Northwest Arkansas Business Journal celebrates 25th anniversary Forty Under 40 class

by Jeff Della Rosa ([email protected]) 1,345 views 

The Northwest Arkansas Business Journal has recognized 1,000 professionals under the age of 40 since 1997 through its Forty Under 40 program. A luncheon to celebrate the 25th anniversary Forty Under 40 class took place Tuesday (Aug. 17) at Embassy Suites in Rogers. The event was sponsored by Intrust Bank.

Executive leadership coach Chuck Hyde, founder and principal of C3 Advisors, was the featured speaker. Hyde discussed leadership and challenged the honorees. He spoke about learning from failure and showing gratitude toward those who helped them in their careers.

He explained that history often doesn’t tell stories of failure and defeat but of “victory and heroism.” He talked about George Washington’s defeat at Fort Necessity in summer 1754. It was the only time Washington ever surrendered to an enemy and the prelude to the French and Indian War. The Washington one might know as the founder of the country wasn’t always the man he was later in life, Hyde noted.

“There was a road,” he said. “It was filled with triumphs and victories and accomplishments, but it also has the story of defeat.

“What does it mean to be shaped by failure,” he added, “in fact a colossal one so early in one’s career…All of us are not too unlike George Washington. For this group, as accomplished as you are — the things you’ve done and the things you will do — along the way there is struggle, and there is failure. And it’s in these we have the opportunity to be shaped.”

Hyde also discussed the times in his career and throughout his life in which he’d accept responsibilities he’d questioned whether he was qualified for. One thing he said he’s become good at is paying attention. He said in his time spent with John Pepper, former CEO and chairman of Procter & Gamble, he recalled a paper Pepper had written about how grateful he was toward those who’d impacted and shaped him.

“As with Washington, none of us are done yet,” Hyde said. “But in our process of becoming leaders – the leaders that we are and the leaders and the people that we can be – there are people to whom we owe a debt of gratitude.”

He challenged the honorees to reflect on those who’ve had an impact on them, write it down and thank them. He also challenged the honorees to be on someone else’s gratitude list.