The following are the last but not least notes and thoughts from speaker Michele Dunn during the weekend's conference as well as a few pictures of the beautiful facilities at GE Crotonville. The sessions have still given me plenty to mull over and think about. One particular thing that impressed me over the weekend was how much the GE and Reagan Foundations strive for excellence in everything. Nothing is left undone, or done without thought. They set a high standard. The GE training classes achieved what I have seen many others only hope for: engagement of participants and active listening in the classroom. Amidst the removal of responsibilities (I did not even have to pick up my dishes!) freedom was allowed to think, create, explore, learn, try, and fail. So many times, they reminded us mistakes are ok; just learn from them. While I must admit, many of the business applications were far beyond my understanding, the training seemed to be intentionally focused on broad principles of leadership, management, creativity, communication, handling change, etc... that stretched across universally to each of our fields or professions. Having received some other scholarships from other institutions, the GE-Reagan Foundation stands out for the amount invested in us! Not only have they kept up with us in school, but also the Foundations are excited to prepare us for the future. So, let us go out and be better leaders for it! I was reminded during our talk on resilience of an illustration of a cup. When bumped, whatever is in the cup naturally spills out. With what are you filling your cup? A great part of resilience is internal preparation before the pressure of crisis comes. The character developed today is preparation for the task tomorrow. Resilience requires a balance, humble confidence. Michele shared with us 7 practical components of resilience. Regardless where life takes us, "the only constant is change." In revealing areas that we can each grown in, communication and comparison both stood out. If each member learns how to response correctly, a team or business is made all the better as a whole.
What does a resilience look like in a company?
Michelle opened up introductions with three questions that I have still reflected on. They could really be answered with essays, but on the spot, what would be your first response? I appreciated how much we could learn about each other and from each other in how they were answered.
I really appreciated others sharing their experiences:
Michele Dunn - Master Coach
Michele Dunn is an executive coach, certified by the International Coach Federation. At GE Crotonville, she has logged more than 2500 hours of coaching business leaders. She is also a master instructor, having taught more than 12,000 GE leaders worldwide over the last 25 years. Her repertoire is extensive and her leadership legacy is well documented with hundreds of recommendations on her LinkedIn profile. Her clients provide a consistent theme of empathy and excellence in this very personal area of professional development. Michele has keen insight and a refined ability to connect quickly with individuals, understand the context of their challenges and works with them to develop strategic and tactical solutions. She is laser focused on the specific needs of her client. Her style is both warm and engaging and serious and strong. This gravitas is sought after by executives who seek one on one development. Her recommendations are based on the wisdom gained from her experience in global business, through cycles of both growth and retrenchment. She also has a unique way of seeing and understanding organizations and the people in them. With such broad and deep experience, Michele serves as an advisor, course designer and instructor on such topics as strategic thinking, innovation, Emotional Intelligence, Influence, Negotiating, Conflict Management and Leadership. She has worked in Asia, Europe, Australia, Central and South America, Canada and the US. Her clients have included GE, Ford, ExxonMobil, Cisco, PepsiCo, Merck, Union Carbide, TimeWarner, SCM and the US Government. She has also worked within a wide variety of industries including Aviation, Power, Water, Oil & Gas, Financial Services, Healthcare, Insurance and Media. And functionally, she has served individuals and groups within Environmental Health and Safety, Finance, Legal, Medical and Corporate Audit Staffs. She holds a multitude of certifications including the Bar-On Emotional Intelligence, Situation Management Systems, Influence, Social Styles, The Forum Corporation, Chorda Conflict, Inside Out Coaching, Hay Group Resilience, Career Systems International, Situational Leadership, Myers Briggs Type Indicator, Experience !t, Experience Point and FIRO B. Michele is a member of the Association for Talent Development, the National Association of Female Executives, and the International Coach Federation. She has served on the Board of Directors for Easter Seals, Coastal Fairfield County Connecticut and is a member of the National Association of Corporate Directors. She has an MBA in Marketing from Pace University, NYC and a BA in Political Science and Business Administration from the State University of New York at Albany. She lives in Wilton, Connecticut, USA, is a widow and mother of four young adult children. So what is next? That is the big question after graduation. Here, some of the 2013 GE-Reagan Foundation Scholars, now find ourselves asking the same thing. The past goal (graduation) has been met; so what to do now? The 2017 Global Leadership Forum was a great time of catching up over the 4 years passed, as well as discussing the next year's coming. In this continuation of notes and thoughts from what we learned... I especially liked the last quote from a GE video Mr. Denhart shared with us: "plenty of people will give the world what it wants, but who will give the world what it needs?" While, we may each answer this question differently or each define the world's needs a different way, it provokes us to live actively, not passive! This may mean we may not be the most well-liked or popular person, but perhaps our work may be the most worthwhile and life most well-spent. What does most of the world want? entertainment? but what does it need? Mr. Tony Denhart shared with us his tips:
Janet Tran - Director of Learning & Leadership at Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation & Institute Janet served in inner city Los Angeles high schools as a Social Studies and English Teacher. She is a former Social Studies Department Chair, Professional Development Coordinator, and Advanced Placement Coordinator and has presented at national conferences. Janet is a graduate of the University of California Los Angeles. Tony Denhart - University Relations Leader GE Global University Relations
Tony is the University Relations Leader for GE Global University Relations. In this role, Tony is responsible for leading the strategy and implementation of university relations, full time, internship, military and diversity recruitment initiatives, developing a unified presence on campus, branding strategy and execution, campus recruiting teams, and research collaboration at GE’s executive schools. He also partners with the GE businesses across the company in the development of diversity goals, best practices, workforce planning and programs to meet strategic objectives. Tony works closely with GE’s Global Brand Marketing team to drive disruptive awareness and emotional connections in the university space. Tony started his GE career in 1989 as a field engineer with GE Energy. After several leadership roles at GE Energy, Tony accepted a role as the senior services leader, GE Energy in 2007. Tony’s strong external and operations focus was demonstrated frequently, as he developed meaningful relationships delivering solid results year over year with key customers and stakeholders. In addition to his GE Energy role, he was appointed to a volunteer role, Purdue Campus Relations Leader, CRL, that he held for seven years, 2007 – 2014. As the CRL Tony had full ownership of the recruiting cycle, relationships with the deans, faculty, administration and student organizations and research collaboration. Tony drove the partnership to new levels, student interaction increased, hiring increased and collaborative research increased by ten times. Tony also serves on the advisory boards of the GE-Reagan Foundation Scholarship Program, Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, Purdue Honors College, Purdue Bound Program and Purdue Parents and Family Connections. Tony has been engaged with university recruiting and relations for over 20 years. He is a native of Indiana and graduated from Purdue University with a BS degree in Electrical Engineering Technology. He and his wife, Rhonda, have two children, Jake and Nicole. This past weekend, I had the incredible honor to attend with 36 other GE-Reagan Foundation Scholars the 2017 Global Leadership Forum hosted in GE's beautiful executive training facilities at Crotonville, NY. To be in a room with some of the brightest of today's youth pursuing excellence, to hear from many of the most respected men and women in business, and to see sharp minds creating and thinking was amazing, not to mention the context. In appreciation for the extensive and intense classes we received, I am happy to share some principles and 'morsels' from my application of the sessions - though I doubt this will do them justice. To give much deserved credit where it is due, below is each speaker's bio for further reading. Also, if anyone has questions about the GE-Reagan Scholarship programs or the Leadership and the American Presidency Internships (summer and semester-long) feel free to ask or comment below! The scholarship program, though rigorous, has been an incredible blessing and financial support throughout school. Thank you GE-Reagan Foundation for investing in us! "...to whom much was given, of him much will be required.." Lk 12:48. Without further ado, Jeff's advice for learners and leaders:
Jeffrey R. Immelt - Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of GE
Jeffrey R. Immelt is the ninth chairman of GE, a post he has held since September 7, 2001. Mr. Immelt has held several global leadership positions since coming to GE in 1982, including roles in GE's Plastics, Appliances, and Healthcare businesses. In 1989 he became an officer of GE and joined the GE Capital Board in 1997. A couple years later, in 2000, Mr. Immelt was appointed president and chief executive officer. Mr. Immelt has been named one of the "World's Best CEOs" three times by Barron's, and since he began serving as chief executive officer, GE has been named "America's Most Admired Company" in a poll conducted by Fortune magazine and one of "The World's Most Respected Companies" in polls by Barron's and the Financial Times. Mr. Immelt is a member of President Donald Trump’s Committee on American Manufacturing. Under the Obama administration, Mr. Immelt Chaired the President’s Council on Jobs and Competitiveness. He is a member of The American Academy of Arts & Sciences. Mr. Immelt earned a B.A. degree in applied mathematics from Dartmouth College in 1978 and an M.B.A. from Harvard University in 1982. He and his wife have one daughter. What do you say when asked about nursing school? What do you say at a senior banquet??? How do you describe God's faithfulness and the lessons you have learned {and are still learning} through 4 of the most difficult, strenuous, testing, lonely, yet encouraging, exciting, stretching, humbling, life-changing years of your life? Was it what I thought it would be? No. But what did I know? I had no idea what to expect really.
I fainted once in a doctor's office as a patient and fainted again visiting a friend in the hospital, so coming close to high school graduation mom once asked whether I really wanted to go do nursing school :). Despite my fears, I have never fainted since! There was literally nothing else I ever saw myself doing. There was no doubt in my mind. Was I nervous? of course. But there was no plan B. Nurses warned my with horror stories saying that they hated nursing school but love their jobs. Yay! that should make me excited right?! I knew coming into it - it wasn't always pretty. I can still testify to that :). I knew the course work would be "hard" but had no idea what that really meant. I was told I needed to be good in science but had never heard of "theory." Still don't like talking about nursing theories, even if I almost understand them now. What I did not expect: how much you {faculty, staff and students} really care. It is more than just a job to you! You deeply care for us and your patients; you have prayed for us and learned more than our names. It is obvious when you genuinely care for each other. I would probably lean towards Flo's {our ever affectionate nickname for Florence Nightingale, a story for another day} perspective in that one cannot really teach character and caring. One can teach skills, and some nurses really just do it as a job. I think we all equally enjoyed some of the lectures. You probably enjoyed standing to teach for 6 hours as much as we enjoyed sitting the same chair in the same room 6 hours a day 4 or 5 days a week all semester long. But we were learning even when we didn't realize it. You cared enough to think about life beyond the classroom, even when we did not understand why you pushed us to dig deeper; it was to prepare us. You cared enough to make us think about our patient's lives, and not just for filling out paperwork. Another thing I didn't expect was how close we would become and the incredible friendships. I have never experienced such long-standing comradery as we have. In studying together, praying together, making messes in lab together, coffee together, quizzing each other, watching each other practice that sterile wound dressing change for the 15th time, taking each other's blood pressure over and over {it was a difficult thing sophomore year!}, running to the den in 3.5 minutes, grab and go breakfasts together, driving to clinical together, doing paperwork in the study lounge late into the night - whether or not we may have wanted to - there was no getting away from each other. There are many moments I will never forget, like my heart racing during my first check-off when I had to take the pulse 4 times before I got it right because the clock on the wall was ticking soOO loud that I thought the pulse was 60 every time, to the time we watched out first delivery and baby being born, to the time we suited up for the operating room, to the interview for entrance into the nursing program. There are somethings, on the other hand, we are all going to try to forget, and that is ok too. :) But one of the greatest comforts, looking forward to the uncertainty of the future. is to remember God's faithfulness of the past. In Exodus God called His people time after time to remember, to tell the next generation, and to reflect on His protection, guidance, provisions, and mercy. These are so true; even when life changes, He does not! The reality that this is it, that we are really never going to be told to download another syllabus from online {printing them just takes too much time these days right??}, that we are really going to get to wear scrubs more than one day a week for clinical, that we are really going to wear the pinning dress and walk across the stage - has not set in. And it probably won't until it is passed. But through this all - the endless projects, tears, prayer, unit analysis for chemical equations and drug calculations, flashcards, labs, long nights, nursing diagnoses, care plans that we had no idea how to do, pathophysiology, mission trips, group presentations, history of civ terms, or getting news from home, the phone calls we never wanted to get, the days we would not have asked for, losing those once close, the unpredictable and hard days - God has brought us through more than I ever expected or anticipated. Thankfully, God is never limited to our expectations! Life is a journey, and these four years are no exception; better yet, it is just the beginning. I have SOO much more to learn! What has been my favorite thing in nursing school? First, the people! But secondly, and perhaps counterintuitively {that is our fun word we all learned in Anatomy & Physiology}, it is seeing suffering. NOT because it is easy or fun or I would wish it on anyone. But because of our studies, because of our major, we have the incredible honor and opportunity to see into people's lives, to walk alongside for a mere 4 or 8 or 10 hours, not really accomplishing anything that the staff probably could not have done without us - but if we let ourselves, we get an incredible reality check on a weekly basis. This is not just an assignment but a privilege. Going to the hospital became normal, and it took me a little while to realize that most people don't ever see what we see, unless it has happened to their family or friend. Most people - especially at college - don’t get to see the community and reality of hurting people as closely or as often as we do. We get the opportunity be reminded - of faces we will never be able to get out of our minds - that we live in a very broken world and our only hope is in our Creator. As the freshman class prepares for entrance interviews, I have been reminded of the one question that stood out to me from my interview 3 years ago. The chairman asked if I realized I would not be able to continue in the program if I for example became blind or no longer physically able to complete the skills. Of course I said I understood, but the question never left my mind. What if I really did have to leave? Is this where my purpose is? Since then I have realized that as much as nursing school has become a part of who I am, as much as it has shaped my thinking and choices, as much as I love it and could not imagine having studied anything else - it is not my identity. It is much more comforting to know that we are resting in Christ. He is our Rock and sure foundation! In reading through Job recently, it hit me that even before Job lost all of his children {a much greater loss}, he lost his entire livelihood. Everything that could have been said to be "his successes" was no longer. If his identity had been in his agricultural establishments, his vocation, his trade and business - his greatness and value was stripped away. But Job responds instead with great wisdom, realizing that his successes were from the Lord, that he did not come into this world with anything and would leave with nothing. The fact that we have come this far, is only by His grace. Come what may tomorrow; our security is only in Him! So what are our plans? As some would say, "if I had a dollar for every time someone asked... I would be a rich man!" Proverbs 16:9 says "The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps." Some days those plans are exciting, other times overwhelming. Is it a necessary part of life. We are supposed to be proactive, but in making plans let the Lord lead. All the individual steps He already knows. We may only see a few puzzle pieces right now like "pass the NCLEX" then "get a job" but I am thankful to know the ONE Who made the puzzle, Who is holding the puzzle box, and Who will put all the pieces together! His timing is not mine, but His plan is perfect. Now as we look forward to graduation, my challenge to myself is to never let those faces - those stories - just be a job. Yes, we will have a duty to serve, to think critically, to follow protocol, to advocate, to educate, to assess, and implement, but in some ways anybody can do that. Not everybody cares. I am learning that one person cannot be everything, to everybody, all the time; and life is not about glory in doing the spectacular but faithfulness in the daily and mundane. To give, we must first "fill up" spiritually, emotionally, and professionally intellectually. But as we go out celebrate our hard work, and find our apartment, our job, choose to fill our free time, take those "well-deserved" vacations, may we keep our eyes off ourselves. May we ask for eyes to see the needs around us, to invest, and bless those who have served us. You have a radiant smile, sharp mind, gentle glow, quick thinking, and tender heart. All the makings of a great future nurse! I am so excited to see all the Lord has in store for you. Congratulations on your graduation and the next step in college. Keep trusting Him in the journey! ~ Sisters ~This family has been such a blessing over the years! I am so thankful for all the laughs we have shared. From listening to Jungle Jam episodes to hiking up Paris Mountain, it is always an adventure :) They are faithful friends, incredibly hard workers, and bonded brothers. Congratulations Brennan, I know the Lord has incredible things in store for you! Because all good men have sidekicks... I mean dogs ;) Because we like to have fun! |
AuthorI will be the first to admit that I am not a writer, but have a sincere aspiration to articulate Truth with grace, in love, seasoned with salt. Here is a journal of sorts, or photo documentations of a journey - one currently around the world in Papua New Guinea working at the Kunai Health Center. Thanks for visiting and your support! Archives
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