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Leading in a Rapidly Changing World with Derek Young
Derek ‘DY’ Young served as one of the keynote speakers at the 2025 National Registry Summit in Anaheim, CA. In his session, DY covered how the workplace looks different today and gave attendees tools on how to adjust their leadership methods.
One of the themes DY highlighted throughout his presentation is that ‘people strategy’ should come before ‘process strategy’ in leadership. He stressed the importance of prioritizing team members as individuals and nurturing those relationships to promote a healthy work environment. DY placed emphasis on ‘impact over intent’ and reminded attendees that their legacy in their organization is about others and how they were impacted by said leadership.
The ‘four levels of listening’- hearing, parroting, paraphrasing, gifting - highlighted understanding versus agreement in the workplace. DY explained how truly listening and understanding, or gifting, creates an effective environment for productivity and motivation because you are demonstrating a complete awareness of others and their needs. This includes being receptive to feedback and having a sense of security as a leader that is not threatened by said feedback.
Another skill DY recommended modern leaders develop is learning how to quickly determine what you can and cannot control. Understanding what can be controlled early helps to prevent wasting time and energy in the wrong place. This includes knowing when to take breaks and reset to maximize mental bandwidth.
Giving team members a sense of belonging was an additional focus DY assigned to attendees during his presentation. He explained how providing personalized praise and feedback can help make team members feel seen and truly appreciated for their work; therefore, giving them a deeper sense of purpose and belonging in their role.
Overall, DY’s key takeaway for attendees was that leadership is influence. True leadership means influencing team members in an impactful way that not only betters the organization, but also individuals and their careers.
Learn more about Derek Young here: https://derekyoungspeaks.com/