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Leadership, Communication & Empowerment: A Day with Steve McClatchy

For the second year in a row, Focal Pointe sponsored a seminar at Busch Stadium featuring Steve McClatchy as the keynote speaker.

Steve McClatchy is a national speaker and author of the New York Times Bestseller, Decide: Work Smarter, Reduce Your Stress & Lead by Example. He has worked with some of the most prominent organizations in the world including Google, Under Armour, Disney, John Deere, Microsoft, and others. Steve is passionate about continual improvement and believes that when we stop growing, learning, gaining experience, and achieving goals we stop living.

Steve’s presentation entitled, Leading Relationships: Communicate Effectively, Resolve Conflict, Hold Others Accountable & Lead High Performance Relationships, was the focus for Focal Pointe’s day-long event.

McClatchy employed an enjoyable combination of energy and humor that engaged the Focal Pointe team and our invited business partners in attendance on a path that shifted the focus away from Management (maintenance and things we have to do) and towards Leadership – improvements and things we don’t have to do. This began with a “Motivation Checklist” to understand what drives not only ourselves, but to use as a tool with our team members to understand what drives them as well.

Steve also led the team through an understanding of the Five Levels of Maturity: Recognition, Facts and Agreements, Opinions, Vulnerabilities, and Needs. Using real-life examples, he taught us how the different levels of maturity truly set the tone for success in both business and personal relationships.

Another takeaway from the event was that everyone in attendance is now fluent in “McClatchy family slang.” We now know the difference between varsity – when someone does something they didn’t have to or does something at a high level; J.V. – a person or action that is immature, or low level; and 5th grade flag football – something that is downright petty. This newfound knowledge is sure to make it into everyone’s lexicon.

The event came to a close with coaching to identify what McClatchy calls the “Dead Moose” – obstacles in our relationships – and some key phrases that can be used to de-escalate difficult situations.

Following the event, the group expressed confidence and empowerment in what they learned from the seminar along with appreciation of the continued investment Focal Pointe makes in its team members.