High Point University’s Leadership Expert in Residence Mark Sanborn, a best-selling author and president of leadership development idea lab Sanborn & Associates, shared his expertise and vision with HPU students during a visit to campus on April 5. 

As Sanborn spoke to students from the Phillips School of Business and Nido R. Qubein School of Communication, he gave leadership advice he included in his most recent book, “The Intention Imperative.” During his visit, he also conducted a guest lecture on how to speak like a pro with upperclassmen in political science, international relations and communication fellows and shared lunch with HPU leadership fellows. A national Hall of Fame speaker, Sanborn has authored eight books and more than two dozen audio and video training programs. His leadership ideas are taught in 90 countries, and he works with more than 3,000 clients in organizations such as Cisco, IBM and St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital. 

“If you want to live a happy life, do the things you love and figure out how to get paid for it,” said Sanborn. “You can be responsible for your own life, but if you develop a certain skill set you can positively influence the lives of many other people. If the CEO is committed to the right things, has the right values and a bigger vision, then that ripple effect is going to be tremendous to the 10,000 people throughout that organization.” 

Sanborn said skills are learned and few people are natural leaders, just as natural speakers or athletes are rare. Everyone who joins a company or group has a choice of being a leader or a member, he said. 

“Leadership always benefits the greater good,” said Sanborn. “The test of leadership is: Who or what is better because of you?”   

When a worker joins a company, the first day of work and onboarding process is the No. 1 predictor of whether he will stay past one year, Sanborn said. Employees should know the company’s vision, mission and values to determine whether it’s a good fit. The best leaders can design or change a company’s culture by hiring, training and treating people right, he said.   

Sanborn advised students to be intentional about their life and listed the following six things they can control:

- How hard you work
- How well you prepare
- How fast you respond
- How much you learn
- How you build relationships
- How quickly you follow up

Sanborn’s message resonated with Brayden Land, a sophomore sales major from Boston, Massachusetts. 

“It was really inspiring to know how to change a business culture and be motivational for your employer’s needs and your personal goals,” said Land. 

“The biggest thing I learned was staying optimistic and always seeing how you can add value to whatever you are doing – whether it’s your job or your hobby,” said Ellie Mrusek, a senior strategic communications major from Red Bank, New Jersey. “Just seeing how you can always improve and be better than you currently are.”