Benchmark for Business

Speakers

Jim Kouzes

Jim Kouzes has been thinking about leadership ever since he was one of only a dozen Eagle Scouts to be selected to serve in John F. Kennedy’s honor guard when Kennedy was inaugurated President of the United States. Kennedy’s inaugural call to action — “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.” — inspired Jim to join the Peace Corps, and he taught school in Turkey for two years. That experience made Jim realize that he wanted a career that offered two things: the chance to teach and the opportunity to serve. It was in his first job back in the U.S. training community action agency managers that Jim found his calling, and he has devoted his life to leadership development ever since. Jim is a bestselling author, an award-winning speaker, and, according to The Wall Street Journal, one of the twelve best executive educators in the United States. His current interests are youth leadership development—because there's a new generation of Millennials joining the workforce—deliberate practice—because talent is highly over-rated, because it takes time and effort to become the best, and because his stepson, Nicholas plays number one for the UC Davis Men's Tennis Team—and grit—because these are tough times and it takes passion and persistence to weather the storm. They were also values his parents instilled in him at an early age. With his wife, Tae, an experienced and talented executive coach, Jim is also examining how leaders can daily improve their practice through three-minute drills, much like those used by athletic coaches.

Barry Posner

Barry Posner makes each day matter. He is a Professor of Leadership at the Leavey School of Business, Santa Clara University (located in the heart of Silicon Valley), where he served for 12 years as Dean of the School. At Santa Clara, he has received the President's Distinguished Faculty Award, the School's Extraordinary Faculty Award, and several other outstanding teaching and leadership honors. Barry is an internationally renowned scholar who has published more than 85 research and practitioner-oriented articles and he is currently on the editorial review boards of the International Journal of Servant-Leadership, Leadership and Organizational Development, and Leadership Review. Barry also serves on the Board of Directors for EMQ Family First. Described as a warm, engaging and pragmatic conference speaker and dynamic workshop facilitator, Barry has made presentations and conducted workshops across the U.S., and around the globe, from Canada, Mexico and Europe to the Far East, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa.