Patrick Lencioni Kicks Off School District’s Speaker Series Wednesday

The ’s 2011 Speaker Series, “The Skills and Ethics Needed for Success in the 21st Century,” kicks off Wednesday with a presentation by Patrick Lencioni at the San Ramon Valley High School Performing Arts Center.

Lencioni is a best-selling author and the founder and president of Lafayette-based consulting firm The Table Group.

The four-part series will be held at the district’s four high schools on March 2, 9, 16 and 23 and include presentations by local officials and business leaders.

Lencioni said his presentation, “Your Thinking Today Shapes Your Reality Tomorrow,” addresses the pressures teens and their families face, and how to best manage those pressures during the challenging teen years.

“I’m going to share some stories from my youth and give the audience some perspective about what really matters in life, both personally and professionally,” he said.

Lencioni is the author of nine best-selling books, including The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, and recently was named one of the “10 new gurus you should know” by Fortune magazine. His firm, The Table Group, provides organizations with “ideas, products and services that improve teamwork, clarity and employee engagement.”

He learned of the Speaker Series from a friend who works for the school district and knows he enjoys talking with students, he said.

“High school is such an important time in a person’s development, and I think I have a perspective to share that I hope will help these kids and their families,” Lencioni said.

He added that he hopes to provide students with a perspective on how to pursue their goals while considering what matters most in the long run.

“High school is a formative time, but kids today are under a lot of pressure, and I’d like to give them some tools for how to take a longer-term view,” he said.

The next Speaker Series presenter, Safeway NorCal Division District Manager Kevin Lovell, plans to offer career advice in “The Skills Companies Require of Today’s (and Tomorrow’s) Workers” on March 9 at the .

On March 16, Town of Danville Councilman Newell Arnerich will offer leadership insight in “Am I a Leader? You bet! You just may not know it yet!” at the Monte Vista High School Theater.

The final event, “The Next Generation Work Force – What Does it Take to Get a Great Job?” will be held March 23 in the theater and include a panel of eight as yet unnamed business people and high-school students.

The San Ramon Valley High School Performing Arts Center is at 501 Danville Blvd., in Danville. All events run from 6:30 to 8 p.m. and registration is required through EventBrite. Tickets are free, but donations benefiting the San Ramon Valley Education Foundation are accepted.

For more information or to register for an event, click here.