3 minute read
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
by Matthew Feehan, AASP-MN President
A mentor once said to me, “The speed of the pack is the speed of the leader.” All of us are leaders in one way or another. You may be a leader in a business, your family, an industry association, sports team, club or church. We often think of leaders as the boss or someone holding a hierarchical status to us. The reality is that leadership is influence – nothing more, nothing less. If you are influencing, you are leading. Now here is the caveat: not all leaders are good leaders. But I can assure you this – when you meet a great leader, you know it. You can feel that there is something unique – even powerful – about them.
Do you aspire to be a great leader? Great leaders are not born, they are formed over time. It is like a sculptor chiseling a piece of granite; chisel strike after chisel strike, the sculpture starts to take form. The same goes for great leaders; experience after experience shapes you. It can affect how you think, how you communicate and how you relate to others! It has been said that you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with – and if you are the one bringing up the average, your circle is too small. If you want to grow as a person, the most influential thing you can do is find people that possess knowledge in areas you wish to grow and spend time with them. If you want to grow faster, you join groups or associations of likeminded people and spend time listening and interacting with the members. Working on projects together for the greater good of all is a worthy investment of your time. You will be amazed at how much you will learn. I have a saying that I repeat often: “None of us are as smart as all of us.”
Each year, the leadership team, committees and board members of the Alliance spend a significant amount of time planning, collaborating and fine tuning every detail of the Leadership Conference. The goal of the event is to add value to everyone who attends. Adding value is one of the keystones of being a great leader and a sign of a healthy association.
The events of last year have changed many aspects of our lives. Many people feel like it was a year put on hold. It is now 2021 and I know we are still dealing with some of the residual effects of 2020. Difficult as it may be, we must move forward both personally and in business. It is our responsibility as Americans to pick up the flag and start rebuilding the communities we serve. The Alliance team is determined to produce a powerful Leadership Conference and, after getting a sneak peek at the itinerary, I would say they hit it out of the park! I am very impressed with the creative wisdom of the Alliance staff. They figured out a way to shorten the event and add value. This year, all of the breakout sessions will be available online for a month, with a live Q&A opportunity after that. I think this is genius! So many times, I have attended the breakout trainings and thought to myself, “If only I could record this. I need to hear this again because I cannot take notes fast enough.” Now there is a solution!
Many of you have never attended the Alliance conference. I am guessing you do not think it is a good use of your time. I know that because I used to have those same thoughts. I have attended and participated for five years now. In those five years my business has tripled in annual sales. Coincidence? I think not. If you want to become more than you are, you must be willing to do what you have never done.
I invite you all to the AASP-MN Annual Meeting and Leadership Conference at the Nicollet Island Pavilion on May 20. This event is where perennial industry leaders congregate to listen, learn and share. I am sure more than a few intellectual nuggets of gold will be passed around. I look forward to seeing everyone in May!
