Meet Darren Horton of premier concepts
Tell us about yourself and your organization?
My name is Darren Horton. I am happily married to Karen and have been for thirty years. We have two beautiful children; Jeffrey Lee (29), and Jenna Lee (22). Interestingly, they were born on the same day, seven years apart. I joined Premier Concepts, LLC in Bentonville, Arkansas in 1999. Having been born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, this was quite a change; one I grow to love more every day. I began my career in the perishable division as Director of Meat in 1999. In 2004, I accepted the position of CEO.
Premier Concepts, LLC is a retail support company to the world's largest retailer – Wal*Mart Stores, Inc. The Premier team numbers just over 300 full time associates. Premier Concepts, LLC represents approximately 200 manufacturers who sell food and other products in Wal*Mart SuperCenters and Neighborhood Markets in the United States.
How did you and your organization get introduced to Rapport Leadership International?
I was introduced to Rapport Leadership International in 1996 while working with a food chain in northern California. The next eight years I shared Rapport with almost everyone I came in contact with. In 2004, my senior management team at Premier Concepts, LLC enthusiastically agreed to take Leadership Breakthrough One. (by the way, my classes were, #385 seat #3 for Leadership Breakthrough One, and #89 for Leadership Breakthrough Two).
How many graduates of any Rapport class does your organization have?
While Premier Concepts, LLC has over 70 graduates, out of our 300 associates, that have attended Rapport training, I am equally thrilled that many of our family, friends, and vendor/partners have also attended Rapport training. Our management team made the decision, after each had experienced Leadership Breakthrough One, to offer at Premier’s expense two vendor/partners a month the opportunity to go to what we consider the “world’s greatest leadership training.” Now, they too can say they have shared this amazing gift with family, friends, as well as many more associates on their teams. Only a Rapport graduate can imagine the impact this gift has made on our rapport with those we’ve shared the “gift!”
Tell us about your Rapport experience?
November of 1996 I had an awakening experience. First of all, nothing has compared to my experience with Leadership Breakthrough One. It was all about Darren, and I needed to have a good look in the mirror. I left the Alpine Chalet in Lake Tahoe, California knowing that I had been leading a mediocre life in almost every respect. Though I had enjoyed many successes in my business career, I KNEW I had been doing “just good enough” and that wasn’t to be any longer.
I loved my father, but had never told him so. I wanted to sing solos in church, but avoided the opportunities. I wanted to live in the country, but was uncomfortable with leaving my home in the city (comfort zone).
Today I understand the true meaning of “skinny branches,” or being uncomfortable. I know and love the notion that I am going backwards if I don’t put it “all” out there.
Leadership Breakthrough Two was amazing in a totally different way. I thought I was a master at sizing up people. I am ashamed to say it, but I constantly judged people. Process after process I was wrong, wrong, wrong with who I thought would lead us through the process. Best of all, most often it wasn’t me!
How has Rapport training impacted you personally?
Personally, the most important thing in my life is my relationship with Jesus Christ, my Savior. I am strong, I am powerful, and now I stand up for my religious beliefs! Because I am blessed, my wife Karen, son Jeffrey, my daughter Jenna and son-in-law Chris have all gone through the same Rapport classes as I. We are an awesome family.
How has Rapport training impacted your business?
Premier Concepts, LLC was a great company when I joined them. Most everyone enjoyed each other, cared about each other, worked well together, and if I didn’t know better, I would have said we were a company who could have done just fine without Rapport Leadership International’s training. I do know better. As strange as it may sound, seldom does a day go by when I, or one of our team, isn’t told by someone who comes to visit our office, “this is the coolest environment I’ve ever seen,” or “your team is unbelievable!” I can’t tell you how often the word PASSION is used in describing our team.
In our business we do many executive presentations. Most often we are with Presidents, and/or CEO’s of companies. These folks aren’t mesmerized by the glitz and glamour of technology. They are mesmerized by sincerity, honesty, focus, integrity, dedication and our sincere interest in our business. They love to know that we care enough to walk the walk, and talk the talk.
What is the most surprising benefit you or your organization received from Rapport training?
"Constructive criticism" in each of the companies I’ve work with in the past is frightening. It is CONFRONTATION! It is BAD!!!
At Premier Concepts, we look forward to hearing “feedback.” We tell it like it is – “You did a great job on your presentation today,” or“You didn’t make your points as clear as you have in the past.” When the feedback is delivered, we ask for a simple “thank you” from the receiver. We’ve grown to be far ahead of what any of us thought possible; and we’ve only just begun.
How do you keep Rapport training alive in your organization?
We have unannounced times of “sharing” at Premier Concepts, LLC. That is to say, in only a moments notice we’ll invite ALL grad’s to come to a conference room, or any location - depending on where we happen to be at the time. I usually start by sharing something personal about my growth since Rapport, followed by the comment, “and who would like to be next?” Sometimes we start off “playing it safe,” but there is always one who will recognize the need to get serious and put it all on the line by sharing “from the heart.” Most often, we have several boxes of Kleenex to pass around to those who are as moved by the “digging down deep” of one’s story, as by the content that affects our emotions.
We also insist that each other use as many Rapport sayings or processes as possible with regard to improving Premier’s performance.
Which class had the greatest impact on you and why?
Leadership Breakthrough One had far and away the most impact in my life. I felt like I was in a room full of mirrors and every part of every process was forcing me to look in a mirror and see me as I was. In ten years (since my graduation) there haven’t been more than a handful of days that I haven’t thought about my Rapport training in some way, shape, or form. I want everyone I know to have the opportunity to experience Leadership Breakthrough One.
When you face a challenge in your organization, what tools from the training do you draw on first?
First of all, “good enough” won’t do. In and of itself, getting “good enough” behind us has made us “the best of the best.” There have been huge opportunities/hurdles we’ve crossed since our Rapport training. We’ve found tough decisions are easier to make when we know why we’re making them. Our integrity comes first. We know if we do what’s right we can deal with the outcome of any situation. We’ve also adopted some of Rapport’s oldest pillars to remind us of our individual journeys to this point. JFDI – just focus and do it! Leading is important. Do what’s right! FOCUS!
Have the best day!
