Collins described the two primary qualities of "great" company leaders as "extreme personal humility" and "intense professional will" -- epitomized by Katherine Graham's leadership of the Washington Post. Testosterone-laced leadership may grab headlines, but it is not a good long term strategy. In fact, Collins found a negative correlation between CEO charisma and company greatness.

Because "greatness is not a function of circumstance, but of conscious choice," he urged companies (and individuals) to focus on the intersection of three circles: "What Are You Deeply Passionate About?, What Can You Be the Best in the World At?, and What Drives Your Economic Engine?" That's his Hedgehog Concept that I wrote about in a previous Dispatch, Will Your Company Exist 100 Years From Today? (August 5, 2003) And everybody left his talk determined to be a hedgehog, focused on understanding the intersection of their three circles.

Wow, it's fun to attend a conference of 700 high-powered, professional women in an industry not noted for diversity (that's an understatement). With 50 chapters and 5,000 members, CREW has built a strong platform "to help our members excel in the commercial real estate industry by providing networking, business development opportunities, and professional education."

--Peter Pike