Leadership Sessions

Networking Evolution: How Leaders Create Authentic Connection & Meaningful Professional Relationships

We hear plenty about the products, programs, and services that our association offers. But do you know what keeps each member returning for an experience they can’t find in an online course or PDF? It’s the magic of connection that happens when we allow for authentic community, unique networking, and genuine relationship-building.

Let’s put the image of those stale “meet and greets” behind us and by actually piloting different approaches in session, embrace new ways to:

• Build deep loyalty to our organization and mission

• Recruit a new generation of members and volunteers

• Create personal conversation starters that spark instant understanding and connection

• Understand how true leaders communicate, build trust, and share their experience

Listening with Intent

We often listen to respond rather than listen to understand. It takes careful intention to listen deeply. In an ever-increasingly noisy world, to truly listen has become a rare skill. Rare, but vital.

Each of us has the incredible ability to take our inherent senses and raise them to an advanced level. This session will explore how to elevate your ability to listen and – in doing so – to connect with others.

By reviewing (and experimenting with) how we inherently listen, you will walk away with the ability to:

• Focus and lean into what others are saying

• Develop new approaches to deepen your practice of intentional listening

• Identify your own strengths in listening and understanding

• See where you can improve current relationships and build new ones

• Listen with empathy and become a better leader in the process

Deeper Learning Through Inquiry

This is a session without solutions.

So often, in the pursuit of the ‘right’ solution, we quickly move past the questions we need to ask. Imagine if – instead of being quick to share your experience or opinions – you instead listened with the goal of understanding. There is power in the ability to ask meaningful questions and it is the knowledge found in those inquiries that can, quite literally, change the future of our organizations. The workshop will address how we help leaders ask better questions.

This session is more of a workshop and the exact approach is customized to the organization and audience. While not required, some past steps have included:

• Prior to the session, participants members will be asked to submit a key subject on the horizon for the industry that is a significant challenge or opportunity they see the profession facing in the coming years

• In partnership with leadership, a handful of submitted topics will be presented as a focus of the session. For each topic, a subject matter expert will be sought to give a quick “TED-style” talk to ensure all are on the same page

• At the session, after the intro Ted-talks are presented, the group will have a chance to select the topic of choice. They will then have time to explore all possible questions they could ask about the topic for deeper insight

• Through a mixed facilitation methodology, each participant will have the opportunity to add their inquiry insights into the other topic areas. For each area, a top question or two of priority will be chosen

• Each group will have the chance to lead a brief discussion on these questions

• The participants will reflect on how focusing on questions may have led to deeper inquiry than they would have otherwise attained