Pointing the way: three nationally known CEOs share thoughts and advice on leadership, which to them is more about refining the process than waiting for results.

Today's business environment is changing rapidly. That puts a premium on people who understand workers and the workplace and can develop more leaders in their wake. High Point University and BUSINESS NORTH CAROLINA invited three acclaimed chief executives to share their experiences and thoughts on what it takes to lead and how to assemble a team capable of navigating new challenges and meeting company goals. Participating were Ric Elias, CEO and co-founder of Fort S.C.-based Red Ventures LLC, a marketing company with offices in Charlotte and Wilmington; Bonnie McElveen-Hunter, founder and CEO of Greensboro-based Pace Communications Inc., the largest custom publisher in the country, a former U.S. ambassador to Finland and current board chairwoman of the American Red Cross; and Kelly King, CEO of Winston-Salem-based BB&T Corp., No. 2 on BNC's Financial 100, a ranking of the lam gest North Carolina-based financial institutions, and the nation's 12th-largest bank by assets. He was named one of the top three CEOs in the U.S. by Institutional Investor magazine. High Point University sponsored and hosted the discussion, which was moderated by its president, Nide Qubein. The following transcript has been edited for brevity and clarity.

What's the best leadership advice you have received?

Elias: The one piece of advice that has stood the test of time for me is that effective leaders are authentic. Being true to who I am is what that means to me. Leadership is a journey that takes you many places, and the only way to be grounded is to be authentic. That might not always be popular, but if you can maintain authenticity, you're more likely to evolve as a leader.

King: After I'd been with BB&T for a couple of years, the president told me, "You know, it is not about you. It is about them." His words hit me like a bucket of ice water. Any effective leader who goes about their business trying to claim credit, making sure everybody knows that he has all the answers, may achieve some success but will never acquire a sense of self-esteem and true happiness. I am committed to creating an environment where associates succeed through learning, growing and being fulfilled by their work. If they are successful, I'll be successful as well.

McElveen-Hunter: Everybody builds their life on a foundation, and mine is wisdom from my mother: Time is precious, use it wisely; mediocrity is the greatest sin; work is the greatest privilege; failure is a comma, never a period; and "can't" is a word that does not exist. We were living in Bossier City, La., when she had my brother, sister and I write "can't" on a piece of paper and place it in a shoebox. She took us to the backyard, and we dug a hole for that shoebox and covered it. She told us the word "can't" had been buried forever in Bossier City. I grew up understanding that--with hard work, God's help and confidence--the possibilities were endless.

How can a life event or situation shape leaders?

Elias: I bought a lucky plane ticket for US Airways Flight 1549 in January 2009. It was headed to Charlotte Douglas International Airport from LaGuardia Airport in New York City when it hit some Canada geese right after takeoff, and the pilot was forced to splash down in the Hudson River. Everyone on...