Matt Corker

My Dad (a pretty accomplished sales guy before he retired) would always attend the introductory sales training sessions hosted by his company. He would get puzzled looks and strange remarks throughout the sessions as new hires (and the workshop facilitators) never really understood why one of the top performers in the company would want to “waste his time in an introductory seminar.”

He would always reply with something like:

“A lot of this is review, but it’s important to be reminded of the fundamentals. But the real reason I am here is that if the new guys are learning anything different than what I was taught when I started, I need to learn that too. Because, if I don’t, I will be quickly left behind as they begin to create new best practices.”

This past weekend, I understood what my Dad was trying to tell me in these stories.

Since my second year of University, I have attended and presented at the UBC Student Leadership Conference. Last year, I had the privilege of coming back as an alumnus to present a workshop with Warren Springer – which was voted to be my 4th “Best of the SLC” workshop, and Warren’s first (but hopefully not last). Following my days as a student leader, I have become a lifetime member of the International Leadership Association and regularly read the latest research they publish on “leadership.” And, I must admit, nothing gets me more excited than walking through the Leadership section in Chapters and finding my next great read.

So, like many asked me yesterday, why would I “just attend” the Student Leadership Conference this year. I had no presentations to deliver, no responsibilities as a staff advisor – I was just participating and conversing with other great minds all day as a delegate. But MAN did I ever pick up some new “gold nuggets” (as my Dad would say).

They came from the student presenters that reminded me of the power of community.
They came from the alumnus who stood up and proudly said “Yes, I have my own successful business, a UBC degree and I’m only 18.”
They came from the conversations had at lunch, en route to workshops, and later that night at the bar.
They came from that toast to the invisible leaders given by this year’s Nestor Korchinsky award winner.
They came from the slam poet who opened the conference with a reminder about the importance of finding your own voice.

All these nuggets challenged me to apply a new lens to all the research and readings I had been doing. This generation of leaders is doing things (and thinking) a lot differently than I did when I was a student. And I’ll admit, if I don’t keep myself up to speed, “I will be quickly left behind as they create new best practices.”

There is a power in the moments where new knowledge is created – when things become clearer, when motivation is provided, or when new steps for action are unveiled. This year’s SLC had that power and I am so glad I was able to experience it. A huge congrats to the entire planning team.

You hosted something remarkable.

Pick of the post: Miike Snow – Black & Blue

Related posts:

1. Dear Graduating Student Leaders,
2. Over promising and over delivering.
3. The Maze Game: Conflict Resolution on a Different Playing Field