I can sum up in one phrase what leadership entailed when I first came to the parking industry: "Tell 'em what to do and if they don't like it, tell 'em they can leave." It's kinda comical some twenty years later to think this was the essence of leadership and at the same time amazing how far the industry has come in supporting our parking leaders to better their ability to drive results through their teams' performance.

IPI is taking a progressive step forward in this space by hosting its first Leadership Summit on October 23rd and 24th at the One Ocean Resort Hotel in Jacksonville Florida. I was super thrilled to be asked to join the speaker’s bureau and facilitate a session on Attracting and Retaining Employee Rock Stars and more so excited when I reviewed the two-day workshop agenda. IPI has done a tremendous job at selecting topics that matter the most to today's parking industry leader and ensuring successful learning by inviting top professionals across all spectrums. Attendees will learn from their own industry experts core leadership success factors, best practices to develop and deliver presentation content and their own role and responsibility when it comes to advancing their parking careers within their respective organizations.

I find myself more and more having conversations with C-level folks who are primarily focused on enriching operational leaders development opportunities beyond what they can learn on the lot, social media links and their own classrooms.  The linkage between a leader's ability to influence others to perform and actual results really resonates with the executives and they want to ensure their management team is learning the key attributes from a holistic approach.  They also recognize learning and development plays a huge role when it comes to employee retention.

If you share the above thinking and happen to be looking for a way to leverage what's offered inside the walls to your managers when it comes to leadership development, I strongly encourage you to check out the Leadership Summit: by clicking here.  I believe this is one of those events where participants can learn from the pro's by day and share insights and practical advice over dinner with peers across the country.  I, for one, am really looking forward to participating, facilitating and learning myself!