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| Claire Gothard Class of 2019 |
Last week, I traveled to the annual Naval Academy Leadership
Conference in Annapolis. This year’s theme was “Breaking Barriers: Obstacles
are Opportunities.” As a McConnell Scholar and an avid self-help-TED-Talk
watcher, I was intrigued by the theme of leadership development as well as the
all-star speaker list. Over four days, I was able to hear reflections from extraordinary
leaders in national security, policy, and the private sector. In debriefing the
wealth of knowledge and advice from people who have “mic-drop resumes,” I
created a list of important lessons and tasks to improve my own leadership
skills.
1.
Hashtags aren’t dead, especially among Blue
Angels. #gladtobehere is a campaign founded by a former Blue Angel pilot.
He asked, “how do we sustain excellence? A culture of deeply caring.” Mr. John
Foley stressed being grateful everyday for each opportunity and person who
touches our life.
a.
Task: Recognize my first thought in the
morning and make it positive. Repeat for 65 days to form a habit of gratitude.
2.
“We need to be brave, not perfect.”
Michele Flournoy, the former Under Secretary of Defense for Policy had
encouraging word for women pursuing a career in defense or national security.
Flournoy advised us to take ownership of our work and to not be discouraged to
enter the field.
a.
Task: Do a calendar analysis and compare
time distribution to a list of my priorities.
3.
“Know your stuff.” Sometimes in a culture
of high-performing leaders, we lose sight of the value of competence. In a
crisis, your understanding of the topic can make or break the solution – so
prepare well.
a.
Task: Read one book per month outside of
class to grow my topical knowledge
4.
Understand your purpose. Knowing why you
do things is a powerful tool in making intentional and strategic choices.
a.
Task: Create a mission statement. Start
with 25 moments I felt intense emotion, positive or negative, and find the
common thread.
5.
Don’t just play to win, because “you
don’t win life, you just die.” Simon Sinek introduced the idea of the
“finite” and “infinite” games. When you play the finite game, you focus on
winning a battle for yourself. Infinite leaders play to keep playing, to
develop their teammates and progress as an organization.
a.
Task: Create a 1-3-5-20 year plan for my life. Are
these goals consistent with my mission statement?
6.
“You
only resign once.” When asked what it would take for her to resign from a
position, Secretary Madeleine Albright gave this advice. This was a reminder
that commitment to your purpose, your duty, is more important than a momentary
disagreement. You will be remembered as the person who resigned and not for the
work you have done.
a.
Task: Write a paragraph as if I was being
introduced as a keynote speaker that highlights my priorities and work.
7.
Keep a Blackberry basket in the situation
room. Vice President Dick Cheney reminded us to maintain focus by removing
distractions, like your Blackberry or iPhone. Human minds can’t actually
multitask, and as John Foley explained, multitasking leads to more stress and
lower quality work.
a.
Task: Keep my phone out of sight during
meetings and focus fully on a single task.
Claire Gothard, of Louisville, Ky., is a junior McConnell Scholar studying economics, liberal studies, international business, and political science.