We're almost at the finish line. On November 8, next Tuesday, 200 senior officers and board directors of publicly listed firms will gather on the floor of the famed New York Stock Exchange for an evening of interactive discussion about several topics of interest to leaders everywhere.
One of the things that distinguishes the 360 Summit from every other business dinner I've attended, is that there are virtually no keynote speeches. You know the kind I mean, where everyone sits and listens (maybe) to someone giving a speech from behind a lectern. What the speaker says is often quickly forgotten and as for interaction among the participants, forget it. Once the program starts, people move their chairs to get a better view of the stage or lectern, and any sense of community around the table is lost.
Instead of a parade of keynote speeches, we design the 360 Summit so that the guests shape the evening. We have six or seven invited guests with whom we've arranged beforehand to pose a provocative question to the entire assembly. THen all guests debate and discuss that question with the others at their table. We've covered subjects from obesity in the workplace to national security issues to changing the tort law.
It's a terrific evening. People engage with the people at their table in a way that often turns into the beginning of friendship and, in some cases, future business transactions.
This year we have a stellar lineup of attendees. It's going to be a terrific set of conversations, so am working now on my intro that should get them talking...wish me luck!
Author of I is for Intercourse: The ABC's of Conversation, Susan Bird is the visionary behind Wf360, and a sought-after speaker around the world for her views on leadership, the strategic importance of conversation, entrepreneurship, and the role of women business leaders.
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