IHRSA 2012: Editor’s Picks

By Craig R. Waters

I don’t know about you, but I’ve already begun the countdown—it’s just 65 days now to March 14, when the curtain will rise on IHRSA’s 31^st Annual International Convention and Trade Show in Los Angeles.             

          Have you registered for the convention? Made your travel arrangements? Booked a hotel room? Studied the list of speakers to identify the ones that you absolutely have to hear?

         The obvious choices at the top of my own “must see” list are the three keynote speakers that I’ve become acquainted with through the Q&As that we’ve conducted with them for CBI. They are:

William Taylor          William Taylor, the cofounder of Fast Company magazine, whom we featured in our January issue. Taylor will speak on “Practically Radical: Transforming Your Company and Yourself” at 5:30-6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 14. His appearance is sponsored by Matrix Fitness.

        My favorite Taylor quote: “It’s not good enough to be ‘pretty good’ anymore. You have to be the ‘most’ of something—the most focused, the most responsive, the most colorful, the most elegant: the most something!”

      Simon SinekSimon Sinek, the best-selling author and business consultant, who you’ll discover on the cover of our February issue. He’ll speak on “How Great Leaders Inspire Action,” at 8-9:30 a.m. on Thursday, March 15. His presentation is sponsored by Precor, Inc.

      Favorite quote: “All of the great and inspiring leaders, everyone from Martin Luther King, Jr., to Steve Jobs…think act, and communicate in exactly the same way, and they do so differently than anyone else.”

Guy Kawasaki

                                                                 Guy Kawasaki, an accomplished author, entrepreneur, and business philosopher, whom you’ll find in our March issue. Kawasaki will explore “The Art of Enchantment” at 8-9:30 a.m., on Friday, March 16. His appearance is sponsored by Technogym.

      Favorite quote: “For the club industry…enchantment is a relationship that goes beyond ‘I bill you monthly, and you show up and pump some weights.’ It means that your customers are enthusiastic patrons—so enthusiastic that they ‘evangelize’ to others about joining your club.”

     Okay, so that’s the start of my list…Now, I’ve just got, oh, say, about 117 other convention speakers that I need to consider—I’ll let you know how that goes.

 Craig R. Waters is the editor-in-chief of CBI and can be reached at c.waters@fit-etc.com