How do we learn from leaders and glean wisdom from their experience? On Thursday, September 24, 2020, Bill Taylor shared lessons on profiling leaders from his distinguished career as a writer, entrepreneur, and leader. The founding editor of Fast Company, Taylor is an award-winning author of three books on leadership, including, most recently, Simply Brilliant: How Great Organizations Do Ordinary Things in Extraordinary Ways, which profiles innovative leaders and entrepreneurs across a variety of sectors. Taylor is also as the parent of a current Wake Forest student and member of the College Board of Visitors,

With over 80 students, faculty, and staff in attendance via Zoom, Taylor shared more about the essential virtues of a leader and how to effectively learn from those who have gone before us. Taylor said he is consistently attracted to leaders who “represent possibility rather than power” and who have the ability to expand their followers’ imaginations by showing them new opportunities and ways of thinking. Taylor also shared practical tips about how to interview and profile leaders for students completing exemplar profiles in courses taught by faculty in the Program for Leadership and Character.

Dr. Michael Lamb, Executive Director of the Program, moderated the conversation, which was co-sponsored by the Program for Leadership and Character, ZSR Library, Center for Entrepreneurship, Interdisciplinary Humanities Program, Journalism Program, and Allegacy Center for Leadership and Character in the School of Business.