In this week’s edition of our Corporate Competitor Podcast, Topgolf CEO Dolf Berle teaches how to overcome self-doubt, shorten the life-cycle of failure, and be a brave leader. Through his track and field experience at Harvard and beyond, Berle learned to apply lessons that would lead him to the Pole Vaulting World Championships—and the set of American Ninja Warrior.
“I don’t consider it a failure to lose if you’re beaten by someone who is just so much better than you. I actually enjoy being in the company of people who are so awesome,” Berle said in the podcast episode.
His pole vaulting motto — “choose to be brave before you start” — shaped his two decades of C-Suite experience, including serving as the COO of House of Blues Entertainment, President of Lucky Strike Lanes, President and COO of Dave & Buster’s, and now CEO of the popular sports entertainment company Topgolf, where he oversees 20,000 employees in 25 countries.
“It is an everyday effort to practice being braver than your instincts want you to be,” Berle said as he opened up about one of the most emotional moments in his family’s life.
Berle believes that embracing competition:
“Culture is created by design or default,” Berle said. Define your culture with lessons drawn from more than two decades of C-Suite experience. Listen now!
You will learn:
7:15 How to improve your mental strength and courage.
11:00 How Dolf finds strength and joy in the midst of post-traumatic stress.
13:45 How to overcome self-doubt.
15:30 A behind the scenes look into the American Ninja Warrior experience.
19:00 Dolf Berle’s most challenging moment as a CEO and how he continues to draw strength from it.
24:00 How to shorten the length of a failure.
27:00 How to prioritize family and philanthropy in a C-suite role.
29:00 The little gift Dolf gives to encourage others.
Check out the full Corporate Competitor Podcast interview archive.
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1:00 - 5:00 pm
Over 70% of Executives Surveyed Agree: Many Strategic Planning Efforts Lack Systematic Approach Tips for Enhancing Your Strategic Planning Process
Executives expressed frustration with their current strategic planning process. Issues include:
Steve Rutan and Denise Harrison have put together an afternoon workshop that will provide the tools you need to address these concerns. They have worked with hundreds of executives to develop a systematic approach that will enable your team to make better decisions during strategic planning. Steve and Denise will walk you through exercises for prioritizing your lists and steps that will reset and reinvigorate your process. This will be a hands-on workshop that will enable you to think about your business as you use the tools that are being presented. If you are ready for a Strategic Planning tune-up, select this workshop in your registration form. The additional fee of $695 will be added to your total.
2:00 - 5:00 pm
Female leaders face the same issues all leaders do, but they often face additional challenges too. In this peer session, we will facilitate a discussion of best practices and how to overcome common barriers to help women leaders be more effective within and outside their organizations.
Limited space available.
10:30 - 5:00 pm
General’s Retreat at Hermitage Golf Course
Sponsored by UBS
General’s Retreat, built in 1986 with architect Gary Roger Baird, has been voted the “Best Golf Course in Nashville” and is a “must play” when visiting the Nashville, Tennessee area. With the beautiful setting along the Cumberland River, golfers of all capabilities will thoroughly enjoy the golf, scenery and hospitality.
The golf outing fee includes transportation to and from the hotel, greens/cart fees, use of practice facilities, and boxed lunch. The bus will leave the hotel at 10:30 am for a noon shotgun start and return to the hotel after the cocktail reception following the completion of the round.
