"Journey" Time

Some of you who are reading this blog may question my devotion to a band that some might call "before my time." But I have an appreciation for all music - new and old hits - especially those whose songs are frequently played by cover bands throughout the country and even made an infamous appearance I'll never forget to end the much loved mob-drama, The Sopranos, last year. Given all the "rock stars" that surrounded me last week and the current playlist on my iPod (which got me through all the traveling and book reading), I thought I'd creatively pay homage to my experience at the PMA Leadership Symposium.

The symposium is over and I'm back in the office, but my Journey using these newly acquired skills has just begun. "As the Wheel in the Sky Keeps on Turning" I've realized that many of these skills pertain to self development as much as business development, so I don't just need to use them on the job in the office. Each day I can have "Open Arms" and set up what George Lebovitz calls a "main thing" to accomplish, whether it be increasing my own daily fruit and vegetable consumption by drinking a glass of fresh squeezed orange juice each morning, have my work reports updated before noon, or simply educate myself on 1970s arena rock bands.

"Any Way You Want It," there is an opportunity to learn about all segments of the industry at the PMA Leadership Symposium because of the diverse mix of people that attend. "I Was Alone, I Never Knew" that I'd have the opportunity to get to know so many key members or "rock stars" of the industry on a personal level or that I'd be able to hear so many stories about the industry. The relaxed and educational environment makes it easy for the conversations to flow and for new ideas to be shared. "Only the Young Can Say" that the experiences shared by the attendees at the symposium are a first and have no comparison in value to any college text book.

"When the Lights Go Down in the City," I'm sure all attendees would agree that it was great to attend an event like the Leadership Symposium to get a fresh perspective on the industry and create new contacts. Even though we all went our "Separate Ways", I have followed-up with the people I have met and they all have continued to give me great insight and recommendations. With the skills I've learned from attending PMA's Leadership Symposium and the people I have met (or better yet the support that has been provided to me by the people I have met), I feel I'm on the right path to be able to make a significant contribution or two throughout my career as long as I continue to listen to these rock stars and "Don't Stop Believin'" in myself.