Keep up with the news, inspiring words and business insights that make Brad tick! From leadership lessons, industry news and the latest updates from The Wing 2 Wing Foundation, think of this blog as a resource for learning and connection.
02/25/2021
In an earlier post, I shared a definition of leadership that I believe best articulates what is required for leaders to succeed in the fast-moving 21st Century. In doing so, I foreshadowed a framework derived from more than three decades of benchmarking, learning, applying and adapting. I call it “The Five Principles Leadership” – Potential, Purpose, People, Playbook, Pay-It-Forward, and committed to devoting the next five articles to diving deep into each of these “P’s”, sharing lessons learned, best practices and pragmatic tips for implementing the model in our daily leadership habits and organizations.
Read Article02/23/2021
On November 20th, Brad D. Smith joined Marshall University’s president, Jerome A. Gilbert, for an interview as part of the first #WVSolutions Seekers Student Leadership Conference. The event invited West Virginia high school upperclassmen, college students, and individuals enrolled in professional training programs to engage with local leaders over Zoom. With a shared passion for giving back, West Virginia natives Brad and Gilbert encouraged students to learn about the Mountain State and make lasting connections with fellow attendees.
Read Article02/18/2021
Jake Stump, director of research communications at West Virginia University, recently wrote an article in WVU’s Business Magazine about Brad D. Smith’s visit to campus in March of 2020. Before the COVID-19 pandemic fully hit the U.S., Stump joined faculty, staff, and students in welcoming Brad by giving him a tour of the WVU Innovation Hub. They asked the chairman of Intuit and SurveyMonkey board member about his personal relationship to West Virginia and his plans for improving professional and economic opportunities in Appalachia.
Read Article02/11/2021
The importance of playbook was instilled in me at an early age when I enrolled as a martial arts student. To progress from the beginner rank of white belt to gold belt, I was expected to complete a series of skill tests which included breaking a board with my hand. Prior to enrolling in the class, I had many childhood memories of attempting to break sticks and other objects with my hand, only to experience intense pain and an unbreakable object. This time would be different, thanks to the introduction of a playbook.
Read Article01/28/2021
One of the best examples of getting this right was the 1980 U.S Men’s Olympic Hockey Team. When college coach Herb Brooks was hired to helm the 1980 U.S. Men’s Olympic Hockey Team, he set out to assemble a team of college all-stars with a singular goal of uniting his squad against a common foe, the heavily-favored Soviet team. As the story goes, Brooks invited the top players in the country to try-out for the team, and in an unexpectedly short period of time, made his selection.
Read Article01/06/2021
In a recent issue of Chamber, Jack Houvouras, publisher of West Virginia Chamber and Huntington Quarterly magazines, wrote a compelling article about the life and career of Brad D. Smith. Inspired by Brad and his wife, Alys Smith’s recent $25 million donation to West Virginia University, Houvouras explores Brad’s personal and professional journeys to get a clearer understanding of the former Intuit CEO’s entrepreneurial and philanthropic spirit.
Read Article12/31/2020
In an earlier post, I shared a definition of leadership that I believe best articulates what is required for leaders to succeed in the fast-moving 21st Century. I foreshadowed a framework derived from more than three decades of benchmarking, learning, applying and adapting. I call it “The Five Principles of Leadership” – Potential, Purpose, People, Playbook, Pay-It-Forward, and committed to devoting the next five articles to diving deep into each of these “P’s”, sharing lessons learned, best practices and pragmatic tips for implementing the model in our daily leadership habits and organizations.
Read Article12/21/2020
West Virginia University (WVU) recently invited Brad D. Smith, a native of Kenova, WV, to take part in their December 2020 graduating class’s celebration. As the remote event’s commencement speaker, Brad spoke to the students’ opportunity to thrive despite challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic. He described how their experiences adapting to current adversity can instill some of the most important professional skills available: adaptability, resilience, and purpose.
Read Article12/17/2020
In my most recent post, I shared a definition of leadership that I believe best articulates what is required for leaders to succeed in the fast-moving 21st Century. In the article, I deconstructed the various attributes necessary for a leader to role model “the ability to inspire others to achieve shared objectives.” In doing so, I foreshadowed a framework derived from more than three decades of benchmarking, learning, applying and adapting to bring it to life.
Read Article12/02/2020
Since childhood, I’ve been enamored by those who seemed to run towards danger, guide others to safety or success, and deflect any accolades that came their way. As a boy, that was my definition of leadership. Over the years, many articles, books and presentations have been published that seek to define and decode the essence of successful leadership. While their numbers surpass my ability to read or listen to them all, I will confess that I’ve devoted a significant portion of my life to doing so.
Read Article11/23/2020
On September 9, 2020, Brad D. Smith sat down for a Q&A session with writer and fellow Marshall University alumnus, Jack Houvouras, for the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce’s 2020 Virtual Business Summit Series. Brad spoke about his personal and professional reasons for transitioning from Intuit’s CEO, including his desire to seek out his next exciting life challenge along with his wife, Alys.
Read Article11/12/2020
Brad D. Smith, executive chairman of Intuit, and his wife, Alys, recently donated $25 million dollars to West Virginia University to support groundbreaking new programs that improve the state’s economy, establish first-rate recreational infrastructure, and improve access to opportunities to explore and learn in nature.
Read Article10/29/2020
The year 2020 has challenged us in ways that we could not predict, requiring us to improvise and adapt along the way. As we’ve experimented our way from day to day, many individuals have shared their reflections and best practices for navigating through a crisis. In this article, I will attempt to codify/share the key leadership lessons I have embraced so that bad times, followed by good reflection, can lead to great opportunity.
Read Article10/26/2020
After careful development, Intuit’s executive chairman Brad D. Smith and his team are proud to announce the launch of the Wing 2 Wing Foundation website. Co-founded by Brad and his wife, Alys Smith, the Foundation strives to support human potential and growth with guidance through philanthropy and experienced leadership. By establishing an online presence, the Wing 2 Wing Foundation can more effectively connect people and fulfill its mission to bring greater educational, entrepreneurial, and environmental opportunities to those underserved regions that need it most.
Read Article10/21/2020
In a recent interview with Moves The Needle, Brad D. Smith shares his experience as a leader, educator, and executive. Brad speaks about what an empathic and productive leader looks like for businesses and beyond. With a rich personal history of meeting challenges in the workplace and changing executive roles, he talks about what makes a leader effective when helping produce innovation and while cultivating these skills in others.
Read Article10/16/2020
On October 6, 2020, West Virginia KIDS COUNT (WVKC) honored Brad D. Smith with the Champion of Children Award for his ongoing commitment to developing education-based and economic opportunities within the mountain state. WVKC is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization with over 30 years of experience meeting the needs of children and families. It is a member of the larger KIDS COUNT network with offices nationwide.
Read Article09/24/2020
In a recent Q&A interview with Marshall University as part of the HERD 20-20 webinar series, Brad D. Smith provides his perspective as an entrepreneur, philanthropist, and education-focused business leader. Brad offers his insight on multiple topics related to large and small businesses surviving and prospering during the pandemic, and he discusses how other corporate leaders are developing and deploying strategies for effective recovery.
Read Article09/09/2020
In today’s increasingly chaotic and unpredictable world, a premium is being placed on the attributes and actions of our leaders. While some may argue that this is not a new expectation, the reality is that 2020 has brought an unanticipated share of challenges that have tested new and seasoned leaders in ways that could have never been imagined.
Read Article10/21/2019 - LinkedIn Article
After stepping down from eleven years as Intuit’s CEO, Brad D. Smith realized that his decision, while the right choice, left him feeling uncertain about his own life’s next mission. Smith consulted with other successful industry leaders who had experience redefining their focuses and discovered that one of his biggest personal values was championing underserved and overlooked individuals and families.
Read Article06/28/2018 - LinkedIn Article
Since serving on Intuit’s diversity council almost 20 years ago, Brad D. Smith always arrives at the same conclusion about the significance of diversity and inclusion: the true power of our differences happens below the surface of what we most easily observe about others.
Read Article05/21/2018 - LinkedIn Article
No one achieves greatness on their own, and as a community-driven business leader, Brad D. Smith has had the privilege of learning from the employees and customers of the future.
Read Article03/02/2018 - LinkedIn Article
Reflecting back on raising children, it has become clear to Brad D. Smith that many of the lessons that he's learned from being a parent apply equally to the work environment.
Read Article01/03/2018 - LinkedIn Article
One of the most important differences between a “Team of All Stars” and an “All Star Team” is the latter’s ability to express vulnerability between members to secure trust in support of shared goals.
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