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IGNITE
Founding Partners
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Holmstrom & Kennedy, P.C.
KMK Media Group
Williams McCarthy, LLP
Coyle-Varland Insurance Co., INC
RSM McGladrey
Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau
GrahamSpencer
Rockford Area Realtors
Rockford Area Economic Development Council
Williams-Manny, INC
Rock River Valley Blood Center
Rockford Park District
Rockford Chamber of Commerce
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The Ignition Switch
| June 3, 2010
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"Even Billionaires Appreciate a Christmas Sweater From Their Mom." - Eric Mosley, CEO, Globeforce (Fortune, April 19, 2010)
 How are employees motivated? Even more importantly, how are IGNITE members motivated? Enjoy this quick 2 page article from Fortune's April 12, 2010 issue and then head to the discussion tab on our Facebook page and let us know... What motivates you? Do you think Fortune was on track or way off? Inquiring minds need to know....
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Jam Packed June!
We've got something for everyone!
Summer is officially here! Pools are open, the air is on and the days are long. It seems like we've waited forever for this beautiful weather! So often summer is associated with being lazy.... But not at IGNITE!! We've programmed a fantastic June filled with fun and interesting events to engage YPs socially, professionally and maybe even educationally! We know the weather's nice, but we encourage you to step indoors for a bit - cool off and enjoy the company of YPs.
Add these great events to your calendar and register today!
- June 8 - After 5 at Swilligan's Pub (200 North Church Street) - 5:30-7:30
Members and non-members enjoy complimentary appetizers at Swilligan's Pub in downtown Rockford! Stop by when you can and network with other YPs! All are welcome and no registration is necessary!
- June 10 - UNPLUGGED with Fatwallet.com CEO and Founder, TIM STORM! (12533 Wagon Wheel Road, Rockton) - 5:15-7:00p.m.
Head to the Fatwallet.com HQ to get
up close and personal with Founder and Owner of FatWallet.com, Tim Storm. Recently recognized as one of Rockford's 40
Leaders Under 40, Tim offers insight and advice to YPs regarding how he paved
his own way to become the success he is today.
Enjoy appetizers prior to the event (5:15-6:00p.m.) as well as a tour of the hip
work environment following Tim's talk! IGNITE Members may attend for FREE, Non-Members may attend for $5. REGISTER TODAY! Limited seats are available and are filling up QUICKLY.
- June 16 - LOTB Topic: Investment Fundamentals - Giovanni's (610 N. Bell School Road, Rockford) - 12:00-1:00p.m.
This LOTB provides inexperienced
investors with basic information that will to jump start an effective
investment program. Lunch is provided! IGNITE Members: $12 Non-Members: $15 REGISTER HERE!
- June 17 - After 5 at Irish Rose (519 East State Street) - 5:30-7:30
Members and non-members enjoy complimentary appetizers at Irish Rose in downtown Rockford! The best cosmos in town are on special! Stop by when you can and network with other
YPs! All are welcome and no registration is necessary!
- June 23 - Member's Meeting (Afternoon Session) - Franchesco's (7128 Perry Creek Parkway, Rockford) - 12:00-1:00p.m.
Join us for our first IGNITE Members'
Meeting! At this meeting, you will get
updates on upcoming programs and events, discuss the direction IGNITE is headed
in 2010 and beyond, a chance to meet and round table with members of the Leadership
Team, network with other YPs and have your voice heard! Learn more about joining committees as well
as other ways to get involved. This is a
member's only event and includes lunch for only $12. REGISTER HERE!
- June 30 - Member's Meeting (Evening Session) - Radisson Hotel (200 South Bell School Road, Rockford) - 5:30-7:00p.m.
Join us for our first IGNITE Members'
Meeting! At this meeting, you will get
updates on upcoming programs and events, discuss the direction IGNITE is
headed
in 2010 and beyond, a chance to meet and round table with members of the
Leadership
Team, network with other YPs and have your voice heard! Learn more
about joining committees as well
as other ways to get involved. This is a
member's only event and includes dinner for only $12. REGISTER HERE!
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"Reading is to the Mind what Exercise is to the Body." - Joseph Addison
 Join the YPs at Hamilton Sundstrand for a Book Club! Currently, the group is reading Blink! The Power of Thinking Without Thinking by Malcum Gladwell and aims to finish the book towards the end of June. Next, the group will be reading Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire with hopes of traveling to see the musical based on this hit novel in Milwaukee in July! For more information, please contact Caitlin!
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5 Things Great Coaches Can Teach Us About Leading Winning Teams
By Rebecca Ryan - Next Generation Consulting - May 4, 2010
The greatest managers I've ever had have not been managers in the
corporate sense of the word. They've been my basketball coaches. That's
right, I'm sayin' it: the people who really know how to bring out the
best in teams - and win - don't work in corporate America, they work in
gyms.
Like corporate team leaders, great coaches recruit, do performance
reviews, and play to win. Their performance is judged - by wins and
losses - every season. But unlike corporate team leaders, only the good
coaches get to stay, the bad ones are asked to leave. In corporate
America, we let even poor managers stay, and allow them to repel great
talent.
Here's what I've learned from great coaches, and how it can make us
better managers:
1. Don't let the big, lumbering oaf with butterfingers bring the
ball up the court. Put her under the basket where she can block shots
and snag rebounds.
At work, you don't want the Sam-with-the-stick-up-his-butt leading the
sales team. And you don't want the rules-are-meant-to-be-broken dude
leading your IRS audit. Great managers assess each person's strengths
and configure teams in the most optimal way to get work done on time and
ahead of schedule.
From surveys with over 10 million workers, Gallup confirms what great
managers already know: "...employees who have the opportunity to focus on their strengths every
day are six times as likely to be engaged in their jobs and more than
three times as likely to report having an excellent quality of life."
Learn more here.
2. Focus. On. The. Work.
Geno Auriemma is the head women's basketball coach at the University of
Connecticut, and he's insanely focused on winning. It's probably why
UConn has one of the longest winning streaks. Ever.
Recently, Coach Auriemma explained why he detests the first part of
practice, when everyone's stretching: "We stretch. That's the biggest waste of time in the history of sports.
But we have to stretch. And I give them ten minutes to stretch before
practice so they can all sit around and talk about what movie they saw,
what pair of shoes they saw in some store or -- you know. And I stay in
my office until they're done and then I come out. It's nauseating."
Great managers don't spend the first part of Monday morning debriefing
with everyone about their weekend. They jump-start the new workweek by
asking people, "What are you working on?" and keeping them focused on
results.
3. Bark both ways.
If you've ever watched a college basketball game, you've probably
noticed that there are two groups of people that coaches spend all their
time barking at: their players and the refs.
At work, you expect a manager to bark at her team. But only the best
managers risk their reputation to bark upline at their own managers.
Great managers bark to their bosses about needing more resources, or
cutting someone some slack. Great managers work upline to make sure
their teams have what they need to win, and bark downline to make sure
their teams execute.
4. Offer special deals.
Great coaches motivate different players differently. Michael Jordan
needed different motivation than Dennis Rodman, and Phil Jackson
capitalized on those differences.
Like great coaches, great managers know how to cut "special deals" when
it makes sense.
At work, when you have a star performer who wants to work a compressed
work week, do you cut them off the team, because a four day workweek
isn't in the policy manual? Or do you work it out so that you both get
what you need?
5. Give 'em a reason to believe.
Leo Paur coaches a high school football team in Utah that hasn't won a
game in two and a half seasons. Yet, his players are motivated each and
every time they take the field. How does Coach Paur do it? He's
unfailingly optimistic, and encourages his team that THIS TIME they can
turn things around.
We've all been on teams - or seen teams - where the impossible happened.
The 1980 Miracle on Ice. UNI's upset over Kansas and the Butler men's
basketball team's trip to the NCAA finals this year.
As our workplaces begin to recover from the Great Recession, we must
find ways to give our teams a reason to believe. And it all starts with
the team leader. Our emotions are contagious; if we can find reasons to
be optimistic, our teams will, too.
That's why they call it a "game face," yo.
Like what you read? Check out Rebecca's blog!
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Make sure to attend an IGNITE Member's Meeting!
IGNITE Members are invited to a member's meeting on either June 23rd from 12:00-1:00p.m. at Francheco's or on June 30th from 5:30-7:00p.m. at the Radisson Hotel! Dinner or lunch, depending on your session choice, will be provided. This meeting is designed with IGNITE members in mind. Want to get more involved? Curious about what's coming up? Want to share your ideas about programming, events or speakers with the Leadership Team? Here's your chance!! Enjoy a chance to network with other YPs as well as the chance to round table with IGNITE's Leadership Team. IGNITE is your group so make sure your voice is heard!
The IGNITE Leadership Team is comprised of IGNITE Members willing to lead committees and meet to plan the future of IGNITE. A diverse group of YPs, each Leadership Team brings a different strength to the table but each member has a passion for Rockford and a passion for IGNITE.
Join them at a Member's Meeting.... They really do know how to have some fun!
Register Now!
June 23 (12:00-1:00)
June 30 (5:30-7:00)
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Rockford Rocks!!
At Ignite, we know that Rockford Rocks but we want to share what we know! Submit events, happenings, cool things to do, things you love about Rockford and we'll share with our members. Let us know what you think makes Rockford Rock!  Friday Night Jazz with Out of the Blues - Cliffbreaker's - June 4 - 8:00p.m.-Midnight - Stop by Cliffbreaker's and enjoy great food as well as great music by Out of the Blues! Cliffbreakers is a great supporter of IGNITE! In fact, enjoy 25% off your total bill (excluding alcohol) by flashing your IGNITE Membership Card! Even better, the lead vocalist is High Maintenance Owner, Clare Schwartz - another GREAT IGNITE supporter!
Green Light Night - Main Street (Downtown Rockford) in front of Kryptonite - Saturday, June 5 - 7:00p.m. - Enjoy downtown Rockford's first outdoor concert and block party! Bands include Hey Champ, The Avatars and Joie De Vivre! Tickets are now on sale HERE. $10 in advance (includes a free drink ticket!), $12 at the door. (IGNITE MEMBERS - Caitlin will be there with her camera... Get caught on film for next week's issue of THE IGNITION SWITCH!!)
AIDA - Starlight Theatre - June 9-June 12 - Enjoy Elton John and Tim Rice's AIDA - a contemporary musical take on a grand classic tale of the timeless bond between an enslaved Nubian princess and an Egyptian soldier. Tickets are $18 for adults. Check out more HERE!
Music in the Park - Little Big Band - Thursday, June 10 - 7:30p.m. - Sinnissippi Park Band Shell - Enjoy this free outdoor summer concert inside Sinnissippi park! Spend your Thursday night outdoors with great music and friends! Check out this video for an idea of what the concerts are like!
Rockford City Market - Water Street - Friday Afternoons starting June 11 - October 22 - 3-7p.m. - Join IGNITE  members down town for the Rockford City Market! Enjoy local produce and goods as well as live entertainment! IGNITE will be meeting downtown for a photo op the first Friday of the market at 5:30p.m. at Carlyle Brewing! Wear your IGNITE shirt! For more information on the market, click here!
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