Events

In fast-paced global companies, seamless teamwork isn't just a nice-to-have—it’s everything. Yet, fragmented communication costs organizations trillions of dollars a year in lost time, missed deadlines, and eroded trust. Traditional management training tries to fix this with rigid templates and generic rules, but that academic approach doesn't solve the fluid, real-world friction leaders face every day. When people rely strictly on their own version of "common sense," they unconsciously build invisible walls that trigger misunderstandings, isolate talent, and stall execution.

Real competitive advantage happens when leaders look past generic labels and actually decode how their people tick. In her book Uncover Your One Big Message, Natsuyo Nobumoto Lipschutz introduces a practical methodology to align complex teams by blending sharp corporate strategy with structured Japanese philosophy.

Key Takeaways:

• Close Communication Gaps: Develop practical strategies to identify hidden conversational friction and build absolute trust across multi background hybrid teams
• Deploy Facilitative Leadership: Master actionable communication techniques that draw out individual employee strengths without relying on rigid regional stereotypes
• Balance Logic and Narrative: Learn a step-by-step strategy to transform standard data and case studies into influential business stories that inspire team action About the

Speaker: Natsuyo Nobumoto Lipschutz, CSP, MBA, is a premier team strategist, keynote speaker, and competitive ballroom Latin dancer known as The Culture Choreographer. She is the first Japanese professional to earn the prestigious Certified Speaking Professional designation from the National Speakers Association and the author of Uncover Your One Big Message. Drawing from an international business career spanning roles at McKinsey and Company and ITOCHU International, Natsuyo integrates advanced corporate strategy, structural Japanese philosophical values, and the precision of competitive dance to help executive leaders turn friction into absolute strategic alignment.

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In today’s hyper-competitive landscape, many organizations face a frustrating paradox: they’re under immense pressure to innovate, yet traditional methods often lead to burnout and false promises. And even worse, trying to force creativity often stifles the very breakthroughs that give you an edge.

Drawing on groundbreaking research from her new book, Genius at Scale: How Great Leaders Drive Innovation (co-authored with Linda A. Hill and Jason Wild), Emily Tedards introduces a real-world alternative to these modern leadership challenges. This session moves beyond theory to show that true impact comes from co-creation: the art of collaborating, experimenting, and learning from others. Featuring stories from global leaders at organizations like Mastercard, Pfizer, and Procter & Gamble, Tedards provides a research-based framework for leading innovation that is both built to scale and to last.

To drive this genius at scale, leaders must master The ABC’s - a repertoire of three interrelated roles: the Architect, the Bridger, and the Catalyst. This framework, which was a finalist for the 2025 Thinkers50 Innovation Award, reimagines leadership as the art of creating an environment where co-creation and innovation can thrive.

Practical Tools and Strategies You’ll Gain Build a Culture of Co-creation:

• Design your organization as an Architect to build the culture and capabilities you need for co-creation.
• Bridge the Gap to New Opportunities: Work outside boundaries as a Bridger to build partnerships that give you access to new talent and tools.
• Provide the Spark to Scale: Launch movements as a Catalyst to spread and scale innovation across your entire ecosystem.

Ideal Participants for This Conversation

Current or aspiring leaders who want to stop guessing at innovation and start applying a proven, science-based model for cultivating genius at scale.

Join Emily Tedards to discover how to drive innovation and find the confidence to lead through modern organizational challenges.

About the Author

Emily Tedards is a graduate researcher in organizational behavior at Harvard Business School and a doctoral fellow with the Reimagining the Economy Initiative at Harvard Kennedy School. She is co-author of Genius at Scale: How Great Leaders Drive Innovation (March 2026), along with HBS professor Linda A. Hill and Jason Wild, a former Salesforce and Microsoft executive. Tedards studies cross-sector collaboration, organizational design, and innovation. Her research examines how business, government, and civil society actors collaborate to solve complex problems – from local economic development and climate change to the transformation of industries and nations. Tedards has published over 20 case studies and articles on leadership, innovation ecosystems, digital transformation, and corporate accelerators and innovation labs. She has collaborated with multinational companies, start-ups, and non-profits across the globe, including Comcast NBC Universal, Delta Air Lines, Google, Mastercard, Pfizer, Procter & Gamble, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, Dubai International Financial Centre, African Food Changemakers, Sampark Foundation, All Nippon Airways, avatarin, and Together for Sustainability.

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Strike Up Some Fun for Student Scholarships!

Last year, you helped us strike it big—raising more than $35,000 for the FGCU Alumni Association Scholarship Fund!

Join us September 19 at HeadPinz in Fort Myers from 4-7pm for another night of bowling, fun and supporting FGCU students. Every strike, spare and spare dollar helps provide scholarships to FGCU students.

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The traditional corporate playbook is broken, and it is costing organizations their best talent. Modern professionals are caught between rigid 24/7 workplace expectations and complex family responsibilities, driving professional isolation, severe burnout, and mid-career stagnation.

In this webinar, acclaimed researchers Dr. David Smith and Dr. Brad Johnson deliver a battle-tested blueprint to rebuild organizational culture from the ground up. Moving past surface-level compliance lectures, they demonstrate how changing systemic workflows and family care frameworks creates a sustainable environment where all professionals can excel in leadership and at home.

Key Takeaways Workflow and Culture Realignment:

• Learn how to audit your company culture and rethink daily operations to maximize efficiency and support personal wellbeing
• Balanced Caregiving Support: Discover the return on investment of providing balanced support for dual-career families to drive employee retention
• Operationalizing Workplace Support: Implement a framework that turns flexible work options into seamless daily practices through smart process design

About the Speakers:

David Smith, PhD, is a Professor and Co-Director of the Gender & Work Initiative at the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School, an organizational sociologist specializing in workplace and family dynamics, and a former Navy combat command pilot with over 3,000 flight hours

Brad Johnson, PhD, is a clinical psychologist, fellow of the American Psychological Association, former chair of the APA Ethics Committee, and former professor of leadership at the U.S. Naval Academy

Together, they are the globally acclaimed co-authors of Fair Share, Athena Rising, and Good Guys, recognized experts on mentorship, and the co-founders of Workplace Allies, which is dedicated to optimizing corporate culture through deep behavioral change.

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Join the FGCU NYC Alumni Chapter for an exciting trip to MetLife Stadium as the New York Giants take on the Tennessee Titans. A limited number of discounted tickets are available for this exclusive game-day experience.

Tickets are $85 per person.

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Many mid-career leaders find themselves trapped in a brutal cycle of calendar volatility and compounding exhaustion. We audit our schedules, cut useless meetings, and streamline workflows, but still end the day completely spent. The real drain isn't a scheduling issue. It is an internal energy leak caused by everyday stress, professional isolation, and the constant second-guessing of difficult decisions. In his upcoming book release, THE 25TH HOUR: How to Thrive (And Gain Ridiculous Amounts of Time) By Getting Out of Your Own Way, executive coach Neal Schore shows how our hidden emotional reactions quietly steal our focus.

This dynamic masterclass skips the dry compliance training to focus on real world emotional intelligence. You will learn how to handle yourself better in tough professional exchanges and protect your mental well-being. By mastering your automatic behavioral responses, you can beat burnout, build psychological safety on your team, and find true strategic alignment.

Key Takeaways:

• Stop Time Leaks: Spot the hidden emotional triggers and fear-based anxieties draining your daily focus
• Handle Tough Conversations: Regulate your automatic behavioral responses during stressful workplace exchanges to preserve energy
• Beat Impostor Syndrome: Build quick actionable tactics to crush self-doubt and boost your decision-making efficiency

About the Speaker: Neal Schore is a veteran corporate chairman and advisor to prominent business leaders, private equity firms, and boards across the United States. He is the cofounder and CEO of The 25th Hour Group, an executive coaching firm showcasing his proven leadership toolbox, and author of the upcoming book release THE 25TH HOUR: How to Thrive (And Gain Ridiculous Amounts of Time) By Getting Out of Your Own Way. Previously, Schore served as founder, president, and CEO of Triton Digital, a global data leader in the digital audio industry. He is an active member of the Young Presidents Organization and recipient of the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year award for greater Los Angeles.
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In business, we are often told that technical expertise and strategic execution are all that matter. Yet research consistently reveals a simpler truth: people prefer to do business with, hire, buy from, and work with people they like. Despite its profound impact on career trajectory and team performance, the desire to be liked is frequently minimized or dismissed in corporate environments.

When you are liked, your ideas are heard, your authority is recognized, and you are viewed as inherently trustworthy and credible. High achievement isn't just about what you know; it happens at the intersection of deep expertise and authentic relational influence.

In this actionable webinar, executive coach and bestselling author Michelle Tillis Lederman breaks down how to leverage the Laws of Likability and cultivate the mindset of a true Connector. Moving past superficial networking tactics, Michelle reveals how infusing authenticity into daily interactions and adopting a giving approach builds an unshakeable foundation of trust. Whether you are leading a hybrid team, navigating complex workplace politics, or striving to expand your professional reach, this session provides a battle-tested blueprint to increase your influence, foster deeper engagement, and drive real business results.

Key Takeaways How to Leverage the Laws of Likability:

• Discover how combining technical expertise with relational authenticity increases your credibility, authority, and influence.
• Master the Four Pillars of Trust: Learn actionable strategies to build deep organizational trust, identify behaviors that quietly erode it, and repair broken workplace connections.
• Find Common Ground with Anyone: Practical techniques to connect authentically across matrixed teams, diverse working styles, and multi-generational dynamics.
• Adopt the Connector Mindset: How to utilize simple digital tools, social media, and a giving approach to consistently deliver value to your professional network.

About the Speaker

Michelle Tillis Lederman is an executive coach, keynote speaker, and the CEO of Executive Essentials, dedicated to helping organizations and leaders build real relationships that deliver real results. An expert on workplace communications, Michelle was named one of the Top 25 Networking Experts by Forbes, one of the Top 30 Communications Professionals in the World by Global Gurus, and ranked among the Top 25 Thinkers360 Global Thought Leaders on Diversity & Inclusion. She is an MG100 Executive Coach and the author of four books, including the international bestsellers The 11 Laws of Likability and The Connector's Advantage. A former finance executive, Michelle is a regular media contributor appearing on NBC, CBS, Fox, NPR, CNBC, and in The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times.

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The AI revolution is exciting, but terrifying. Especially for professionals in creative and client-facing fields, the question is no longer whether to engage with it, but how to do so without losing what makes your work distinctly yours.

In this webinar, Amy Shoenthal, USA TODAY bestselling author of The Setback Cycle and one of the top TEDx speakers of 2025, will draw on her framework for navigating uncertainty to help you move through the discomfort of a rapidly shifting landscape -- and come out sharper on the other side. You'll leave with practical tools to start using AI today, a clear sense of what it can and cannot replace, and the confidence to stay ahead of a change that's already compounding.

Key Takeaways:

Identify where you are in your AI adoption right now and the specific next step to move forward without overwhelm

Discover how to use AI as a daily force multiplier for your most time-consuming work, from research to communication to workflow design

Understand what AI cannot replicate -- and why your expertise, relationships, and judgment are more valuable now than ever

About the Speaker:

Amy Shoenthal is a keynote speaker, workshop facilitator, and USA TODAY bestselling author of The Setback Cycle. Her TEDx talk, How to Turn Setbacks Into Success, was one of the highest-performing TEDx talks of 2025, with more than 500,000 views. She has worked with teams at Google, LinkedIn, Meta, Samsung, Royal Bank of Canada and more, and is a top contributor to ForbesWomen. Amy helps leaders navigate uncertainty, change, and disruption -- and build the resilience to turn both into momentum.

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Join us for an exclusive evening as we close down Palm City Brewing just for our group and enjoy live jazz from talented musicians of the Gulf Coast Symphony.

Your ticket includes:

• Private, exclusive access to the venue

• Live jazz performance by Gulf Coast Symphony musicians 

• Opportunity for Q&A with the Symphony Director

• One complimentary drink ticket (includes beer, cider and wine)

• Alumni-owned food truck, Beau's BBQ, on site with items available for purchase

Don’t miss this unique blend of craft brews, delicious eats, and world-class music!

Tickets are $15 and include one complimentary drink. 

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Join the FGCU Charlotte Alumni Chapter for an exciting trip to Bank of America Stadium as the Carolina Panthers take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
A limited number of discounted tickets are available for this exclusive game-day experience.

Your $60 registration includes a game ticket and meal voucher for one hot dog and unlimited fountain soda.

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