Finding the I in TEAM: Leadership Lessons From Some of the World's Toughest Marathons

Preparing for and completing a marathon is the perfect backdrop for examining the problems and challenges faced by today’s business leaders. While all certified marathons are the same distance, the dangers, terrain, altitude, and weather offer unique and varying challenges. However, you quickly learn that hills build character.

• The 3,600 steps of the Great Wall of China Marathon relate to a 3,600-task project schedule.

• Dealing with predators on Kenya’s Lewa SafriCom Marathon course was like managing risks on international, multi-million dollar projects.

• Setting realistic project goals is like running in the frigid Antarctica Marathon.

 Whether you’re in a high pressured meeting or encountering predators on Kenya’s high attitude Lewa SafriCom Marathon course, you must be a fast thinker. You won’t have the luxury to conduct research on the internet, call a consultant, or read a book. You must be able to react quickly to make critical decisions with limited information. The manager should weigh the advantages of a short term sprint with finishing in the long run. You must become a marathoner, who successfully uses their knowledge to mentally and physically push towards new limits.

 

Anthony took this photo on the Kenyan marathon course.

Successful endurance athletes and business managers exhibit the same characteristics to thrive. They manage change by taking calculated risks and gradually expanding their comfort zones. This is how a miler becomes a marathoner and an individual contributor becomes a successful manager. They must incorporate change, manage risk, and motivate people to go up hill at a time when they want to quit. All of this must be achieved in a stressful, challenging business environment.

 

The presenter shares his experiences as a 25-year, corporate executive and finisher of over 100 26.2-mile marathons to show you methods to lead people using marathon techniques and strategies. The presenter is also one of fewer than 300 people in the world to have completed a marathon on all seven continents, including Antarctica.

               

 

Keynote Speech Examples & Abstracts

• Finding the I in TEAM - Leadership Lessons From Some of the World's Toughest Marathons
• Selling the PMO (and Other Concepts) to Executives
• Preventing the Scope Creeper From Killing Your Project
• The Secrets to Successfully Select & Implement Business Software Applications

Seminars & Abstracts

• Debits & Credits for Project Managers: Fundamentals of Accounting and Related Business Cycles
• Running To Leadership: Individual and Team Building
• Managing Difficult Projects: Techniques to Sail Through (Or Around) The Perfect "Project" Storm (i.e. Limited Resources, Lack of Time, And/Or Changing Scope)
• Establishing & Maintaining a Project Management Office (PMO)

 

Anthony Reed at the PMI Latin American Congress in Sao Paulo, Brazil

Audio Video Requirements

One 12' square screen or larger. If you're a small group in a small room, you may not be able to accommodate a 12' square screen. Please provide the largest screen possible for the room size.

• Access to an LCD projector and a laptop or PC for use with a CD or flash drive containing images in PowerPoint format.
• One lapel wireless microphone.

PLEASE NOTE: - Anthony would like 30 minutes with the AV technician prior to his presentation to test images & audio levels.