Mike 
I had the opportunity to spend part of last week at the Leadership Institute, an annual event at the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in the Kansas City area. It was a great two days for me. I had the opportunity to lead a workshop on my new book, Thriving in the Second Chair, but mostly it was a chance for me to be refreshed and encouraged.
The presentations were excellent, but I’ve been to many other conferences that also had great content. As I’ve reflected on why this was such a meaningful experience for me, four words come to mind. Each word represents something that any leader can work towards, whether leading a conference or church or non-profit.
- Purpose – Leadership Institute (LI) is unapologetic that its purpose is to equip leaders from mainline churches, especially those from the United Methodist denomination. These churches are often small to mid-size with flat or declining attendance and in need of fresh practical ideas that can lead to renewal. That’s not the target audience for many other conferences, but that’s fine with the team at LI.
- Intentionality – closely related to purpose is the intentionality of the conference. They know that participants need inspiration and practical ideas. LI’s leaders know that it’s best for participants to come in groups from the same church. The choice of speakers, content, format, and pricing all keep this in mind.
- Hospitality – from an abundance of greeters to gift bags to breath mints in the restrooms, hospitality oozed from every part of LI. Just walking in the door was sure to bring a smile to the face of every participant. It was clear that everyone associated with the conference – staff and volunteers – wanted to do everything in their power to make sure that their guests had a great experience.
- Energy – just like the hospitality, the energy level at LI was contagious. Staff and volunteers knew the purpose of the event and the importance of conveying an upbeat message. For church leaders who entered feeling downtrodden and having little hope, the energy of the conference was the shot in the arm that they needed.
