PALOS VERDES, CA – With more than 30 educational sessions on tap, plus compelling keynote content, Construction Super Conference (CSC) is once again poised to showcase expert advice for mid- to senior-level professionals who work in any of the legal and commercial construction markets. Broad in scope and heavy on detail, the Law sessions feature in-depth education via the best experts in the industry.
Program design allows for ample opportunity to meet and network with representatives from the leading construction firms and the industry’s top construction attorneys. “Networking and learning has the added benefit of inspiration—the kind of inspiration that comes from getting out of the office and focusing on new ideas,” says Kevin Gaffney (pictured, right), group show director, CSC. “On Dec 17, from 8:15 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., our Opening and Keynote Address will feature Alec Ross, one of America’s leading experts on innovation. It’s the perfect opportunity to get inspired with fresh perspectives.”
“Many years ago there was a perception held by many, and in some ways accurate, that the education sessions were driven more by sponsorships than by content,” says Robert S. Peckar, founding partner, Peckar & Abramson, P.C., New York, NY. “All that changed, and in recent years I believe attendee evaluation forms have demonstrated that the role of the Advisory Committee in selecting, and indeed sometimes engineering the sessions, has led to a broad, diversified, and valuable selection of sessions appreciated by attendees. As a member of the Committee and co-chair of the event, I can say without any hesitation that this year’s line-up of programs will offer valuable educational opportunities where the transfer of knowledge, experience, and insight is the sole mission.”
Those looking for new insights on leadership may choose to attend The Women’s Leadership Workshop: Influential Leadership with Courtney Lynch, a former Marine Corps Officer and New York Times bestselling author. News Print sat down with Lynch, a first-time speaker at CSC, to get a taste of her leadership philosophy, as well as her belief in the continuing relevance of in-person conferences.
News Print: What are the misconceptions about real leadership?
Courtney Lynch: Society really thinks of leadership as title or power or prestige, or that fancy corner office. I like to debunk that myth a bit, and make leadership much more local. I define a leader as someone who can influence outcomes and inspire others. I tie it to those two skill sets, and those skill sets are driven by the behavior choices that individuals make.
If you want power, prestige, status, and the fancy corner office—the better you are at influencing outcomes and inspiring others, the more effective you’ll be at achieving those goals, and certainly in leading people as well. I think we all have the opportunity to lead no matter where we’re at. We want to be that person people seek out, because they know what they’re going to get with us, and they get consistency and credibility and strong performance.
News Print: What would you say to people who believe it’s not worth attending conferences like CSC?
Lynch: I would say that a growth mindset is so important. When we have that mindset where we’re open to learning and we schedule time on a regular basis. A conference that takes place each year like this is fantastic, because we can make time for it, and know that we’re going to go and learn and meet new people, reconnect with colleagues who are trusted, and see what’s going on in the industry. I think it’s imperative to go to conferences like this that are industry specific and relevant. It shows, by taking the action and making the commitment, that we have that growth mindset. We’re not fixed, we want to be open, we want to seek out innovation, we want to be part of the future of the next era of success for ourselves and the industry and making that happen.
News Print: What is the value of face-to-face interaction in today’s business world?
Lynch: There are so many great opportunities to learn virtually or remotely, and I think it’s great how technology has helped us learn anytime and anywhere, but I think that makes the face-to-face even more valuable. Of course, we’re all busy and we all have to make choices about how we spend our time. When we’re making the choice, at least some of the time, to gather in person with our peers, it’s invaluable. We have to hold ourselves accountable because it does take extra energy to make those commitments and keep those commitments. I think that’s where Super Conference comes in. It’s all there for you. It’s put together, it’s curated, it’s the best of the best. I think that’s what makes these types of conferences, CSC in particular, the event to attend each year.
News Print: For women in particular, what are some of the typical leadership hurdles within the construction law arena in 2019?
Lynch: Women are definitely a minority in the construction law arena, and I think the hurdle is that sometimes when women are a minority in the organization, and I can absolutely relate to this having learned to lead as a Marine Corps officer, they really seek to assimilate. They try to fit in, and of course we’re humans, we want to try to naturally fit in to the environments we’re part of. Yet, sometimes women underestimate the power of diversity that they can bring, and it doesn’t mean that you don’t enjoy getting along well with your colleagues. I think it’s important for women in particular to bring any unique strengths that they have, so that the organizations they’re a part of can really leverage the power of the diversity they bring to the table.
News Print: Is it accurate that attendees to your workshop will receive a free copy of your New York Times best-selling book?
Lynch: Yes, everyone who comes will get a free copy of my book. What’s cool about that is we’re all going to be together at super-conference in December, yet Spark and Leading from the Front [the book] has tons of free online resources. After people attend the workshop on the 16th of December, they’re also going to get opportunities to continue their learning journey far beyond the session together.
We’re going to be talking about leadership in a very practical way, and then there’s a whole online portal at sparkslead.us where they can access videos and handouts and all kinds of great things to just actually put themselves in a position of sharing leadership messages with their team, just like I’ll be doing with the folks who show up—and it’s all free. I’m not trying to sell anything, I’m just a nerdy leadership geek and I get excited when people talk about leadership.
About Courtney Lynch
Courtney Lynch served for nine years as a Marine Corps officer. She managed a top-notch sales team for Rational Software and earned her law degree at William & Mary, practicing at one of the nation’s leading law firms, and creating Lead Star (www.leadstar.us), a leadership development consulting firm. She served as an elected official and recently completed a hiatus from her consulting work, during which she served as chief operating officer of a rapidly scaling technology company. She is a business owner and New York Times best-selling author of Spark and Leading from the Front. Most recently she was awarded the National Stevie Award for Best Female Entrepreneur and BusinessWeek profiled her achievements as a leadership expert. A dynamic guest on CNBC, FOX News, and CNN, Courtney’s efforts with Lead Star have been noted in publications ranging from Harvard Business Review and Fast Company to The Financial Times. She is married to Patrick Lynch, and is the proud mother of three children. She resides in Northern California.
