One day a project engineer or field technician is managing their own work, focusing on drawings, documentations, punch lists and technical details; and the next day, they’re being asked to guide a team and think strategically about how their choices affect business outcomes.
For many of our industry’s seasoned pros, the path to leadership looked much like this: lots of responsibility without much formal preparation or training. But is that sustainable — or even fair?
This reality is why NSCA designed its Excellence in Business Operations (XBO) Experience. This year marks the third annual event, to be held from November 10 to 11, 2026 in Tempe, Ariz. It’s a place where rising industry stars can prepare for the opportunity to step up when it counts.
“Whether you’re ready or not, the occasion won’t wait,” says Brandon Conick, COO at CTI and NSCA board member. “In those moments of pressure, you have two choices: you can shirk away from the responsibility presented or rise to meet it. The former will provide you with comfort, but only the latter will provide you with growth. This event is for those who choose the rewarding path of leadership: building confidence to take on more and lead with purpose.”
Where Rising Stars Learn to Lead
XBO 2026 will focus on practical development for professionals who are moving from being strong individual contributors to people who can influence teams and shape culture. The theme is: Next Up. Step Up. It’s a call for emerging leaders to stop waiting to be “ready” and begin actively showing up as the leaders their organizations need.
The sessions are built with foundational concepts that come straight from NSCA’s Next-Gen Academy curriculum. They’re shaped by veteran leaders who have already walked the leadership path and know what it takes to succeed (and which stumbling blocks are most likely to derail new trailblazers).
Future leaders also get the chance to dig into the issues that matter most as their responsibilities grow and they transition from “doers” to “frontrunners.” They will explore how to:
- Build trust
- Lead former peers
- Delegate more effectively
- Create positive habits and accountability
- Address hard issues early
- Direct constructive communication
Emphasis on Interactive Experiences
While XBO 2026 emphasizes soft skills, it also emphasizes the business realities behind daily decisions. That means open, candid conversations about topics related to operational discipline, profitability, data interpretation and problem-solving under pressure.
Attendees are encouraged to become better managers of people and sharper thinkers who can connect field-level decisions to margin, customer experience, team performance and long-term business success.
To make those concepts stick, the experience is intentionally interactive where attendees spend much of their time engaging through peer discussions, hands-on exercises, real-world scenarios and collaborative problem-solving.
When Opportunity Calls, Be Ready to Answer
You never know when the opportunity to step up and lead may present itself. Preparation matters when those moments do arrive. By building skills to lead, the next generation will be ready to rise to the occasion.
If your integration firm is ready to invest in high-potential employees, or if you’re reading this article and know you’re ready for more, XBO offers a meaningful opportunity to accelerate that growth.
Our Jeff M. Kindig Future Leaders Scholarship also makes it possible to attend at no cost so that leadership development is accessible even when budgets are tight or training dollars are limited.
Learn more about the XBO Experience 2026 at NSCA.org/XBO.
Tom LeBlanc is NSCA’s executive director. Learn more about becoming an NSCA member by visiting NSCA.org.
