Service before self: Dan Clark closing keynote at Vantage Worldwide Conference
New York Times best-selling author Dan Clark spoke to attendees at the Vantage Worldwide Conference in New York City last week about the importance of service. Clark knows a thing or two about this subject area, having written over 20 books with his most recent titled, The Art Of Significance: Achieving the Level Beyond Success.
Clark attended first-day sessions, listened to second-day roadmap presentations, talked to staff in the Elite Learning Stations, and walked the exhibit floor where he met attendees and vendors before he spoke to the group during the closing keynote.
Clark began his keynote by asking the audience what brought them to the Vantage Conference. After talking to people over the previous two days, he said he noticed a common purpose: to serve. Elite and the vendor partners were at Vantage to serve customers, and attendees traveled away from home to gain knowledge and insight to better serve law firms and other customers when they return.
Dan Clark and Elisabet Hardy, vice president of Product Marketing for Thomson Reuters Elite, at the closing keynote.
“When the water of the lake rises, we all rise together,” Clark reminded the keynote audience. “And when you leave here you are not alone. You have networked and met people in this industry you can trust, whether at other law firms, at Elite, or their vendor partners.” He added that if attendees have taken the time to get to know these people and learn this information, they are ready to serve.
Clark challenged the audience to further look at “service to self” in the statement, “I like me best when I’m with you. I want to see you again.” If all of us use creativity, imagination, and integrity in our work and personal lives, we will prove the truth in this statement. We will serve, and others will want to serve with us, he said.
Finally, Clark reminded the audience that by simply participating in the conference at any level, they’ve chosen to rise above the status quo. And now with passion they must go and lead in the change they know will benefit their work and their families. “It’s our future and our significance, now make it valuable,” he said.
