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Leadership Takeaways

ASHOK AGGARWAL

His interactive presentation to the Presidential Student Ambassadors on September 19 was titled Fortune Favors the Bold.  He engaged the student leaders in hyperactive bold participation which includes: listening actively, having some degree of vulnerability, being bold enough to disagree, and taking risks. 

Ashok concluded by reminding the PSAs that “You can estimate your return by estimating your risks.”


LISA COSTELLO

Dr. Costello emphasized engagement, service leadership, education, advocacy, networking, outreach, and resilience.  She offered the following takeaways:

  • Think about what difference you can make.
  • Embrace vulnerability.
  • Give and receive grace.
  • Keep climbing.


LAURA DAVISSON

Consider Your Next Steps in Advocacy

  • Meet local stakeholders to improve circumstances.
  • Engage in advocacy days and meet with state committees.
  • Combat misinformation.
  • Teach and disseminate knowledge via Op-eds and social media.
  • Advocate for policies & legislation.
  • Run for office.


RAYMON GADDIS

It is crucial to understand that leadership is an ever learning process. It is comprised of self-awareness, credibility, vision, compassion and empathy, resilience, and collaboration.  "A leader never stops learning. Good leaders inspire us in this lifetime. Great leaders inspire us beyond their lifetime."

MARCO GREENBERG

"We should focus on our ancient instincts and traditions. Success today is about sensing danger and pouncing on opportunity -- as our ancestors did tens of thousands of years ago, or in the manner of playful kids full of curiosity and can-do spirit.

Go ROAMING™:

  • Be relentless in pursuing our biggest goals.
  • Have the courage to reject group-think and be oppositional.
  • Choose an agnostic approach rather than overly specialize.
  • Adopt a messianic spirit, so your work becomes not just a job but a true calling.
  • Embrace the advantages of being insecure rather than feign bravado.
  • Reap the benefits of sometimes acting a little nuts.
  • Realize that being gallant in following one's passions delivers the ultimate rewards.

JOHN HAVLIK

Top Ten Takeaways

  • Walk the Deckplates. Talk with your people, learn what makes them tick. Listen to them!
  • Check your attitude at the door. Personal hubris/ego will lead to mission failure. Starts with the leader.
  • It's always about the mission and not the individual.
  • Practice/Rehearse/Debrief.....A LOT.
  • Find a mentor (Sea Daddy). Trustworthy advisor.
  • Get smart on office "politics". It's often more about who you know.
  • Don't make a decision in :30 you'll regret it the rest of your life.
  • Don't let anyone tell you "no." Take advantage of those unique opportunities life offers you.
  • Learn to communicate... not just on social media. Shake someone's hand and look them in the eyes.
  • Keep a hard copy of your important records.

    • SHARON LEE

    Thoughts on Leadership

    • The most valuable piece of advice I ever received was from my infinitely wise late mother: Choose your battles!
    • My favorite quote is attributed to various entities, most frequently Buddha or Nelson Mandela:Holding onto anger is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.
    • Don't go through life with blinders on or you will miss opportunities that come your way as you are focused on the "straight ahead"! I know that if I had not been curious enough to take a look at alternative career options in my peripheral vision, I would have missed the opportunity to live a life I could never have envisioned for myself.
    • Your two most valuable assets are integrity and a sense of humor. Don't let either of these qualities escape your grasp.

    JAMES LEONARD

    Lessons in Leadership and Professional Development

    • Leadership often times involves going the places that other people don't want when they don't want to. So, opportunities in leadership and advancement can be found on the fringes and sometimes the very act of just showing up and having a good attitude can set you apart from the crowd. You must operationalize and capture the value of well-directed and timely public speaking.
    • Don’t be afraid to fail.
    • Believe in yourself!

    KATHY MATTEA

    Perspective or Opportunity?

    "We need to trust our inner voice. Consider perspective…e.g., “If you look at something as a crisis,then it’s a crisis. If you look at something as an opportunity, then it’s an opportunity.”

    NIKKI BOWMAN MILLS

    Be a Possibilitarian - Look at the future not with fear, but with possibility!

    • Identify problems or opportunities but focus on solutions.
    • Fill the gaps.
    • What is your differentiator?
    • Don’t settle for good enough.
    • Be persistent.
    • Surround yourself with inspiring people.
    • Build relationships.

    SUSAN RIDDLE

    Lead where you are planted.

    Leadership involves taking risks.

    • Don’t fear making mistakes - own them and learn from them.
    • Vulnerability & honesty are important – leaders need to be real.
    • Leaders are human – none of us are perfect or have all the answers
    • Surround yourself with people who are different that can challenge you.
    • Don’t take yourself too seriously – a sense of humor is a necessity!!!

    Because leadership involves challenging the status quo and taking, it involves courage.

    • Motivate others to achieve something new or better.
    • Focus to accomplish a common goal.
    • Set yourself and others up for success.
    • Rise to the challenge, embrace it, & don't fight it!
    • Leave things better than when you first arrived.

RAYMON GADDIS

It is crucial to understand that leadership is an ever learning process.