(Published print edition June 28, 2023)
Bill Fidler, the former president/CEO of Brenntag North America, says he has always studied leadership principles, but when he went to his first Global Leadership Summit several years ago he was blown away by all the information presented to him.
Taking in all the information was “like drinking from a firehose,” he said.
“I just wish I would have learned about the summit years ago when I was more involved in business,” said Fidler, who is now retired, though still active in community affairs.
Fidler and other community leaders are urging Hendersonians to participate in this year’s gathering, which will be at One Life Henderson in the Eastgate Shopping Center. The first day will be Aug. 3 from 8 a.m.-4 p.m., and day two will be Aug. 4 from 8 a.m.-3 p.m.
The cost for the two-day event is $139 until July 12. After that date, the price bumps up to $179.
Non-profit board chairs and executive directors can register for free, and non-profit staff members can pair with another staff for a buy-one, get-one free deal.
The summit emphasizes tenets of good leadership that can be practiced in business, non-profits, education, government, church and within a family, said Bob Seymore, the site coordinator for the tri-state Global Leadership Summit.
Speakers gathered in Chicago give 30–40-minute speeches that are beamed throughout the nation, and world, for attendees at different venues to watch. Breaks between presentations allow for discussion and brainstorming.
Some of this year’s prominent speakers are former U.S. Secretary of State and current director of Stanford University’s Hoover Institution Condoleeza Rice, financial guru Dave Ramsey and Intel Corporation CEO Pat Gelsinger.
Seymore said he’s particularly interested in hearing another speaker, Atomic Habits author James Cleary. Seymore has incorporated the tenets in Cleary’s New York Times best-selling book, which has sold more than 10 million copies worldwide.
He said the book details not so much the goals a person may set but “what habits have you put in place to achieve those things.”
Throughout the summit, which has been coming to Henderson for about ten years, a diverse range of topics are presented. Seymore said a past speaker looked at working with different generations, a particularly poignant topic in a current workforce that includes workers from Gen Z all the way up to Baby Boomers.
At the GLS, community leaders talk about what they’ve just heard and ask questions: What can we do with this information that’s meaningful for the community? How can we get more participation in community planning and problem-solving? How can we address serious problems in the community?
The GLS “spawns a lot of conversation,” Fidler said.
Fidler said Henderson needs leadership regarding a vision in some areas of the community. These types of discussions occur at the GLS.
Other speakers include:
•Liz Bohannon, Founder of Sseko Designs and author
•Erin Meyer, Professor at INSEAD and best-selling author
•Ryan Leak, CEO of The Ryan Leak Group and best-selling author
•Patrick Lencioni, founder and president of The Table Group and best-selling author
•Francesca Gino, professor at Harvard Business School and best-selling author
•Anita Elberse, professor at Harvard Business School and best-selling author
•Albert Tate, founding and lead pastor of Fellowship Church, founder and CEO of The Greatest Story and author
•Craig Groeschel, founder and senior pastor of Life.Church and best-selling author.
