Posted 10:50 pm Thursday, February 14, 2013
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Leadership University president, West Point grad speaks to chamber
Dave Anderson believes the success of an organization rises and falls based on its leadership.
Anderson, president of Express Leadership University in Tyler, is a military veteran and West Point graduate with 20 years of experience working for corporate America. He spoke to a group of about 40 people Wednesday at the Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce Quarterly Business Breakfast.
Anderson talked about his years at West Point and working in sales leadership positions. He said even though he learned a lot in the military and at companies that poured leadership over him, he learned most from his mistakes.
"How we are is who we are," he said. "How we are on a habitual basis is who we are right here."
He said leadership is a blend of competence and character.
"Competence is the price of admission into leadership," Anderson said. "Character is where most leadership failures are."
He said there are no small tests of character.
Anderson learned at West Point that character begins with thoughts, leads to words, which lead to actions. And actions over time form habits, which determine character and destiny.
"Whether you have a title or not, we're all leaders," he said. "We all influence ... Leadership is a positive thing so what are you influencing people toward?"
He said the goal of Express Leadership University is to be the leadership development department for East Texas businesses. "We are an East Texas business dedicated to develop East Texas leaders," he said.
Businesses can send their leaders to the university one morning a month for six months and each month builds on the previous one. The flagship program is offered at Express Employment Professionals' new Express Leadership Development Center, at 5609 Donnybrook Ave. For more information, visit www.elutyler.com.
"The idea is to give East Texas leaders an opportunity to grow ...," he said.
