Insights from the 2016 Coach K Leadership Summit at Duke

I’ve just returned from the 2016 Coach K Leadership Summit at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business where I had the opportunity to meet and collaborate with remarkable professionals from a variety of fields including the military, academia, sports, corporate America and more. The purpose of the event, convened by the Fuqua/Coach K Leadership & Ethics Center (COLE), was to gather thought leaders from different industries and sectors in order to “share, learn and connect on pressing issues of the day.” The summit served as a great example that when you bring together individuals from diverse backgrounds and experiences, you have more dynamic and thought-provoking conversations and, as a result, you generate more innovative and transformational ideas.
I left the summit with a notebook full of inspiring quotes, fascinating stories and important lessons, and I'd be remiss not to share the advice and messages that resonated most with me. I hope these insights will resonate with you as well.

• Caring does not make you “soft”, it makes you a good leader. To inspire, retain and get the most out of people, they need to trust you and believe that you care about them and their experience. And, you need to care about how people experience you.
• No matter how talented you are, you cannot do it alone. Find and keep good mentors – they will help you see what you cannot always see in yourself.
• Confidence is important, but beware that it does not grow into arrogance. Self-awareness and humility will not only differentiate you, they will increase your capacity to learn from and influence others.
• Define the purpose. You can only achieve something big when everyone understands and is working towards a common goal. Confusion can slow progress even amongst the most motivated and ambitious of teams.
• Operate with a “learning mindset.” Be open to new ideas and perspectives, question the status quo, adjust your approach along the way, leverage the creativity of others and focus on the greater good.
• The passion to win is not enough. You also need the passion to prepare.

The time I spent at Duke was rich in dialogue and stimulating in thought. I learned a lot from the interactions I had and am left reflecting on just how vital strong leadership is to success. There is much more that can be said on any of the points above. I look forward to doing so in future posts, and hope you will join the conversation as well by sharing your best advice and leadership insights that have resonated with you.
To listen to more perspectives from participants of the 2016 Coach K Leadership Summit, please see this video stream. 

Originally posted on Linked IN by: Edith Cooper

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