Bestselling author Jon Gordon and startup incubator CEO Betsy Zeigler led engaging discussions on Convention’s Main Stage last week. Takeaways included how to improve your company culture and future-proof your organization.
07/28/2023 2:25 P.M.
2.5 minute read
ACA International’s 2023 Convention & Expo convened in Chicago last week, and the two Main Stage keynote speakers, Jon Gordon, acclaimed author and speaker, and Betsy Ziegler, CEO of startup incubator 1871, delivered compelling messages that left the audience motivated to transform their organizations.
Here are some highlights from their engaging presentations.
The Power of Positive Leadership with Jon Gordon
Following opening remarks from ACA CEO Scott Purcell and 2022/23 President Courtney Reynaud on night one, Gordon jumped into a captivating presentation on harnessing the power of positivity to become a more effective leader.
Gordon’s central theme revolved around a positive and collaborative approach to leadership and fostering a cohesive team where each member plays a crucial role. Emphasizing that culture is at the heart of any successful organization, he highlighted the importance of consistent values and a shared vision.
Gordon also encouraged leaders to have their team members each pick a single word that holds meaning and purpose, which can serve as a guiding force throughout the year and provide clarity in the face of challenges. Additionally, he shared a revolutionary approach to leadership by advocating for love and accountability among your team members. Building strong relationships through care and compassion allows leaders to effectively challenge and support their team, he said.
Lastly, he shared a helpful acronym, FUEL, that leaders can use to encourage their team members and transform their overall daily mindset. You can download a helpful PDF handout on it here.
Additionally, following his presentation, attendees were encouraged to stop by ACA Central in the Expo Hall to pick up one of Gordon’s four books, which were generously provided by Hudson Cook.
The Future is Now – Relate to Innovate with Betsy Ziegler
Capping off the Main Stage awards ceremony on Friday morning, Zeigler led a discussion on the latest technologies and what you can do inside your own organization to engage the human side of innovation and technology.
Zeigler began by sharing the importance of staying ahead of the innovation curve.
“If the pace of innovation inside your organization is slower than the rate of innovation outside of it, you are operating on a downward slope,” she said.
Zeigler also shared innovative changes pertaining to expanding internet connectivity, anticipated mobility revolution, and the ever-evolving robot and drone implementation with generative AI. The key takeaway was convergence—putting existing technologies together to solve consumer problems effectively.
Drawing attention to the importance of purpose-driven innovation, Betsy urged companies to let their purpose guide decision-making and emphasized that those who embrace change and adapt to new technologies will thrive in the future.
Be Social
Share the excitement and your experience at ACA’s annual convention on social media using #ACACONV23.
Thank you to the 2023 Convention & Expo Sponsors: Provana, Uniphore, QBE, REPAY, TCN, TransUnion, TEC Services Group, Bayview, Connect International, LexisNexis Risk Solutions, EFT Network Inc, Quantrax, Factual Data, Interprose, CSS Impact, Nationwide, Finvi, Beam Software, RevSpring, Payscout, Balch & Bingham LLP, Nordis Technologies, CollectOne, Collectors Insurance Agency, CompuMail, Payment Savvy, Solutions by Text, AXIS, AON, and Nutun.
Remember, subscribe to ACA Daily and Member Alerts under your My ACA profile when logged in to acainternational.org to receive updates on the ACA Huddle.