Your future, our focus
POWELL, Wyo. - Big Horn Basin residents, and especially those in business, education and agriculture leadership roles, are invited to check out opportunities to meet and discuss a wide range of topics related to business and leadership through this year's Executive Book Club (EBC).
The EBC is designed for people who are interested in keeping current on the latest thinking and literature that affects their work and for those who may not be sure what the next steps are in applying lessons from the latest business or leadership texts.
Discussions revolve around core ideas presented in some of today's most well-known and oft-read business and leadership texts. The meetings are open to agreements and disagreements on the author's ideas, as well as consideration of applications in real-world situations around the Big Horn Basin.
The group meets every six weeks throughout the year to discuss a new text. Meetings run between two and three hours, and light hors d'oeuvres will be served.
Rick LaPlante, a retired Microsoft executive, will facilitate. LaPlante is an avid reader of business and leadership texts, and has presented several leadership roundtables for the Northwest College Center for Training and Development.
LaPlante will choose the text to be discussed at the first meeting and then suggest some of what he considers interesting titles as a catalyst for selecting this year's discussion topics. After the first meeting, the group as a whole will take over the book selection for remaining meetings.
The first title is the 10th anniversary revised and updated edition of "The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership" by John C. Maxwell. The book is broken down into chapters for each "law," which are presented with plenty of humor and examples. Unlike some business books that take their examples from the rich and famous, many of Maxwell's are from his personal experiences as a pastor, as well as stories as far removed as Mother Theresa and Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf.
The NWC Center for Training and Development is working with the Park County and Hinckley libraries and with local booksellers to ensure enough texts are available for EBC members' use. Ten copies of the first title are also available at the NWC Bookstore for $17.99 plus tax.
Those who are interested in participating are encouraged to pick up a book soon to be prepared for the Thursday, Oct. 22, meeting at 6:30 p.m. in the NWC Center for Training and Development on the college's West Campus. Participation in the Executive Book Club is free, but advance registration is required.
To reserve a spot on this year's EBC or for more information, e-mail Stacy Gilman or call 307-754-6062.