2007 Leadership Experience

Date
Wednesday, April 18, 2007

Location
The Fuqua School of Business,
Duke University

Contact
Sarah Fulford, LE Chair
sarah.fulford@fuqua.duke.edu

In today's increasingly competitive global market, companies are seeking and keeping the "edge" as much as they are concentrating on their organization's core strengths. Companies and leaders realize that it's not enough to have a competitive edge or advantage, but they must also sustain it.

This conference will examine the actions leaders take to:
      1) help their employees and organizations create and maintain a competitive edge
      2) take individual and organizational risks that push them to the edge, and
      3) leverage the organizational boundaries at the edge for maximum effect.

The conference will examine the notion of "Seeking the Edge" in three different contexts:

The Innovation Edge
Innovators are the driving force behind the advancement of technology and industries. Entrepreneurial leadership and the development of cutting edge technology require a balance of calculated risk and long-term vision. Immediate payoffs are rare for the innovators but leading through uncertain times requires leaders to foster the environment to achieve ambitious organization goals. The conference will feature aspects of how leaders can push their companies to the edge through innovation and imagination.

The Personal Development Edge
Leaders in established companies must create an environment through which employees are encouraged to seek their own edge and go beyond their comfort levels to take risks that will allow the company and themselves to achieve greater success.  The conference will offer an experiential look at the skills and reflection necessary for individuals to take on this task successfully.

The Strategic Organization Edge
Established companies are not excluded from market forces and can be susceptible to complacency and bureaucratic inertia. Thus, organizations must seek the edge of their own capabilities to grow and take advantage of emerging opportunities. Effective leaders leverage their organization's edge by adapting quickly to new challenges, establishing efficient communications networks, and building strategic alliances with organizations in fields outside their core strengths.  The 2007 Leadership Experience will give attendees the chance to learn more about how to communicate effectively, build alliances, inspire flexibility, and motivate positive change.