The Art of Leadership Toronto (SPONSORED)

The world is not the same place it was twenty years ago, so why are professionals still relying on leadership techniques applicable to a time when Google was only murmured by infants? Times have changed, and so has the way we interact with one another and forge the way towards a successful future. In the business world, it is crucial to think fast and act even faster, but these tactics are useless without a clear vision and strong leadership skills. The Art of Leadership Toronto 2012 taking place on June 5th aims to empower leaders from around the globe by bringing together top thinkers who have experienced both success and failure in their line of work. Any successful strategy requires advice from renowned visionaries, so why not start by listening to some of the best in the world?

Hosted by the Art of Productions Inc., the Art of Leadership Toronto 2012 focuses on six visionaries with big ideas. Speakers at the event include Marcus Buckingham, Vijay Govindarajan, Chester Elton, Susan Cain, Stephen Shapiro and Leonard Brody, all individuals who know a thing or two about guidance and management. Although their strategies may differ, each speaker demonstrates the need for effective leadership and outlines how others can follow the path to success.

Innovation is key to staying ahead in today’s fast-paced business world, and speakers Vijay Govindarajan and Stephen Shapiro are all too familiar with this concept. Both leading professionals have experience in this field, with Shapiro being the author of ‘Best Practices are Stupid: 40 Ways to Out-Innovate the Competition.’ He is an authority on developing new ideas that last, and doing so at breakneck speed. Shapiro’s main focus is creating and leading a culture of innovation, pointing out the strengths and benefits of each and every employee. He also highlights ways in which leaders can make the innovation process more predictable, allowing business professionals to execute new strategies with ease.

Focusing on one’s strengths is a critical point for leaders to understand, and both Susan Cain and Marcus Buckingham use this idea as a base for their research. Cain is an expert at understanding the power of introverts in a society that tends to give more credit to outgoing leaders, and Buckingham encourages managers to focus on specific strengths of team members and coach accordingly. Not everyone processes information the same or is passionate about similar subjects, so why put your team into one big melting pot? These two leaders focus on taking personality into consideration, and using these methods to empower workers instead of hindering them.

Last, but certainly not least in this stellar line-up of visionary leaders, is Chester Elton and Leonard Brody. Both are best-selling authors who fully comprehend the power in understanding the motivations of employees and the keys to creating a productive team. Brody emphasizes a shift in mentality of contemporary individuals, and points out how many lack the desire to be led. He discusses how to approach this new situation and leverage it to create independent workers who thrive in a self-led environment. The key is appreciating where these people are coming from, and working with them to empower the team as a whole.

Join Trend Hunter as six internationally renowned, best-selling authors and visionaries take the stage at the Art of Leadership Toronto 2012 on June fifth.

TRENDHUNTER – save $50 per single ticket or $100 per ticket for groups of three or more.

Additional Images: Leadercast | Inc. Magazine | Modular | The Star | Rajesh Setty | GrowLab