Live Events

Grit is key to our success any time, but especially in the midst of uncertainty, challenge and change. Join Shannon Huffman Polson, founder and CEO of the Grit Institute and author of The Grit Factor. As one of the first women to fly the Apache helicopter in the US Army and a veteran of corporate life as well, Polson shares stories and lessons from the cockpit of the most technologically advanced helicopter in the world that apply to the challenges you face today. Using her Commit-Learn-Launch framework as a backdrop, Polson draws on years of experience and research into grit and resilience, taking learners on a journey to plot their very own course for developing grit for themselves and their organizations, to be better equipped to lead with grit and passion, to overcome resistance, and to embrace the courage of full ownership. You'll learn: • How a leader's internal work on story and purpose forms the foundation for grit • The mindset development necessary to build grit and resilience • Using grit to take risks, and how leaders address fear and failure Learners will come away freshly energized, with tactical takeaways for succeeding no matter what comes your way in today's world.

It is often said that there are only two certainties in this world: death and taxes. Dane Jensen would argue that there's a third: pressure. Pressure is an inevitable part of the human journey - of navigating work and family, pursuing goals, encountering setbacks, and growing. Dane has spent his career understanding pressure - what creates it, why it can lead to breakdowns, and what we can learn from those who channel pressure to breakthroughs. His research at the intersection of elite sport, academia, business, and Government has produced a straightforward equation for understanding pressure, and a series of habits that high performers use to perform and find joy under pressure. You'll learn: • The three components of the ‘pressure equation': every high-pressure situation comes from a combination of three factors. Understanding these factors is the first step to harnessing the power of pressure. Once you can diagnose the root causes of pressure, you can begin to act. • How to nail your peak pressure moments: in peak pressure moments like big presentations, exams, interviews or performances, our bodies are wired in ways that can sabotage us. We tense up, get tunnel vision, and miss key information. You'll discover three habits you can build to escape the traps of biology and perform to your peak when it matters most. • How to thrive over the long haul: the pressure of enduring a pandemic, tackling a major, multi-year project, or balancing work with young children is different than nailing a big sales call. People who understand how to perform under peak pressure and stay motivated through the long haul are unstoppable. Learning and mastering these skills will allow you to not only take advantage of the key moments that can define your career, but also to find joy along the journey of a high-pressure life.

When COVID-19 hit, businesses had to respond almost instantaneously - shifting employees to remote work, repairing broken supply chains, keeping pace with dramatically fluctuating customer demand. They were forced to adapt to a confluence of multiple disruptions inextricably linked to a longer term, ongoing digital disruption. Professor Jerry Kane's research shows that companies that use disruption as an opportunity for innovation emerge from it stronger. Companies that merely attempt to "weather the storm" until things go back to normal (or the next normal), on the other hand, miss an opportunity to thrive. Kane argues that transformation is not a one-and-done event, but a continuous process of adapting to a volatile and uncertain environment. Drawing on five years of research into digital disruption-including a series of more than 50 interviews with business leaders conducted during the COVID-19 crisis-Kane offers a framework for understanding disruption and tools for navigating it. Technology is not an end in itself, but enables the capabilities essential for surviving an uncertain future: nimbleness, scalability, stability, and optionality. You'll learn: • The differences between acute and chronic disruption, and why it matters • The characteristics of leaders that were able to help their organization navigate the severe disruption of COVID-19 • The digital technologies that did (and didn't) help their organization navigate disruption • Leadership lessons we should take away from the acute disruption that is COVID-19.