As I write this I have just taken over as the Treasurer of Phi Delta Theta and tomorrow at 4pm I will be taking over as Vice President of the Interfraternity Council. My responsibilities are going to increase a lot over the next semester, but it is something I am excited for. I will be taking courses related to my major that I hear are very difficult and I look forward to the challenge. My responsibilities within the Barton International Group will also be increasing as we have a project scheduled for Spring Break of the spring semester. This excites me. I like the idea that if I can survive my next two semesters of college I will have accomplished some pretty difficult things. I will feel fulfilled.
Through high school I never really challenged myself, and college has been a welcome change to that. It has been exciting and scary to put myself in situations I have never been in before. My next step will be to put myself out in the job market. It is something I have never done before I am excited to see how I will face this challenge. I would like to get an internship for the summer, and I need to start applying. I currently work for my father who is a TPA (Third Party Administrator) for 401(k) plans. It has been a good experience, but I am looking forward to a new experience and challenge. I feel I have accomplished a good amount in my time in college, but I have not yet had the courage to put myself out there in the job market.
I see the value of applying to several places I just haven't had the time nor courage to do it. Christmas break will be the time when I put myself out there and start applying places. I put in my blog that putting yourself out there is one of the most important keys to success in college. That is why I need to do this. I have put myself out there in several different areas of my life, but I have not yet put this kind of challenge in front of myself. I have confidence that I can meet this challenge, but I will not know until I actually try.
I will actually be scheduling an interview for a company that is interested in offering me a position in the very near future. This is exciting, but I do not know what it will lead too. I just know that I am ready for new challenges in my life. I will hopefully be updating my blog in the near future with some successes I have had with regards to my employment status. I am very wishful that I can do some internship this summer even if it is just meaningless work. I am signing off now, but thank you to my those fellow bloggers who stuck it out these last two days. I know you learned a lot about me.
Monday, December 5, 2011
Keys to Success in College
Disclaimer: I am not an expert. However, I feel my experience in college gives me some credibility when it comes to this blog post.
1. Get involved.
This is maybe the most important key to success in college. There are several studies out there that students who are more involved mature more through college, show an increase in critical thinking, and are more successful in the classroom and after graduation. Employers aren't looking for students who got a perfect GPA in college. They are looking for students who are engaged and faced real leadership experiences in college. Getting involved is a great way to improve your resume and your experience in college. Out of everything I say in my blog this is the one thing I believe is the most important to being successful.
2. Put yourself out there and don't be afraid to fail.
After you get involved in college you need to learn how to put yourself out there. What this would look like is taking chances and opening yourself up to new opportunities. A great example is applying to multiple jobs. Even if you fail you can use those failures as a learning opportunity. These failures will help prepare you for better opportunities later in life. This will also include running for positions within any student organizations you join. It is vital to put yourself out there and fail. Fail hard. It is very important to learn how to be successful.
3. Have fun but have priorities
It is important to not spend your college career locked in a room studying every single night. However, you need to know when you need to study and when you need to relax. So many people miss the memories and friends they could have experienced in college by focusing on getting perfect grades. Never settle for less than your best, but know how to manage your time wisely enough that you don't miss out on your college experience. Learn how to say "no". Don't over program yourself on things that aren't important.
4. Talk to your professors.
Success in the classroom will come much easier if you have a good relationship with your professor. Being able to communicate with your professor will be much easier if you have a previous relationship with your professor. Your grades and future will thank you if you take the time to get to know your professors.
5. Write thank you cards
Write thank you cards to people who have helped you or done something out of their way for you. They will appreciate it much more than you know, and it will leave a great impression on them. This could be beneficial to you in the future.
6. Get Involved
I know I mentioned this earlier but because I believe it is the most important aspect I will mention again the importance of getting involved. It is the most important key to success in college. Getting involved will help you have a great time, make friends, and learn through your experiences which is the most important thing you can do.
1. Get involved.
This is maybe the most important key to success in college. There are several studies out there that students who are more involved mature more through college, show an increase in critical thinking, and are more successful in the classroom and after graduation. Employers aren't looking for students who got a perfect GPA in college. They are looking for students who are engaged and faced real leadership experiences in college. Getting involved is a great way to improve your resume and your experience in college. Out of everything I say in my blog this is the one thing I believe is the most important to being successful.
2. Put yourself out there and don't be afraid to fail.
After you get involved in college you need to learn how to put yourself out there. What this would look like is taking chances and opening yourself up to new opportunities. A great example is applying to multiple jobs. Even if you fail you can use those failures as a learning opportunity. These failures will help prepare you for better opportunities later in life. This will also include running for positions within any student organizations you join. It is vital to put yourself out there and fail. Fail hard. It is very important to learn how to be successful.
3. Have fun but have priorities
It is important to not spend your college career locked in a room studying every single night. However, you need to know when you need to study and when you need to relax. So many people miss the memories and friends they could have experienced in college by focusing on getting perfect grades. Never settle for less than your best, but know how to manage your time wisely enough that you don't miss out on your college experience. Learn how to say "no". Don't over program yourself on things that aren't important.
4. Talk to your professors.
Success in the classroom will come much easier if you have a good relationship with your professor. Being able to communicate with your professor will be much easier if you have a previous relationship with your professor. Your grades and future will thank you if you take the time to get to know your professors.
5. Write thank you cards
Write thank you cards to people who have helped you or done something out of their way for you. They will appreciate it much more than you know, and it will leave a great impression on them. This could be beneficial to you in the future.
6. Get Involved
I know I mentioned this earlier but because I believe it is the most important aspect I will mention again the importance of getting involved. It is the most important key to success in college. Getting involved will help you have a great time, make friends, and learn through your experiences which is the most important thing you can do.
American Businesses
I recently read a book by Thomas Freidman titled "That Used To Be Us". This book was concerned with the future of America. It pointed out a lot of problems with fundamental American establishments and gave some ideas on how to correct them. It was a very interesting book and had a lot of interesting information. I thought the most interesting part was its focus on education in America. It gave some very interesting statistics that I feel all Americans should be aware of when it comes to the education of our youth. We actually have very average education levels compared to other countries throughout the world. This does not bode well for the future of our country. Education is one of the most important foundations of a country. The success of business in America and our economy is dependent on creative, educated individuals who can come up with innovative new ideas and businesses. Education is key in developing these individuals to be the force behind our economy.
This will require America to put a greater emphasis on the importance of education. In most countries they consider the most prestigious position to be teachers. In America it is certainly not that way. We have some incredibly intelligent teachers in America, but we lose many of our brightest students to other more lucrative professions. This is a problem for our country. All of these bright students from other countries used to come to America to start business, but America has become stagnant. These students from other countries now realize after they get their degrees that they can go back to their home country and start successful "garage" companies. America is no longer retaining the top talent from other countries that they used too. Combined with the education in America it has caused hard economic times in our country. It is not the only cause of this problem but certainly a major one. The fix for this problem will have to come from within our political system.
However, that is not very likely as things currently stand. democrats and republicans are at a standoff in Washington and nothing will be accomplished with the government in its current state. No one will cede to the other, and it is hurting the country. They will never agree on an issue like education because it will require increased funding which will require an increase to taxes. Something the republicans will never agree too. However, I am not blaming the republicans I just see the need for compromise from both sides. Right now the economy will only be fixed with compromise in Washington. Without compromise from the political parties this country will continue on its downward trend. I am hopeful however that the American spirit will prevail in the future.
This will require America to put a greater emphasis on the importance of education. In most countries they consider the most prestigious position to be teachers. In America it is certainly not that way. We have some incredibly intelligent teachers in America, but we lose many of our brightest students to other more lucrative professions. This is a problem for our country. All of these bright students from other countries used to come to America to start business, but America has become stagnant. These students from other countries now realize after they get their degrees that they can go back to their home country and start successful "garage" companies. America is no longer retaining the top talent from other countries that they used too. Combined with the education in America it has caused hard economic times in our country. It is not the only cause of this problem but certainly a major one. The fix for this problem will have to come from within our political system.
However, that is not very likely as things currently stand. democrats and republicans are at a standoff in Washington and nothing will be accomplished with the government in its current state. No one will cede to the other, and it is hurting the country. They will never agree on an issue like education because it will require increased funding which will require an increase to taxes. Something the republicans will never agree too. However, I am not blaming the republicans I just see the need for compromise from both sides. Right now the economy will only be fixed with compromise in Washington. Without compromise from the political parties this country will continue on its downward trend. I am hopeful however that the American spirit will prevail in the future.
Barton School of Business
After talking about all of the wonderful organizations I am involved in that are going to help me in my future I would like to talk about the wonderful school that is going to help me accomplish my goals. The Barton School of Business is a great business school that not enough people know about. The faculty and staff are what makes the Barton School of Business maybe the best business school in the state of Kansas. Kate Kung-McIntrye who is the director of financial aid within the business school is a wonderful individual who is positively shaping the lives of so many students in the business school. I was exposed to her through the Barton International Group and she has so much passion for helping students figure out direction in their lives. She has done so much for me individually and others throughout the business school.
The business school also is filled with some wonderful advisers like Ann Burger and Christine Rounds. These two wonderful ladies are incredibly personable and get to know each student who walks through their door. They are very helpful in guiding a student to pick the right classes, and they will work your schedule out perfectly if you would like to travel abroad. I have had a lot of interaction with both over my time at Wichita State and it has always been positive. They are also both involved with the Barton International Group, and Christine traveled to France with us this last semester. Her attitude and smile made the trip more enjoyable for everyone there. The faculty in Wichita State's business school is also very good.
The classes I have taken thus far in the Barton School of Business have all been entry level classes, but the faculty I have interacted with have for the most part been very impressive professors. They have excelled in not just school but in the real world. One of my professors was a very successful executive at Coleman before he went into teaching, and he has so many stories of his experience there that we can relate to and learn from. All of my teachers have been very easy to approach after class or through email with any problem I may have. That is a very valuable tool to me as a student. Getting ready to start some courses in my major I am confident that I can go to a professor anytime and get the information I need. I also see the faculty outside of the classroom at various functions which has really helped me get acquainted with the business schools faculty. I often know my teachers before I get in the classroom which also helps with communication.
The dean of the business school, Doug Hensler, is also very important to the success of the business school. He came into the position believing the business school needed to start implementing E3 learning. This type of learning focuses on learning by doing. It is the whole idea behind the Barton International Group and is what makes the group so special. He gets to know the students as well and is a great figurehead for the Barton School of Business. All of the people I mentioned above have helped to create a great learning atmosphere in the Barton School of Business at Wichita State. It has been a great experience so far.
The business school also is filled with some wonderful advisers like Ann Burger and Christine Rounds. These two wonderful ladies are incredibly personable and get to know each student who walks through their door. They are very helpful in guiding a student to pick the right classes, and they will work your schedule out perfectly if you would like to travel abroad. I have had a lot of interaction with both over my time at Wichita State and it has always been positive. They are also both involved with the Barton International Group, and Christine traveled to France with us this last semester. Her attitude and smile made the trip more enjoyable for everyone there. The faculty in Wichita State's business school is also very good.
The classes I have taken thus far in the Barton School of Business have all been entry level classes, but the faculty I have interacted with have for the most part been very impressive professors. They have excelled in not just school but in the real world. One of my professors was a very successful executive at Coleman before he went into teaching, and he has so many stories of his experience there that we can relate to and learn from. All of my teachers have been very easy to approach after class or through email with any problem I may have. That is a very valuable tool to me as a student. Getting ready to start some courses in my major I am confident that I can go to a professor anytime and get the information I need. I also see the faculty outside of the classroom at various functions which has really helped me get acquainted with the business schools faculty. I often know my teachers before I get in the classroom which also helps with communication.
The dean of the business school, Doug Hensler, is also very important to the success of the business school. He came into the position believing the business school needed to start implementing E3 learning. This type of learning focuses on learning by doing. It is the whole idea behind the Barton International Group and is what makes the group so special. He gets to know the students as well and is a great figurehead for the Barton School of Business. All of the people I mentioned above have helped to create a great learning atmosphere in the Barton School of Business at Wichita State. It has been a great experience so far.
Examples of Leadership-Jack Welch
I recently wrote a paper in my Management class, and I will be sharing some of it on my blog. It detailed the leadership of Jack Welch, an incredible leader. There were also profiles of other CEO's, but this is my favorite part listed below:
“An organization's ability to learn, and translate that learning into action rapidly, is the ultimate competitive advantage”- Jack Welch. This quote by former General Electric Company CEO Jack Welch exemplifies the management strategy GE took during his twenty years of leadership. GE did not take the reactor approach when it came to the changing business world but instead the prospector. This is only one of the many reasons Jack Welch turned GE into the largest and most valuable company in the world by the time he retired in 2001. Before Jack Welch took over as CEO GE was the tenth largest company by market cap (GE). However, GE was invested in multiple areas of business in which it was not doing well and was headed for decline. There were three different phases of business improvement during Welch’s tenure of CEO that changed GE for the better, and it all began in the year 1981.
In 1981, Jack Welch was promoted to be the 8th CEO of the General Electric Company and also the youngest at the age of 46. At the time of his promotion GE recorded roughly 28 billion dollars in revenue and earnings of 1.65 billion dollars (Wharton). Jack Welch had a philosophy for all of the different businesses of General Electric which made these seemingly high numbers not meet his standards. Welch believed that if a GE business was not number one or two in its industry then no more resources should be allocated to its existence. In his first years at GE, Welch cut over 100,000 jobs and trimmed the fat of his organization (Six Sigma). Welch also started firing the bottom 10% of employees and rewarding the top 20%. This was a brilliant strategic move and showed a lot of the directive and conceptual leadership style in Welch. He made difficult decisions on the facts that certain business were not performing where they should be with long term prospects of the company in mind. Welch knew that as a large company to be successful GE had to eliminate non-performing branches of the organization. The second phase of business improvement implemented by Jack Welch changed how the business world saw management forever.
In the late 1980’s Welch began the process of eliminating non-value added activities in the workplace. He did this through participative management which has never been seen in the workplace before. By implementing the program “Work-Out” Welch involved the company in a relentless search to improve the way GE did things. This helped involve all employees in what happened at GE which fostered a sense of community and created a better organizational culture at GE. The idea behind this was boundary less learning or the removal of all organizational structure that might impede the flow of ideas. Not only did employees have more of a sense of ownership at GE, but this removal of boundaries helped to foster creativity at every level of the organization (Six Sigma). Welch also changed GE from a tall organizational structure with twenty-nine different levels to a flat organizational structure with six different levels of management (Investing Value). After Welch had streamlined his business and improved the efficiency, creativity, and organizational culture he had to come up with a way to keep GE changing and improving upon itself.
In 1995, GE began the implementation of the process of Six Sigma. Ideally, Six Sigma is used to remove common cause variation from the production process. Six Sigma focuses the management team on this goal and it helps to move an organization to the next level of efficiency. “The GE Six Sigma initiative is the management approach to satisfy this improvement objective. It prepares the business to be a reliable organization that produces the right product through value-added processes that consistently perform as designed to deliver the value that has been demanded by customers and markets (Six Sigma).” Over the five years that Six Sigma was implemented in Welch’s tenure earnings per share doubled and operating margins improved by five percent. Six Sigma was essential to putting GE on another level after eliminating non-profitable businesses and removing non-value added activities.
“My main job was developing talent. I was a gardener providing water and other nourishment to our top 750 people. Of course, I had to pull out some weeds, too.”-Jack Welch. This quote refers to maybe the most important thing Jack Welch did as CEO of GE. Improving GE as a company was important, but Welch knew he would not be around forever and saw the importance of developing managerial talent. This is a great example of strategic planning by Welch. He knew that the company’s survival after he left would depend on the future leaders of the company. Every April Welch would clear his schedule and would visit all of his business to meet the top executives and foster their talent. With the help of Michigan professor Noel Tichy, Welch revitalized GE’s training center and it had more than 8,000 GE employees come for leadership seminars each year. Welch’s emphasis on fostering talent has given GE what many consider to be the deepest executive branch in American companies (Brady). Not only was Welch a genius in forming a short term strategy, but his long term strategy focus on leadership helped propel GE to the top.
In conclusion, Jack Welch was one of the most influential leaders and managers of all time. Fortune Magazine named him the greatest manager of the 20th century in 1999 for this reason. During his reign as CEO revenue increased from 28 billion dollars to over 130 billion dollars (GE). The market value of GE also increased from 13 billion to nearly 500 billion dollars (Wharton). An increase like that is incredible and can be directly attributed to Welch’s incredible leadership skills. Whether eliminating business that could not create a profit or creating one of the deepest executive teams in the country Welch had a great strategic plan when he took over the General Electric Company. Jack Welch is proof that great leadership can make all of the difference when it comes to the success of a company.
My Career Ambitions
I certainly do not know yet what I want to do with my life, but I am very excited to figure it out over the next couple of years. I am a Accounting and Finance Major which is why my last couple of blog posts are so related. My student involvements are going to be an integral part of my development as a professional and when searching for a job in the next couple of years. Currently, my plan is to finish my two majors within four years and end with a hundred and fifty credit hours. This would set me up to take the CPA exam after graduation which would be an incredibly valuable thing to have regardless of whether I use it or not. My goal is to get an internship for this upcoming summer before my junior year, but I need to start applying for that to take my place. I am currently employed at Qualified Plans Solutions, but I will talk about that more later.
The thing I am most excited about with regards to my future is the opportunity for leadership. Whatever it is that I do I will strive to end up a leader in my organization. My experiences in college have really changed my career outlook. When I first came into college with my family background I was intrigued by the idea of a comfortable well-paying job that was not too demanding. This way I could be with my wife and children more frequently and not miss out on special events in their lives. However, while I do not want to be consumed by work I do not think it would be fulfilling for me to just sit on the sidelines and not fully immerse myself in my work. With the limited leadership experiences I have had in college already I have found great joy in it. It is something I am truly passionate about, and I want to continue to improve and develop. I recognize that I have flaws as a leader. I think at this point I would not be capable of making the tough decisions or truly criticizing someone to their face. However, I do have some strong points. I can relate to anyone, and I can convey almost any message without hurting anyone's feelings. With my personality I often find that people have a tendency to look to me for leadership. Certainly not everyone but some people are naturally attracted to me as a leader.
This appeals to me. I like having control over my destiny within organizations. I don't always agree with what people decide, and I find it enjoyable to have the final say in matters. Regardless of what career path I decide to travel down I will always put a special emphasis on leadership and its importance. I realize it will be awhile before I can be a leader in my own company, but I am excited for the journey.
The thing I am most excited about with regards to my future is the opportunity for leadership. Whatever it is that I do I will strive to end up a leader in my organization. My experiences in college have really changed my career outlook. When I first came into college with my family background I was intrigued by the idea of a comfortable well-paying job that was not too demanding. This way I could be with my wife and children more frequently and not miss out on special events in their lives. However, while I do not want to be consumed by work I do not think it would be fulfilling for me to just sit on the sidelines and not fully immerse myself in my work. With the limited leadership experiences I have had in college already I have found great joy in it. It is something I am truly passionate about, and I want to continue to improve and develop. I recognize that I have flaws as a leader. I think at this point I would not be capable of making the tough decisions or truly criticizing someone to their face. However, I do have some strong points. I can relate to anyone, and I can convey almost any message without hurting anyone's feelings. With my personality I often find that people have a tendency to look to me for leadership. Certainly not everyone but some people are naturally attracted to me as a leader.
This appeals to me. I like having control over my destiny within organizations. I don't always agree with what people decide, and I find it enjoyable to have the final say in matters. Regardless of what career path I decide to travel down I will always put a special emphasis on leadership and its importance. I realize it will be awhile before I can be a leader in my own company, but I am excited for the journey.
Barton International Group
The Barton International Group is another group that has been key in my professional development thus far in college. It is a student run consulting enterprise that serves large international firms in Wichita. Over the years The Barton International Group has worked with Spirit Aerosystems and Coleman. My first year in the program the group faced a lot of challenges finding a client due to hard economic times. We ended up taking a trip to the business school in France, and it was an incredible experience I will never forgot. We spent 5 days in Southern France and 3 days in Paris. The culture shock was pretty intense, and I learned some of the French language and traditions.This trip alone justified my involvement in the organization. I kept a journal with all of my memories from the trip, and I am very excited to look back on that someday and laugh.
After that trip, over the summer I became the head of recruitment for the Barton International Group. It was exciting opportunity entering my sophomore year of college, but I did not have much experience within the department. I had been recruited my freshman year, but I did not know much about how the process worked. Maybe the most important thing I got out of this position was my ability to speak in front of a classroom of my peers. I delivered several presentations at the start of the year to classrooms of various levels, and it helped me later in the year when I had to present to the Barton Advisory Board. The Barton Advisory Board was filled with some very successful people, and it was an intimidating meeting that I met with great success. I now feel incredibly comfortable speaking in front of several of my peers.
I also learned about time management and organization through my experience as head of recruitment. Organizing an event for 40 people by yourself is not an easy task, but I met the challenge head on. The day of the event seven potential candidates did not show up which lead to a lot of scrambling on my part. However, no one even seemed to notice all the chaos that was going on in my mind. This along with the position of secretary in Phi Delt helped prepare me for becoming Director of Human Resources within in BIG. This position was created after I finished my time as head of recruitment. It was a position that had absolutely no direction or current state. I am now in the process of creating this position. It is a new challenge and I am working with Dr. Nancy Bereman who is the head of the Management Department in the Barton School of Business. She has been incredibly helpful thus far, and I am very excited to see what becomes of all of her help. My time in BIG has involved a lot of hard work and a lot of personal development. Combining it with my experiences in Phi Delt I have become a much more mature version of myself from a year ago. It excites me for my future within these organizations.
After that trip, over the summer I became the head of recruitment for the Barton International Group. It was exciting opportunity entering my sophomore year of college, but I did not have much experience within the department. I had been recruited my freshman year, but I did not know much about how the process worked. Maybe the most important thing I got out of this position was my ability to speak in front of a classroom of my peers. I delivered several presentations at the start of the year to classrooms of various levels, and it helped me later in the year when I had to present to the Barton Advisory Board. The Barton Advisory Board was filled with some very successful people, and it was an intimidating meeting that I met with great success. I now feel incredibly comfortable speaking in front of several of my peers.
I also learned about time management and organization through my experience as head of recruitment. Organizing an event for 40 people by yourself is not an easy task, but I met the challenge head on. The day of the event seven potential candidates did not show up which lead to a lot of scrambling on my part. However, no one even seemed to notice all the chaos that was going on in my mind. This along with the position of secretary in Phi Delt helped prepare me for becoming Director of Human Resources within in BIG. This position was created after I finished my time as head of recruitment. It was a position that had absolutely no direction or current state. I am now in the process of creating this position. It is a new challenge and I am working with Dr. Nancy Bereman who is the head of the Management Department in the Barton School of Business. She has been incredibly helpful thus far, and I am very excited to see what becomes of all of her help. My time in BIG has involved a lot of hard work and a lot of personal development. Combining it with my experiences in Phi Delt I have become a much more mature version of myself from a year ago. It excites me for my future within these organizations.
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