Two-time best-selling author and acclaimed keynote speaker Dee Ann Turner traveled to Point University’s West Point campus on March 25 as part of the tour for her upcoming book, Crush Your Career. The first large event held on campus since the pandemic began, the event included a limited in-person audience and a virtual audience via Zoom.
Turner was interviewed by President Dean Collins ’79. They discussed career-related topics, such as navigating relationships, performance, and things Turner wishes she had known. After the interview, Turner signed copies of her book and answered questions from attendees.
“The one quality that really has to grow within you to be a leader is trust,” Turner said during the event. “When I learned to trust and allowed people to do things the way they wanted to do them, I learned that they sometimes do those things a lot better than me.”
Turner advised the students, many of whom are graduating seniors, on how to “hit the ground running” with their careers. “You might not just have multiple jobs; you might have multiple careers…so you have to hit the ground running. You need to build relationships, dive deeper into the culture, and understand performance expectations,” she said.
“Servant leaders have five traits: they see and shape the future by casting vision, they engage others, they reinvent continuously, they value results and relationships, and lastly, they embody the values of their organizations,” Turner added.
Turner is a 33-year veteran of Chick-fil-A, Inc. Prior to her retirement in 2018, she served as vice president of talent and vice president of sustainability. Selected as the company’s first female officer in 2001, she was instrumental in building and growing Chick-fil-A’s well-known culture and talent systems.
Today, she leads her own organization, Dee Ann Turner & Associates, LLC, writing books, speaking to over 50 audiences per year and advising and coaching leaders globally. Learn more about Crush Your Career on Turner’s website.
