SHPE - Fall 2007 - (Page 15) Representing 80 percent of all professional chapters, many professionals previously attended NILA as students. Imitating Dr. Mackie’s power stance, SHPE’s RSRs are set on winning the leadership race. One by one, each participant received his or her NILA diploma and congratulations from the NBOD. Energy and enthusiasm characterize SHPE’s newest class of leaders. contrast, spreading momentum among others involves showering them with emotion. “How much do you love weirdness?” Owens asked. “If you want to create momentum, others will get it if you love their weirdness.” Further practical instruction came in the form of 19 different workshops. Manny Sanchez, a senior systems engineer with 35 years of experience at Lockheed Martin, advised student leaders to keep an “engineer’s notebook” documenting their strengths, weaknesses, what worked/didn’t work, resources, contact information and alliances. “Keep a book on everything you’ve learned,” Sanchez said. “It’s just as important to know what worked as what didn’t work. Roll over what worked into your next challenge. Anything that yielded adverse effects should be evaluated as to why it didn’t work. As your toolbox expands, you’ll get stronger, make more intelligent decisions and become a better person. Others will stop second www.SHPE.org R Fall 2007 guessing your credibility and reputation.” He later led professionals through an interactive session where they responded to common corporate situations: managing projects that were behind schedule and over budget, working with less experienced staff and dealing with mergers and budget reductions. Sanchez was impressed with how professionals applied “C4+ Leadership Qualities” – character, conviction, competency and caring – as well as integrity, ethics, self-awareness and self-discipline in taking decisive action. The celebratory banquet allowed participants a forum to reflect on their NILA experience and contemplate the type of leaders they would become. “You may fear failure, but what if you succeed?” asked keynote speaker Alma Rosales, director of Worldwide Enablement Services in the Integrated Supply Chain Division of IBM. “A leader is one willing to take a challenge and learn from failure. They take risks without fear of failure. You wouldn’t be here if you weren’t capable of responding well to the challenge.” Beyond mentoring their successors, they were further challenged to show children how better to invest their time. “Teach them to reject negative stereotypes about Hispanics through education and leadership.” During his keynote address, Al Griffin, TI fellow in the World-Wide SC Quality organization for Texas Instruments, passed on the simple leadership recipe he learned from the abuelitos who raised him. When he met apparent failure in karate, on the basketball court and at the beginning of his career, their dichos shaped his understanding of true leadership. “Great leaders create other great leaders through their example and teachings,” he said. Brimming with information and inspiration, NILA participants were eager to share what they learned and to put into practice their new skills. For Edgar Martinez, the advice of experienced leaders reaffirmed his commitment to the chapter at Southern Polytechnic State University. Likening leadership to soccer, he noted that anyone can play, but to play well, leaders need coaches to hone their talent. “It’s good to know I’m on the right path,” he said. “I’ve learned that to lead people, you’ve got to love people. I’m a leader in my community because I feel its pain. Without education we become vulnerable to stereotypes and don’t have tools to counter them. I’m involved because education is the only way to come out successfully.” I Gracias NILA Sponsors Accenture American Airlines Delta Air Lines Inc. Ford Motor Company IBM Lockheed Martin Corporation Workshop Workshop Case Study Competition Attendee Scholarship Banquet Workshop Attendee Scholarship Badge Holder Case Study Competition Conference Bags T-Shirts Workshop Attendee Scholarship Conference Bags Banquet T-Shirts Workshop Attendee Scholarships Evening Breaks/Receptions Workshop Attendee Scholarship Medtronic Inc. Procter & Gamble Texas Instruments Toyota U.S. Navy United Technologies Corporation 15 http://www.SHPE.org
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