(Contributed by Participant from the Change Leadership 2017 Event)

I dare say there’s probably no time in history where it has become easier to learn and grow than it is today. One of my mentors usually says “who you learn from is just as important as what you learn”. So, on the flip side of the proliferation of growth materials and the ease of access, is also the fact that there is a lot of very shallow stuff out there. With the internet, everyone now has a voice and not all the voices are necessarily helpful. Sorting out the “grains” from the “shaft” can sometimes be a hard thing with everyone claiming to be an expert.

Last year I had the opportunity to attend and participate in the Change Leadership Conference 2017 here in Toronto. My motivation to attend this program was primarily due to the calibre of speakers and panelists that were put together for the event. However, from the moment I arrived at the venue it was clear to me that I was in for a real treat. The level of thought and organization that was put into the conference planning, from the venue, breakout out rooms, to the conference materials etc. showed exceptional attention to detail that I would describe as world-class.

Every speaker from John C Maxwell, Jeremy Gutsche and Paul Alofs lived up to the hype! Most people know John Maxwell as one of the foremost leadership experts in the world, and It was great to have him discuss change through the lens of The Five Levels of Leadership and bring the message home both at a personal and an organizational level.

On a personal level one of the reminders for me was that change is not easy and is never going to be comfortable. While we sometimes initiate change, other times change is imposed on us, regardless of how it occurs, our attitude to change is probably one of the biggest factors on how we cope with change. It is not what happens to us that matters, but what happens within us and how we respond.

Jeremy took us through the fast pace of change and what had happened to organizations that failed to embrace change. While many of us intuitively know that change is essential for growth, it’s usually our actions or inactions that indicate whether or not we have developed the change mindset. The expression “Change or Die” is not a mere aphorism but a corporate reality with the likes of Kodak, blockbuster to mention but a few being great examples.

Another important highlight for me at this event was the opportunity to network with professionals from other industries with a similar growth mindset. There was also the very lively and intellectually stimulating panel discussions, and a great “Q&A” session added a lot of flair to the rich learning that occurred at this conference.

Are you interested in personal and professional growth? How do you feed your hunger for learning and growth? Which sources do you rely most on? Leadership magazines? Books, podcasts, seminars or conferences?

Regardless of how you choose to grow yourself, I believe there is a lot of value in attending good conferences and live events. It certainly has its place, it’s no wonder many of the leadership gurus in the personal growth industry still spend a lot of valuable time and resources in putting together live events that provide for interaction and learning.

Many congratulations to all the organizers of The Change Leadership Experience and I am already looking forward to the next event.

Joel Emuan