For Immediate Release

Leadership expert Stephen Balzac, president of 7 Steps Ahead and author of The 36-Hour Course in Organizational Development, will be the closing plenary speaker at the Computer Measurement Group's annual conference this December in Washington, DC.

"The best athletes know that the secret to winning is to not care about the outcome," says Balzac, "Leadership is no different: the best leaders know when to step back and let their teams go."

Mr. Balzac, a fifth degree black belt in jujitsu and a former nationally ranked fencer, points that, like athletes, leaders who become too worried about the outcome hesitate at the critical moment and surrender victory to their opponents.

"As a leader, you must know how to build a team that you trust, that trusts you, and that trusts one another. If you don't have all three, you lose," Balzac observes.

Mr. Balzac's topic, "Zen and the Art of Leadership: Succeeding by Knowing When, And How, to Not Care" will cover the nine steps that can be used to build a team including: building trust, maximizing results in any situation, increasing effectiveness as a leader, and knowing when to give up power in order to succeed.

Mr. Balzac's Plenary Address will take place on Thursday, December 8, 2011 from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.

About Steve Balzac

Stephen R. Balzac, "The Business Sensei," is an author, consultant, and professional speaker. He is the president of 7 Steps Ahead, LLC, a consulting firm specializing in helping businesses get unstuck and turn problems into opportunities.

Steve's background in engineering, management, psychology, martial arts, and competitive sports makes him a popular speaker on topics ranging from leadership, motivation, team building, interviewing skills, and sport performance to computer game design. He was a guest lecturer at MIT and WPI. His articles have appeared in a number of journals, including The Journal of Interactive Drama, The IBM Systems Journal, Mass High Tech, Enterprise Management Quarterly, The CEO Refresher, The Journal of Corporate Recruiting Leadership, Analog SF/F and the Worcester Business Journal.

Steve is a contributing author to Ethics and Game Design: Teaching Values Through Play and the author of the 36-Hour Course in Organizational Development published by McGraw-Hill. He is a frequent guest on radio shows including Motivational Minds and Leadership Radio, and is frequently quoted in a variety of publications including IndustryWeek Magazine, The Philadelphia Inquirer and the Boston Business Journal.

He also holds an appointment as an adjunct professor of Industrial/Organizational Psychology.

For further information or to arrange an interview, contact: