It was 2013, and the HARDI brain trust was mulling over a perennial chess problem. What type of programs could it offer its members that would benfit their financial health and success? Taking input from members and their own discussions led to, in hindsight, an obvious conclusion: the need for leadership training. Under the direction of Emily Saving, vice president, services and operations, a consensus determined that the membership needed a way to identify, encourage and nurture future industry leaders. The entire process recognized an inexorable truth: a younger generation would eventually replace the current leadership crop.
The result of those deliberations was the Emerging Leaders program. In simple terms, the program prepares its participants for greater leadership roles in the future. It meets biannually, with a three-day conference in July and a meeting at HARDI’s annual conference in December, according to Nick Benton, manager of training and HR solutions. Both programs rotate through six identifiable leadership skills that include: Self-Leadership, Leading Teams, Leading the Organization, Financials and Profitability, Strategic Planning and Functional Leadership.