Level Up: The MidSouth Leadership Summit

Leverage your skills and put them to the test! During this conference, we’ll host development workshops that help you learn and apply skills and strategies to build the Memphis of tomorrow.

During each session, you’ll have the opportunity to develop your abilities, learn how you can give back to your community, and educate yourself on the crucial issues our city faces. You’ll also have the opportunity to meet with organizations onsite to start applying your learnings immediately following the event.

Ticket Types Include:

Premium Pass: Admittance (1) to the full day of conference offerings; Offerings to include morning keynote, breakout sessions, lunch, and happy hour, Conference Swag, Additional drink tickets at Happy Hour (Limited Time offer)

General Admission: Admittance (1) to the full day of conference offerings; Offerings to include morning keynote, breakout sessions, lunch, and happy hour

About the Event

• Doors open at 8:00am. Summit begins promptly at 8:45am.
• Food and beverage amenities will be available on site. Additional food and beverage will be available for purchase.
• All entrants must have a ticket.
• No outside professional photography, video, or audio recording equipment allowed.
• Event location: The University Center at the University of Memphis (499 University Street, Memphis, TN 38152)
• Free parking is available in the Zach Curlin Parking Garage (505 Zach H Curlin St, Memphis, TN 38111)
• COVID-19 PROTOCOLS: Masks are optional for this event. We will continue to monitor the state of COVID-19 cases in our community along with adhering to any guidelines set by the CDC or University of Memphis. Protocols may change based on the discretion of New Memphis or the University of Memphis.

Seating:

• Open seating on first come, first served basis.

Session Info:

In addition to a lunch panel and Happy Hour and Networking session at the end of the summit, the below sessions will help to develop your abilities, learn how you can give back to your community, and educate yourself on the crucial issues our city faces.

Keynote: Look Before You Leap!

Most things in life are centered around one focus or idea; KNOWING WHO YOU ARE. This allows you to show up authentically in every area of your life and provides you with the strength and confidence that is necessary for you to take the LEAPS you need to reach your goals. When you have a firm grip on your identity, the possibilities for your life are endless.

This opening session is designed to encourage attendees to intentionally seek and understand who they are, which empowers them to take ownership or their lives and realize their true potential. This session has three main focuses:

1. Find Yourself (The Power of Self-Discovery)
2. Eliminate the Distractions (Removing the Obstacles)
3. Jump (Removing Fear and Doubt)

Following this session, attendees will be able to:

1. Confidently promulgate who they are
2. Identify the distractions that prevent them from leveling up
3. Develop a personalized system/routine for themselves
4. Carefully curate a plan of action and take the LEAP they need in their career

Session 1 Focus: EQ Building

1. Taking Off the Mask: At what point does "faking it til we make it" impose a sense that we are all frauds regardless of talents or abilities? At some point in all of our careers we ask the question of when others will figure out that we don't actually have the skillsets we're pretending to have - even when we do! The session will explain why high performing people often doubt their abilities and find it hard to enjoy their successes. It will also show the links to perfectionism and self-handicapping strategies such as procrastination, avoidance and over-commitment. Facilitator: Jani "Niranjani" Radhakrishnan
2. The Secret Sauce: No one ever really teaches you how to be a good manager or supervisor, right? There’s not a step-by-step guide, and it’s one of the most challenging duties of leadership in the workplace. This session will strengthen the skills needed to stimulate the performance of employees and effectively lead individuals as a manager. Facilitator: Dr. Mario Brown
3. Remember the Team: In general - morale is at an all-time low and it's even more prevalent in the workplace. Great leaders recognize the importance of creating positive work environments that people want to be a part of and fostering a culture of synergy. This session will equip executives with a blueprint to increase organizational morale through recognition, support, professional development, and career advancement/promotion. Facilitator: Jana Cardona

Session 2 Focus: Skill Building

1. Building Your Personal Board of Directors: A personal board of directors is like an unofficial group of guides or a team of unpaid career coaches. But how does one go about forming their personal board? This session will guide you in creating a plan of action in creating your personal board while navigating how to strengthen those relationships to help you in a lifetime of career navigation. Facilitator: NEXUS Leaders
2. Read the Room!: Over the last two years, George Floyd, COVID-19, Ahmaud Arbery, Accessibility, Breonna Taylor, LGBTQ + Rights, Immigration, Voting Rights, Women’s Rights, and Racial Inequality have been hot topic issues plaguing our communities. No matter the topic – we all have a position, an opinion, or an ideology; and we carry those things with us daily (even in our workplaces). This session will equip participants with resources to create inclusive spaces in the workplace through an exploration of identities, current issues, and best practices for fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion within our circles of influence. Facilitator: Reggie Davis
3. “I quit”: The Great Resignation Era: 90% of your new hires are thinking of leaving, so what are you to do about it? In the Great Resignation era coined by Anthony Klotz, we are finding that the pandemic has shifted the way people think about “work”; how they want to spend their time and energy; where they want to do it; and with whom they want to do it. This session is designed to help new hire managers and current and rising executives identity what employees are looking for in 2022 while reviewing today's best practices for employee recruitment and retention. Facilitator: Chad Prosser

Session 3 Focus: Community Activation

1. From the Board Room to the Board: With over 5,000 non-profits within the Mid-South, there is a strong need for strong talent to help organizations thrive through board support. Serving on a local nonprofit board not only helps the organization, but it allows you to share your expertise, tap into your passions, and increase your affinity to the community in which you live. This session will provide an overview on what to expect as a new board member while leveraging your skills, talents, and resources for the betterment of the organization. Facilitator: Reggie Davis
2. Lean on Me: Effective Mentoring: In the 1972 classic Lean on Me, Bill Withers said “We all need somebody to lean on”. With so many new professionals entering the workforce, job transitions, and job promotions - having a sounding board is critical to increased feelings of belonging, support, confidence, and perspectives. This session is designed to inspire professionals to engage in mentoring opportunities; equip mentors with the tools necessary to develop strong mentee/mentor relationships; and identify the benefits of mentorship for professionals of all generations in the workforce. Facilitator: NEXUS Leaders
3. Meanwhile in Memphis: We all know that Memphis is a great city to reside - with endless opportunities to live, lead, and experience some of the best entertainment and cultures in the world. We also know there are a growth opportunities to make our city better. Whether serving as a volunteer, service-based leader, or neighborhood organizer, we've got work to do and Memphis has infinite options to plug in! This session will focus on building your civic roadmap specific to your passions, skills, and time to commit - and offer strategies to become engaged in the community through volunteer and philanthropic efforts. Facilitators: Erin Wendell and Alexandra Schrack  

To learn more about the 2022 speakers and conference schedule, visit newmemphis.org. Attending as a team? Email info@newmemphis.org to learn more about group rates available to teams of 12 or more.