Home Furnishings Leadership Institute

• Selected professors at High Point University specialized on the four leadership pillars to deliver in one all-participant sessions and several Pillar group discussion sessions.  Small group sessions held in meeting rooms and Large group sessions at the main stage of at the HPU Conference Center.   
• Faculty apply business and critical leadership theory where appropriate but let the practice of home furnishings lead discussion. 
• Faculty pre-assigned homework of about 4-6 hours of reading materials. 
• Met with 300 business students and faculty during class in the Qubein Conference Center. Participants discussed and networked with students.
• Faculty, after the program, refined the discussions of the four pillars (vision, culture, communication and execution) into curriculum for the Home Furnishings Leadership Minor.  Students who participated in the session were surveyed for interest in the Minor and career opportunities in the $52 billion home furnishings industry.

Centered around four pillars of leadership (applied most effective models of):  

• Vision
• Communication
• Execution
• Culture 

A keynote speaker (likely a Hall of Fame Inductee) is dedicated to each pillar on Opening Night, Monday Night, Tuesday Night, and Wednesday Morning. 

• Interviewed by and Q&A moderated by Dr. Hall and Dr. McDermott.
• Dr. Qubein provided the closing keynote on Wednesday.

Pillar groups 

• Focus was how to be an effective leader in the pillars of leadership (Leadership Life Skills) with the aim of creating applications to take away from each session.
• Participants were split into four diverse groups under advisement by the Hall of Fame.  
•  Geared around refining their leadership pillar presentation.

All-participant meetings 

• Faculty shared their insight and connection to the leadership pillars followed by a discussion: three on Monday and last pillar Tuesday morning. 
• Small groups on the last day had to present their answer to one of the four leadership questions: How can a home furnishings leader… 
  • Build a common vision?
  • Communicate effectively in normal times and in crises?
  • Get his/her team to execute?
  • Build a culture that sustains a company’s success? 

• Hall of Fame Board members and/or Inductees critiqued the presentations and their answers. 

Advised by Hall of Fame Leaders Circle 

• Composition: Hall of Fame Inductees, Donors, and Future Leaders who contributed significant time and money to the Hall of Fame
• Circle will as an Advisory Board to this Institute, and made sure the quality and activities were congruent with the Hall of Fame 
• Ensured curriculum augments Hall of Fame Leadership Initiative Goals