Leadership Summits That Work ??

Leadership summits can be incredibly powerful events, aligning executives, fostering collaboration, and driving strategic initiatives. However, when poorly executed, they often become wasted opportunities. Here's a breakdown of strategies to make your leadership summits more impactful, cost-effective, and valuable to your organization, based on the work of Bob Frisch and Cary Greene.

Common Pitfalls of Leadership Summits ??

Many leadership summits fail to achieve their goals. They often follow a tired formula:

• Top-down information flow with long platform presentations from C-suite executives.
• Minimal engagement from participants, resulting in a lack of clear takeaways.
• Inefficient use of time and money, leaving executives only slightly better informed and networked.

To avoid this, summits should be designed to foster genuine conversations and contributions from all attendees, not just the leadership team.

Before the Summit: Laying the Groundwork ???

1. Assign Clear Roles with Authority Ensure that a Summit Director is responsible for shaping the event, controlling the agenda, and managing inputs from C-level executives. Their job is to stay focused on the objectives of the summit, not just logistical details like locations and speaker bookings.

Key Roles:

• Meeting Owner: The CEO or top executive who convenes the summit and makes key decisions.
• Summit Director: Owns the agenda and works with the design team to create the materials and structure.
• Content Editor: Ensures all presentations are aligned with objectives.
• Coordinator: Manages logistics like travel, venues, and scheduling.

2. Define Clear Objectives Instead of vague themes, start with clear questions:

• "What do we want the attendees to take away?"
• "What are the most important outcomes?"

For example, at one consumer products company, the objectives were to align leadership around a cost-reduction program, restore faith in the brand, and ensure accountability for meeting growth goals.

3. Pre-Summit Engagement Eight to ten weeks before the summit, use surveys to gauge attendees' views on critical issues. This helps refine the agenda and make the content more relevant. Consider sending reading materials and hosting a webcast to prepare participants.

During the Summit: Engaging the Audience ??

1. Set the Pace and Rhythm Avoid endless podium presentations. Instead, mix in interactive exercises, small-group discussions, and guest speakers. Keep sessions short, focused, and aligned with summit objectives.

Example: A luxury goods company used instant polls and Q&A sessions to ensure attendees fully understood the new strategy before moving forward.

2. Top-Down Communication Done Right Keep C-suite presentations brief (15-20 minutes), with 5-7 slides maximum. Ensure the presentations are well-coordinated, concise, and relevant to the summit's goals.

3. Foster Engagement Across the Group Use a variety of techniques to gather input from frontline executives:

• Polling technology: Quick, real-time responses to yes/no or multiple-choice questions.
• Group exercises: For instance, a "poker chip" game to allocate budget priorities, providing management with valuable insights.
• Self-facilitated dialogues: Structured conversations to gather feedback on important issues.

After the Summit: Follow-Up and Execution ??

1. Create Clear Takeaways Summarize key decisions and talking points, ensuring leaders leave with materials to communicate effectively with their teams. These could include talking points, videos, or pithy presentations.

2. Track Commitments Ensure all promises made during the summit are followed up. At one company, participants received emails a month later, reminding them of their commitments and asking for progress updates.

3. Keep the Conversation Going Use surveys to measure the impact of the summit. Provide platforms for ongoing discussions and collaboration, such as corporate social networks.

Conclusion: The Value of a Well-Executed Summit ??

A well-run leadership summit can be a major driver of strategic progress. By ensuring clear objectives, engaging content, and effective follow-up, your leadership summit can become a highlight of the year—one that genuinely moves the needle for your organization.