For those that regularly follow my Blog you know that I am a huge advocate of education for service professionals. In fact, my involvement and ongoing interest in service science ( SSME ) has been to increase research and education around the services industry. Let’s face it; people are not typically prepared  for a service economy career coming out of universities.

For those in the services profession, continuing education is also a challenge. As service leaders we can get so involved in our day to day world that we forget that we need to recharge the batteries to get us energized. It is even more difficult to find service specific career education opportunities. There are trade associations who may teach and share best practices but where does a service leader go to get inspiration or hear about true innovation specific to the uniqueness of the services world? Industry associations tend to focus on their industry specific segments but there are many lessons in services to be learned from all of the different service sectors. Business services, consumer services and even government service organizations can share and learn from the experiences and innovation that each create.

So, where can all of this happen? I have an answer, Arizona State University- Center for Services Leadership. Specifically their annual  “Competes Through Service Symposium” Nov-4-6 in Phoenix. This is the 20^th year for this event and each year it grows and delivers more value. This is the one event that I recommend to all service leaders and to all of my clients. At this event you will hear stories from many types of service organizations. Business, consumer, government and public sector service thought leaders and innovators share their stories. From a leadership perspective you can count on gaining new perspectives on the world, on social issues and how you personally can make a difference. This is truly a unique opportunity and experience that should not be missed.