Leaders Start Your Engines:
Challenging the Status Quo
Roger Thorne, Managing Partner
Hudson Gain Corporation
For WVU NJ/NY Metro Alumni
September 21, 2009
Five Penn Plaza, 23rd Floor, New York, NY 10001 Phone 212.835.1601 www.hudsongain.com
Copyright ©2009 Hudson Gain Corporation

Founded in 2002, Hudson Gain
Corporation believes that the work of a
leaders is to provide the best leadership
possible and to make their organizations
sustainable from the perspective of the
triple bottom line: People, Profit, Planet.
Hudson Gain focuses on the People part
of the equation: helping management
“build or buy” their leadership talent. As a
leadership solutions firm, we serve the
talent acquisition, talent development and
change management needs of client
companies of all sizes and industries.
Copyright ©2009 Hudson Gain Corporation
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Question?
Who is a Leader?
What makes a great Leader?
Character vs.
Actions and Results
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WVU was founded in 1867
So who was the leader that challenged the Status Quo?

WVU was founded in 1867
So who was the leader that challenged the Status Quo?

So who was the leader that challenged the
Status Quo that lead to the creation of WVU?
1862 President Abraham Lincoln signed the
Morrill Act offering land-grant of 30,000 acres
federally owned land to each state that would
start a college for the study of agriculture and
mechanic arts (engineering)
1857 Justin Morrill representative from Vermont
proposed the bill that Lincoln signed
1842 Professor Jonathan Turner of Illinois
College lead a political movement calling for the
creation of agricultural colleges in every state
To challenge the Status Quo you have to thing BIG

But what keeps leaders from thinking BIG?
Phones Employees
Goals
Meetings
Projects
Customers

Challenge as a WVU Alumni – Start Your Engines
By thinking B-I-G!

B-I-G Model for Challenging the Status Quo
Solutions do not have to
be fully baked to offer a What you are willing
productive “challenge” to take a stand for in
to problems reaching your personal
Goals and Vision
Generate Believe
Really Great Solutions In the impact you can have
Build relationship and
keep conversation open
Involve
Identify others who share your passion
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B-I-G: Willing to take a stand = Purpose
Leaders challenge the Status Quo
Leaders feel they can make things better
Leaders believe they can meet the challenge and make the
challenge big!
Big Hair Audacious Goals
Leaders communicate
Does your vision and work start with “purpose”?
Can you convey it in 30 seconds or less? Some would say five
words or less – a mantra
Winning is everything – Vince Lombardi
Authentic Athletic Performance – Nike
Rewarding everyday moments – Starbucks
Think – IBM
What would be your mantra?

Communicate to get others Involved
Can you make your “elevator speech”:
Link to a higher level purpose
Something interesting, “inspired” and “shared”**
Something that you share consistently with others
Rooted in your vision for your work
Can even be a personal mantra
**For more on “inspiring a shared vision” see “The Leadership Challenge” by Kouzes and Posner

Thanks and we are glad to send you the slides
Roger Thorne
Managing Partner
212 835 1601
Roger.thorne@hudsongain.com
Hudson Gain Corporation
Five Penn Plaza, 23rd floor
New York, NY 10001
www.hudsongain.com
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Copyright ©2009 Hudson Gain Corporation