Hard Lessons in Soft Skills

Why an MBA at Yale Requires Emotional Intelligence.

Brigadier General (Ret.) Tom Kolditz is a BigSpeak Leadership Expert and Professor in the Practice of Leadership and Management and Director of the Leadership Development Program at the Yale School of Management. In a recent BusinessWeek article, he discussed the importance of Emotional Intelligence as a core competency for developing today's MBA candidates, as the school begins testing students on their ability to understand and manage emotions.

Big Delivery:

Recently, we sent motivational sales and customer service expert Robert Stevenson to deliver a presentation to FedEx. EXpanding upon the EX in FedEx, he went the EXtra mile to bring home the message in his keynote:

 

                     There is No Success Without Ex's

                         

                                                                         

 

I was invited to speak at FedEx World Headquarters where I delivered two programs. I also had the wonderful opportunity to take a tour of their Memphis Hub Operations and see how they are able to process over 600,000 packages per night while it was actually happening. It was an amazing sight to behold.   I wanted to talk to them on a personal level so they could advance their own careers while at the same time helping their company. I also wanted to create something special for those who attended my sessions that would be memorable and have a direct correlation with FedEx. Then it hit me ... the "Ex" in their corporate name … stands for so much more than "Express."  Just as FedEx has added, evolved, changed, tweaked and greatly improved on everything they do, I told my audience they too, needed to do the same.   I then gave them a list of "Ex's" to follow that would ensure not only their success in business, but also in life. I told them they needed to ask themselves...           Do I Excel at my job?       Do I always give Extra?       Do I avoid making Excuses?       Do I Exert maximum effort?       Do I set the right Examples?       Do I Exceed what is required?       Do I Exhibit the best judgment?       Do I always strive for Excellence?       Do I Exhaust all possible solutions?       Do I always Extend a helping hand?       Do I Exemplify the best standards?       Do I strive to be Exceptional at my job?       Do I Experiment at new ways to do things?       Do I Execute according to proper procedures?       Do my peers considered me an Expert at what I do?       Do I Examine all mistakes to fully understand their cause?   Regardless what company, association, or organization you work for, if you follow this list of "Ex's", everyone will want you. You will be known as the person they can always count on because you always deliver ... you will be Exceptional. To establish and maintain a position of supremacy in anything you do requires that you start incorporating the "Ex’s" in all aspects of your life and business. It's your choice ... you can either do it or you will simply be "Excluded" from that list of people who succeed in life and that is the one "Ex" I surely want to stay away from. So remember…   Let the "Ex's" mark your path on your journey towards success...

BigBosses

Why Google CEO Page Should Friend Amazon’s Bezos.

How companies that allow failure create a culture of success

 

 

BigSpeak Entrepreneur, Best Selling Business Author and Innovation Provocateur, Peter Sims explains why Google CEO Larry Page should friend Amazon’s Jeff Bezos (besides the obvious exchange of hair-styling tips) in this MarketWatch article.

 

 

BigForum

BigForum

At the recent World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland,  Dr. Anil Gupta was part of a panel of innovation experts discussing how national innovation strategies  can be designed to promote sustainable, inclusive and resilient prosperity, in a panel entitled Building National Innovation Capacity.

No country can build economic prosperity without improving productivity, which is driven by innovation. But how to build successful national innovation capacity? Everyone wants innovation, but it is not clear how to get it. Fostering innovation depends on creating a diverse ecosystem to nurture creativity, talent and entrepreneurial spirit…. Read more

BigFall

The Warning Signs Of David Petraeus's Fall, And How To Find A Way Forward

 

In the wake of the ever widening scandal surrounding General David Petraeus, world-class organizations - the U.S. military included - are scrutinizing and rethinking their established leadership structures.

Here are the warning signs that an organization may be susceptible to malfeasance, and how to recover after the fall, by BigSpeak Leadership expert, Brigadier General (Ret.) Thomas Kolditz in an article for Fast Company.

Big Debate: The Importance of a Skilled Moderator

Being a true "Master of Ceremonies" can be a tricky job. We've recently witnessed what can happen when a moderator loses their tenuous grip on the flow and direction of an event. Even David Letterman got in on the action (see his "Top Ten Signs You Have A Bad Moderator").

At this year's Microsoft CEO Conference in May, BigSpeak's Geoff Colvin was once again called in to successfully act as session moderator. More and more, leading organizations and major corporations (such as Microsoft) are realizing the value in entrusting the flow and continuity of their biggest events to a consummate pro. Beyond functioning as merely a host, a top emcee/moderator can add value to a conference, summit, forum or panel by setting the tone, enhancing and reinforcing key content, acting as a conduit between speakers/presentations, smoothing over potential rough patches in the program and delivering full-circle closure at the event's conclusion.

According to Mark Jeffries, a communications consultant and frequent emcee (SAS, Merrill Lynch, IBM), a proficient moderator/MC can: change the paradigm of an event so that the relationship of the speaker to the audience resembles more of a dialogue, play devil's advocate to various points of view, and give a voice to the attendees.

Below are a few from the top of the BigSpeak roster whose dynamic presence and wealth of experience in the fields of journalism, business, economics and entertainment allow them to truly embody the title "Master of Ceremonies."

Geoff Colvin

As mentioned above, longtime editor and columnist for FORTUNE magazine and anchor of PBS's Wall Street Week, Geoff Colvin has become one of America's sharpest and most respected commentators on leadership, globalization, the infotech revolution and related issues, making him a popular moderator/facilitator for some of the corporate world's largest forums, panels and summits, including the Fortune Global Forum and the International Business Leaders Forum in London.

Audiences especially appreciate the business prowess and analytical skills Geoff brings to his on-stage interviews, which have included luminaries like Jack Welch, Henry Kissinger, Richard Branson, Bill Gates, Alan Greenspan, Ted Turner, George W. Bush, and many others.

 
Bill Kurtis

The voice. Bill Kurtis brings that iconic, authoritative voice we've all heard on A&E's Investigative Reports and Cold Case Files (not to mention numerous commercials and the Will Ferrell hit movie Anchorman) as well as a keen veteran journalist's acumen to any event. As a former Chicago and CBS national news anchor, he's comfortable delving deeper into important topics.

 With over 40 years in broadcasting, several Emmy awards and a law degree, Bill possesses a potent confluence of credibility and congeniality that make him the perfect facilitator, moderator or host.


Mark Jeffries

Mark Jeffries also provides a distinctive voice (and accent) to the moderator's arena. As a former British television host, economist and stockbroker, Mark brings a broad spectrum of knowledge and experience to the events he facilitates. It's also his ability to quickly master the intricacies of business within any industry coupled with a sharp wit and television presence that keeps his corporate calendar full - so much so, that with his comprehensive event experience, many of Mark's clients now also use him as a trusted advisor and consultant, working alongside the production team to create events with audience appeal, memorable impact and an effective message.

In addition to Geoff, Bill and Mark, BigSpeak has a considerable roster of highly-skilled moderators, hosts, facilitators and MC's to fit almost any budget range. Their insight, humor and extensive experience ensure both added value and smooth sailing for your next event.

BigStrategy

The Thought Leader Interview: Strategy + Business talks with BigSpeak's Douglas Conant about his dramatic turnaround of the iconic food giant and the future of corporate leadership, here.

"For the first time, there are five 'generations' of people in the workplace, with an unprecedented diversity of backgrounds and perspectives across the globe. Executives have to manage people connected through handhelds and broadband. Traditional hierarchical management structures that evolve at a glacial pace are being stress-tested in profound ways, and it’s taxing leaders."

-Former Campbell Soup Co. CEO, Douglas Conant