage yourself first
• Discover the 4 types of people and what information each type needs from you to be able to make decisions more effectively on their own
• Walk away with actionable and immediate steps to take to improve relationships with your team, your leaders, your customers, and your peers

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