Throw a stone into still water and the affect is far reaching. One ripple spawns the next for several iterations. Leadership is like that. A teachable moment with a mentor, a shared experience with a colleague, an “Aha!” moment when something clicks into place, these all cause ripples. They make us better. They empower us and the people around us. 

Brad Loase, owner of Express Employment Professionals, is in the business of empowering people (and businesses, because businesses are made up of people) to be and do their best. By matching the right people with the right jobs, Express changes businesses and lives, which in turn impacts the community. And that is where Loase’s passion lies — in doing what he can to help foster a thriving and prosperous community. For Loase, that comes in the form of the Refresh Leadership Live Simulcast, which Express Employment, the Greater Fayetteville Chamber and Holiday Inn I-95 host each year. This year’s event falls on April 13 and includes speakers, breakout sessions, a panel discussion and more.

“This is a really great opportunity to learn more about leadership on many levels,” said Loase. “We’ve got three internationally-
known leaders and a very highly regarded state-level speaker. This is the seventh year for Refresh Leadership Live, but it’s the second year we have partnered with the Chamber. It blew me away last year. We have incredible leaders here.” 

The simulcast portion of the day runs from 9 a.m. to noon and features Marshall Goldsmith, author, professor, and executive coach; Shaquille “Shaq” O’Neal, television sports analyst and 15-time NBA All-Star; and Kaplan Mobray, author, motivational speaker and career consultant. Phyllis Houston-Washington is the luncheon keynote speaker. After lunch, there will be breakout sessions and a panel discussion. The event concludes with Business After Hours. Throughout the day, tables are set up with local vendors sharing educational and business-related resources.

Loase sees this event as something unique that can make a difference locally. 

“Your community is only as successful as the people in the community make it. I always want to do things to help make the community stronger,” said Loase. “I would not do this if I felt like it was standard boxed messages that we were repeating. These are people speaking from the heart, sharing true experiences and giving honest insight about how they got to where they are.”

Marshall Goldsmith is the first speaker of the day. His talk is titled What Got You Here, Won’t Get You There. Goldsmith’s books include two New York Times best sellers: Mojo and What Got You Here, Won’t Get You There. He also teaches at Dartmouth’s Tuck School of Business.

Shaquille O’Neal’s piece is in a question and answer format and is titled “Leadership Lessons from Inside the Paint.” He’ll share leadership lessons he’s learned on and off the court. A legendary NBA star, O’Neal is also ranked among the 100 Most Creative People in Business by Fast Company Magazine.

Mobray rounds out the simulcast portion of the event with a talk about “The 10 Ls of Leadership.” In it, he challenges listeners to understand their unique leadership qualities and how to best use them. He is the author of The 10 Ks of Personal Branding.

The keynote speaker Phyllis Houston-Washington currently lives in Charlotte, but she is no stranger to Fayetteville. She and her family lived here for several years, during which time she worked for WCLN and WFSS. 

“I still have friends in Fayetteville. Coming to Fayetteville is like coming home,” said Washington. “I am looking forward to coming back and sharing about how strong Fayetteville is and what they have that they don’t even realize.”

Washington promises a fresh perspective on leadership in her presentation. Don’t expect to hear the buzz words, key phrases and recycled steps to success and other clichés that are common at leadership conferences. In fact, Washington is planning “… something life-changing for leaders and those they lead.” She added, “Attendees can expect to walk away with something personal, practical and that they can apply to their lives. I will talk about the legacy of leadership. We don’t always recognize our own value.”

Taking the legacy concept a step further, there will be a workshop after lunch led by Washington. “We will talk about developing a leadership brand,” she said.

Loase noted that while the event is free, lunch is not. It costs $35. Chamber members; however, do receive a discounted price for the meal - $30. 

“My favorite part of the day is watching the people getting engaged and seeing reactions as they listen to the speakers,” he said. “They are movers and shakers in our world and they are sharing their experience. It is a way to give back to community. A lot of companies will do things like this and charge for it. We don’t want to charge — we want to make out community better.”

Register for the simulcast at https://www.expresspros.com/RefreshLeadershipLiveSimulcast/Registration.aspx. Register for the luncheon at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/refresh-leadership-live-simulcast-and-business-expo-ticckets23848549654?aff=ebrowse

For more information, call Loase at
910 437 5959.