What Makes a Good Conference?

Good Leadership is gearing up for one of the most anticipated events of the year: the Good Leadership Conference on November 22, in Minneapolis. If you’ve attended conferences in the past, you might have found yourself spending most of the time sitting in a room, listening to experts speak from a stage. But recent studies show that this traditional format is no longer what people are looking for. Which begs the question: what makes a good conference? 

Good leaders today crave more than the traditional experience: celebrity-type, book-publishing speakers. One after another. What good leaders are craving today is time to connect, to engage in meaningful conversations, and walk away with pragmatic tools they can take back to their teams. The Good Leadership Conference responded by designing an experience that meets those needs and more.  

Firsthand Stories of Healthy Accountability 

The heart of the conference is built on the principles of healthy accountability, something I’ve been talking about consistently through the year-long Accountability Research Project. Attendees will be the first to hear the results of this research. But – the best learning happens when you can see how these principles work in the real world. That’s why I’ve invited clients who have already implemented these strategies in their organizations to share their stories. You’ll hear firsthand how healthy accountability is making a difference in their teams and their bottom line. 

Transforming Ideas into Action 

The real magic happens at the tables. Throughout the day, you’ll have multiple opportunities to workshop ideas with your colleagues, exploring how these insights can be tailored to fit your unique challenges. This isn’t just about hearing what works—it’s about rolling up your sleeves and figuring out how to make it work for you. 

And let’s not forget one of the most valuable aspects of any conference: the people. There’s plenty of networking time, so you can connect with other leaders who share your commitment to excellence. That includes the opportunity to meet the Steering Team, the Presenters, and people in the room that have “your job” in other companies. That’s what you can expect.  

Previewing the Data 

Nearly 200 interviews are complete, and the surveys of more than 4,000 leaders will be done by this time next week. What are we learning? The Pathway to Healthy Accountability© is paved with some good old-fashioned, common-sense leadership techniques that for various reasons are no longer common practice. And there’s also some surprises that I’m excited to share. That’s what makes conferences fun – learning surprising things that motivate leaders to re-set some of the modes of operating.  

Finally, to make sure you don’t have brain-overload, the room will be filled with the stimulating sounds of a kick-a** stage band to keep the energy up. Who doesn’t like listening to the sounds of Earth, Wind & Fire during a morning break!? 

If you’re ready to be part of this dynamic experience, please accept my invitation to buy a table and join the healthy accountability movement that begins at the Good Leadership Conference on November 22, 2024. Whether you’re interested in attending with a half table, a full table, or even as a sponsor, reach out to Jill at jill@goodleadership.com to learn more.