I just returned from the Thrive Leadership Conference, where I was treated to fantastic speakers, excellent workshops, great interaction with 3500 other leaders, and a ton of fun. During those three days there were a hundred seminars to choose from, in-depth advanced leadership sessions, inspiring and educational presentations from the main platform, and the opportunity to learn from others virtually non-stop. There were so many quality choices that the founder of the conference gave everyone permission to not go to all sessions and just take some time to refuel and refresh. It was terrific.
In many ways, this conference was so packed with opportunities to learn that it reminded me of one of my favorite things: a high-end dinner buffet. I know that some people don’t enjoy them, but I can’t get enough of the variety that comes from having hundreds of quality choices. When I go to a buffet, I make sure that I have ample time to take it slow and savor every bite. I can literally spend hours sampling the wonderful selections presented and still get only a taste of the immense amount of food set before me. There is no way to eat it all, so I choose quite carefully.
A conference like I attended is literally a leadership buffet in that there was so many choices, but so little time. I couldn’t possibly sample it all, so I had to be very mindful of what I thought would be the most beneficial for my own leadership development. I made sure that the choices I made for seminars directly applied to my professional life right now. Likewise, I was very intentional about being in the right place at the right time so that I could learn from certain speakers and engage in in-depth conversations with others from whom I could pick up a tip about being a better leader. Like at the buffet, I didn’t waste any of my time or appetite on things that weren’t going to be to my best benefit, and I made sure that I didn’t spend time on things which I have already learned or experienced.
Six lessons from the buffet of leadership:
1 – Don’t try to sample everything – go for new experiences that expand your view (or palate).
2 – Choose quality over quantity – If you know that there is a quality dish (or activity) you want to experience, don’t ruin your appetite on selections that are good, but not great. Save room for the over-the-top experiences.
3 – Don’t eat the same meal you did before – be adventurous, courageous and agile.
4 – Be ready for the unexpected – just when you think you know it all about what’s on the buffet, be prepared for something new and innovative which you have never tried before.
5 – Eat dessert first – for many, dessert represents the fun of the meal. As a leader, fun should be a part of your everyday experience.
6 – Let others go first – the buffet will not run out of food, so there is no reason to put yourself before others in line. Let them go ahead of you. Leaders eat last.
I hope you get yourself to great conferences and even greater buffets! Both are good for you and you will come back refilled and ready to serve the people in your organization.
Lead (and eat!) well.