I was born in Greenville, and I’ve enjoyed watching the city develop into an award-winning metropolitan center. When Clemson University’s College of Business and Behavioral Science began offering classes in the former Bowater Building in January 2010, another powerful synergy resulted.
Beyond MBA courses, Clemson continues to expand learning opportunities for the Upstate corporate and small business communities through events such as First Fridays and the Small Business Development Center’s regular training opportunities for small business owners. In 2010, the Center for Corporate Learning conducted Clemson’s first annual Leadership Summit.
Clemson leveraged its strong business connections to form a consortium of Upstate organizations, which included Michelin, GE, BMW, the City of Greenville, Duke Energy, Hubbell Lighting and RBC Insurance, among others. The group identified a need for strong leadership training with a challenging opportunity to apply the learning to a community project that results in a valuable contribution to quality of life in the Upstate.
The solution was to put 20 high-potential leaders from the business sector together with four leaders from a not-for-profit community project organization, expose them to the latest research of leadership theory as well as personal stories from well-known Upstate leaders, then challenge them to come together as a team to provide a solution to the Real World Challenge.
The result was so successful that the Center for Corporate Learning is about to conduct the fourth annual Leadership Summit in August. The mission is to enhance, reinforce and advance the leadership skills of individuals, corporations and the community at large through proven concepts, practical training, authentic leadership stories and the Real World Project.
Topics include the five pillars of leadership – Courage, Objectivity, Creativity, Integrity and Inclusion – and attendees will spend the week learning from some of the best minds in the Upstate. Among those presenting at the Summit are Mike Riordan, CEO of GHS; Walter Davis, Co-CEO of Certus Bank; Bill Barnet, former mayor of Spartanburg; Toby Stansell, CEO of AcumentIT; and Joe Erwin, CEO of Erwin Penland.
Panel discussions include Phil Yanov of GATC and Tech after 5; Peter Dunphy, CFO of Michelin; Terri Wilfong, Greenville Chief of Police; and retired Lt. Col. Bob Anderson, USAF. In addition, Merl Code of Ogletree Law, Realtor Carol Pyfrom and inventor Jerry Barber will also participate.
Clemson thought leaders will examine topics such as the dark side of leadership, narratives of leaders, integrity and complexity theory. Participants also have a chance to get their heart racing as they learn lessons on leadership behind the wheel at the BMW Performance Track.
As teams the participants also work through the week on providing a solution for the Real World Project. This year’s project has been developed in partnership with CommunityWorks Carolina, which promotes affordable housing, financial wellness, and community economic development to empower low wealth families and communities.
Project solutions will be presented Friday, August 9, at the Kroc Center to CommunityWorks stakeholders, managers and sponsors of participants, and Clemson leaders. Following the presentations, certificates are conferred upon participants and lunch will be served.
The keynote speaker will be Drew Dudley, University of Toronto, who has delivered TED talks and speaks internationally on the topic of Everyday Leadership. The lunch and Dudley’s speech are open to the public for a cost of $25.
Call Nan Johnston at Clemson’s Center for Corporate Learning at Clemson At The Falls, 864-656-2200 for details.
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Nan Johnston is the business development manager for Clemson University’s Center for Corporate Learning.
