News Detail

Leadership…Yes That Means You

3/27/2017

Leadership is the name of the game. Leadership is about seizing opportunities. Leadership is agile and fast.

These statements, from Tom Flick, keynote speaker at The Concrete Convention and Exposition, Detroit, MI, USA, challenged attendees to be leaders in a keynote presentation titled “Leadership in a Faster Moving World.”

Flick gave an informative and thought-provoking presentation that focused on the challenge to corporate America, which Flick said is over-managed and under-led by a factor of four to one. Flick stated that while leadership and management are both crucial, the latter alone will not ensure success in an ever-changing highly competitive world. Flick believes we need much more leadership, not just more management; and in order to capitalize on windows of opportunity, leadership must be a responsibility for everyone, not just one executive.

"The number one challenge to leadership is complacency." - @tomflick #ACIConvention pic.twitter.com/AIuKeWiZBz

— AmericanConcreteInst (@ConcreteACI) March 26, 2017

Flick noted that the number one challenge is complacency, and the number one asset is true urgency. To achieve true urgency, Flick stated, it is necessary to focus the heart and the mind.

Wrapping up the Opening Session, Flick, former All-American quarterback and leadership guru, noted that great leaders go after the big opportunity by pushing frontiers. Flick’s final statement? “Go first and lead the way.”

Learn more about Flick’s ACI presentation here.

Flick has addressed more than 100,000 men and women each year on the topic of leadership, drawing on his experience as a former NFL quarterback, his extensive work in corporate America, and his work with Dr. John Kotter, Harvard Professor, and the world's foremost authority on change leadership, to drive home his point. His clients include corporations such as Microsoft, Starbucks, Amazon, PepsiCo, Google, and NASA.

ACI members are leaders and several are being recognized all this week at the Detroit Convention. The 2017 honorees include the induction of Honorary Members, ACI’s highest honor, which recognizes persons of eminence in the field of the Institute’s interest, or one who has performed extraordinary meritorious service to the Institute.

ACI is also recognizing 20 individuals with awards and medals that recognize exemplary achievement, groundbreaking research, and service to ACI and the concrete industry.  Additionally, 27 Fellows have been named for their outstanding contributions to the production or use of concrete materials, products, and structures in the areas of education, research, development, design, construction, or management.  The ACI Foundation also awarded three valued members for their contributions.

ACI is grateful to all awardees for their extraordinary contributions. Their dedication, leadership, and service to the Institute provide the backbone for continuous advancement within ACI and throughout the greater concrete community. Learn more about all ACI awardees.