The Best Business Talk I’ve Ever Heard
If you ever get the chance to hear Dr. Robert Witt speak about his tenure leading the University of Alabama, either now or in the future…
I don’t care if you are in a full-body cast…
Make sure someone wheels you in to listen to him.
Earlier this year I was fortunate enough to hear Dr. Witt talk about the vision and direction of UA at a local advisory council meeting for an hour or so.
I swear, I could have easily sat and listened for another 2 hours. I was wishing I was a smoker so that I could hold a flaming lighter up and wave it from side to side while he spoke. I had to fight the urge to yell out “Hallelujah!” and “Preach it brother!”
You know what he called that vision and direction?
A business plan.
That’s right. The flagship public university for the state of Alabama, being run…like a business. I was so blown away by his talk, I am still reviewing and mining the braindump notes I jotted down afterward in the parking lot.
The primary idea that I took away was…
Growth Without Quality Is Meaningless
To hear the kinds of things that UA is doing to not only achieve unprecedented growth, but also to do so years ahead of their original projections…
Even while simultaneously raising the overall quality of the student body.
It’s truly amazing.
And I don’t remember him saying “I did this” or “I did that.” But rather, things like “we are working toward this” and “we are working toward that.” He highlighted the astounding initiatives and phenomenal accomplishments of others at UA, who were helping to make the vision a reality.
First to take blame, last to take praise. That’s one sign of a true leader.
But the key to the whole thing, above all else…
The guiding force for any kind of transformation, whether it’s for UA, your own business, or anything else under the sun…
That guidance has to come from the top.
Because while it’s true that one person can’t do everything…
As the captain steers, so goes the ship.
|| posted by chris under business, community, more cowbell, thumbs up || || ||
