Today is the early registration deadline for Catalyst in Atlanta on October 8 - 10. This week I caught up with Brad Lomenick, the executive director of Catalyst, to ask him a few questions. My main objective was to find out if I’m getting too old for gatherings like this. Let’s see what he had to say.

TONY: How long have you been connected with Catalyst, and what did you do in your previous life?

BRAD: Been connected to Catalyst since it started in 2000, and officially in a leadership role the last 4 years. Previously I was involved with a consulting company called Cornerstone Group, and a media company called Life@Work.

TONY: Most people know Catalyst for the conference each fall in Atlanta. Is Catalyst more than that?

BRAD: A huge part of what we do is our conference in Atlanta each October. But we are growing, and our vision is that Catalyst will be more than just a destination, or one-time gathering, but instead a mindset, identity, and community. We are launching a West Coast event next April, and also launching a one-day leadership event with Andy Stanley and Craig Groeschel in 5 cities over the next year. Plus Catalyst Space (catalystspace.com) is the official gathering place for our Catalyst community, and we are launching a new publishing partnership with Zondervan in 2009 that will be exciting.

TONY: What excites you most about this year’s conference?

BRAD: Honestly, every year for me it is the chance to reconnect with so many different friends from all over the country. Catalyst has become a reunion for so many young leaders – the one chance we have each year to gather together and hear great speakers and be refreshed and inspired. I love the mix of speakers this year- really excited to hear from Seth Godin and Jim Collins.

TONY: What’s a recent learning related to young leaders?

BRAD: Young Leaders (including me) still love to be LED and deeply desire to be molded by those who have gone before us. I think there is a perception that because we have a tendency to have a “free agent” mentality towards our careers and vocation and calling that we are rebelling against wise mentors and older leaders. This is not the case. Young leaders still deeply desire to have someone lead them (this is true throughout history). The challenge is that our approach is different- we don’t (as a general rule) play into the more traditional idealism of waiting our turn, brown-nosing our way to the top, or not voicing our opinion because we haven’t “arrived” yet.

TONY: I’m turning 40 right before this year’s Catalyst Conference. Am I getting too old to hang out with cool people like you?

BRAD: First of all, if I am the standard for being “cool,” then we are in trouble! And I am not far behind you on the age meter- maybe we should have a Catalyst for the “in betweeners”…. Those in the 35-45 year old group! But seriously though, being “next-gen” is much more of a mindset than an age bracket. While most of our audience is in their twenties and early thirties, we have lots of folks who passionately connect with Catalyst who are in their 50’s, 60’s, and even older. Don’t worry Tony- 10 years from now, you and me and some of our friends can hang out in the “has been” suite at Catalyst……. While a whole new generation of young leaders take the baton and run.

I can’t wait for this year’s Catalyst conference. Among other things, I’ll be attending Perry’s Catalyst lab session on Wednesday, October 8. Maybe I’ll see you there.

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