Archives for January 2015

My name is Sergio H. Esquivel, I’m an active duty Marine Officer.  I’ve been in the Marine Corps for nearly 16 years.  During my 16 years of service I’ve had the opportunity to serve in numerous leadership roles in both garrison and combat.  These roles have included the following: Aerial Gunner; Drill Instructor; Martial Arts Instructor Trainer; Static Rope Suspension Techniques Master; Division Officer; Department Head.  I’m currently stationed at MCAS Cherry Point where I’m serving as a division officer.  My current assignment has me focused more on aviation logistics and the application of process improvement methodologies.

The various positions I’ve had has given me a great deal of leadership experience in dynamic and fast paced environments.  As an aerial gunner,  I was able to develop decisiveness and situational awareness.  As a Drill Instructor, my time, resource, and man-power management skills were refined.  I also learned the most about accountability, responsibility, and self-reliance.  My time as a division officer and department head developed my critical thinking skills along with ability to translate commanders intent into action.

Professionally I’m nearing the end of my first career, I plan on retiring from the Marine Corps in less than five years.  Although, I love being a Marine and being in the Marine Corps I feel that after 20 years of service it’ll be time for me to devote more time to my son and help support my wife in her career aspirations.  Since I’ve decided that I will be retiring from the Marine Corps in 2019, I’ve begun to plan for my next career.  I will be opening a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu academy on January 31, 2015.  My long-term goal is to build a successful chain of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu academies across the world.

My favorite leadership quote is an excerpt from the Drill Instructor creed “…..I will demand of them and demonstrate by my own example, the highest standards of personal conduct, morality and professional skill.”  This quote resonates with me because of it’s simplicity and practicality.  The ability of a leader to demonstrate the standard through their own actions is the cornerstone of a solid leadership philosophy.   While serving as a Drill Instructor I learned the true meaning of this creed.  It’s difficult to describe this to anyone who has never served as a Drill Instructor; as a Drill Instructor you are much more than an individual you’re the embodiment of the values of the Marine Corps and you are responsible for the indoctrinating young men into the love of corps and country.  For many this is a life changing experience, so being beyond reproach is an absolute must not an option.

 

 

 

 

I am a native San Diegan and a United States Marine Corps veteran. I have been a Marine for a little over 13th years now, serving 8 years of active duty and am now in the Marine Corps Reserve. During my career as a Marine I served with several different companies, to include 3rd Civil Affairs Group, Marine 4 Life Injured Support, Wounded Warrior Battalion, 1^st Marine Division, and Marine Headquarters Group all based out of Camp Pendleton, CA. In 2006 I deployed to Fallujah, Iraq with the 3rd Civil Affairs Group and in 2010 she deployed for the second time with 1^st Marine Division Civil Military Operations. During both deployments, I worked with the governance of the communities in which my teams were deployed.

I have worked in several different rolls outside of the Marine Corps but most currently as the California Program Manager for Hire Americas Hero’s, a 501(c) 3 organization that connects transitioning veterans with employers. I also am currently serving on the Board of Directors as Military Adviser and Special Events Coordinator for Warrior Foundation/ Freedom Station, a 501(c) 3 organization founded in San Diego working with wounded, ill, or injured service members and other veterans. One of my passions is to assist my fellow OIF/OEF veterans and as an active member of the San Diego community, I am proud to be an advisor to a local think-tank of employers seeking to alleviate the San Diego veteran unemployment crisis. In partnering with them, I work with employers, government and military officials to find a solution that keeps recently separated service members from unemployment in the city with the 3^rd largest veteran population and one of the highest veteran unemployment rates.

As an American patriot and Marine Corps veteran of two wars, I understand the great sacrifice our service members have made to defend our country and the freedom we so dearly cherish. I believe we as American citizens owe our veterans a great debt of gratitude and continued support after they have given so selflessly to country. My passion is the continued care and success of our country’s transitioning servicemen and women and their families after they have served. I believe that it is our duty as one national community to ensure that no veteran is left behind when he or she returns home from the battlefield.

Since leaving active duty, I have committed my life to developing, connecting and successfully assisting veteran talent transition into roles within many industry-leading organizations. I have worked with numerous industry leaders and major corporations in an effort to ensure that they are fully aware and take full advantage of the benefits and value they acquire when hiring such well-versed and highly equipped leaders. My long-term goal is to effectively secure change that is needed in all aspects of veteran life in America.

My favorite leadership quote, pertains to all aspects of life, is your greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising when you fall. I do not know the origins of this quote but I heard it as a young adult and it stuck with me in everything I did. I sure have stumbled and fallen a lot along the way but learning from each mistake is my goal. I also interpret this quote as saying that you should take chances without being scared to fail. Failure is not always a bad thing, especially if you are determined find a way to learn from it.

 

 

 

Good morning from Maryville, TN!   My name is Drew Eubank (note: you will see Christopher Eubank in our class…same person) and I reside with my family in this small southern city in the foothills of the Smokey Mountains.   For geographic purposes, the town is 30 minutes due south of Knoxville, TN.

You will notice that my children are with me in the blog photo.   My son, Caleb, is three and a half and my daughter, Adilynn, turned one on the 15th of this month.  It’s hard to believe that both of my children are walking.   It’s hard to believe that I have children at all.

My wife is Lindsay, and she is the world’s greatest mother.  I realize that all husbands are supposed to say that about their wives, but I mean the phrase literally.  Not only is she the glue of the household, she is a single parent most weeks as I travel for work.

I am a VP of Operations for a large third party logistics company (3PL), GENCO Incorporated.   We are currently the largest privately held 3PL in North America, but that will change in the next 30 days.  It was announced prior to Christmas that we have been acquired by the FedEx Corporation, and will be joining their family of companies soon.  GENCO is a 118 year old company, and our owner is ready to move on.  His heirs do not want to run the organization, and he didn’t want the burden of going public.   He entertained many offers, but chose FedEx due to similar cultures and approach to our teammates.

This will be my second stint with FedEx.  My first full time leadership role was as a Service Manager with FedEx Ground in Atlanta after working as a package handler while attending the University of Georgia.   The experience was a positive one, as I learned a sense or urgency that is tough to match.  Each night, the deadline to get the operation running and complete was tight, as any run over could mean missed service on delivered packages.  There was no such thing as a bad night as it would mean failure.   I believe that having to take those challenges head on and react quickly helped to develop me into the leader that I am today.

I left FedEx and went to work for UPS Supply Chain Solutions in Louisville, Kentucky.   The move was to get closer to my family and to experience something new.  Going from a small package operation to warehousing was a challenge, but I found that the sense of urgency I had developed and a strong financial acumen made me a fit for the business.  I moved up quickly, progressing through manager roles in different verticals.   I ended my career at UPS in 2012 after five years as the North American Operational Improvement Manager when I took a job with Exel, a DHL organization, to become the General Manager of a large Consumer Health facility in Tennessee, and quickly was promoted to the role of Director in which I had responsibility for a three site network for the business in North America, while also supporting business in Brazil.

I mention this background in detail because as a leader, I made an unorthodox career choice last February to leave Exel to join GENCO in the position I am in today.   I was recruited fairly heavily, something that was foreign to me and new.   I had worked for large organizations whose values stated to care about teammates and internal customers yet seemed to remove those tasks when given internal direction.  Profits are important, but at the core, if you follow your values, profitability will follow.

I’m not at a crossroads as I go back to a large, public organization.   I am hopeful that the strong culture we have built continues to exist in our new platform.  We will be our own subsidiary of FedEx for quite some time, as our value/product offerings differ greatly from the current FedEx portfolio.  There is always the chance that radical change takes place, but I’m confident it will not be the case, especially in the near term.

I have one word for leadership that I believe is important, regardless of the situation.  Simplify.   Many times as leaders, we expect ourselves to handle everything all the time, which isn’t possible.  A leader can’t serve appropriately and lead if focus is lost on the big picture.  So simplify.  It’s a message I heard at LeaderCast a few years back (btw…the single greatest leadership conference held.  I recommend it highly) and the message has stuck with me.   I’m far from perfect doing it myself, but I do strive for the simplicity required to be a good leader.

I’ve accomplished a great deal at a young age, which many times hurts external perceptions prior to doing business with me.  However, my experience has aged me and perceptions quickly turn.   It’s amazing that in today’s business world, across the globe, that a number as simple as age can have an affect on perception.  It makes my job harder but at the same time more rewarding when the strong bond is built.

I don’t want to be CEO or President of an organization, but I would not turn down the opportunity without thinking about my options.  The lack of want is not due to ability or self confidence in getting the job done.   I enjoy the family time I get, and the responsibility of those positions many times carries putting career ahead of family.  I’m at the crux of that paradigm in my current role, and I’ve handled it well so far.   If I knew I could control my outcomes and not sacrifice family for career, I would be open to such a position.

I’ve babbled on for a thousand words now, and hopefully you know a little more about me and my background.  I look forward to working with you this semester, and wish you the best of luck in all endeavors!

Hi there. My name is Danielle and I live in Orange County, CA. I have been married to my best friend for almost 9 years and we have two adorable four-legged corgi kids. I am in my last semester at Penn State (woo hoo!!) and will graduate with my BA in Organizational Leadership. I decided to go back to school in 2012 when we moved to Russia to work the 2014 Winter Olympics. My husband is still working Games and currently lives in Azerbaijan for the European Olympic Games. This kind of work is in our blood.I call myself a jack-of-all-trades. I have been a hairstylist, makeup artist, Disney entertainer, producer, graphic designer, director of a preschool, and a video board operator for large sporting events; to name a few. I am currently a virtual assistant for two different teacher-based websites and am in the process of launching two websites of my own. My long-term dream is to open my own business having to do with dogs.The quote I try to live by everyday is “Be the change you wish to see in the world” – Gandhi. I plan to get a tattoo of it someday, it means that much to me. I believe that you need to lead by example in everything you do. This is especially important when being a leader. 

I look forward to working with everyone this semester. Good luck!!

Hello to all of my new classmates!  My name is Chris Van Wagner and I currently live in Freeport, FL a small town just North of Destin, which is a major beach resort here in Northwest Florida.  I retired from the Navy in September of 2012 and currently perform maintenance at a local hospital.  While in the Navy I was leader at a very young age and continuously went through training (both academic and trial by error) and it culminated in my final role as the Quality Assurance and Process Improvement Officer.  In this position I responsible for safety, inspection techniques, procedure concurrence and improvement for the maintenance department of 212 sailors, marines and civilians.  I found it very challenging and by following this rule (not quote) ” lead by example” I we successfully passed a multitude of inspections.  This quote is simply put, but difficult to maintain, since I always put myself under scrutiny when something has gone awry.

Although I have a good paying job that is somewhat rewarding, I am not where I want to be yet.  Eventually, I would like to, again, be a manager or supervisor who can influence and train people and build the camaraderie that I have longed for since retiring from the military.  I believe that my degree in O-lead will provide the avenue for m to find the right job with the right company.

My other interests include playing sports, working on my house and restoring cars; probably to many interests to take on considering I am married and we have a 14 year old boy who take up most of my time, and not to mention our two year old pup who requires a lot of our attention as well.

Greetings!

While I really enjoy seeing all of your photos (they made me smile), I am quite camera shy. Always have been and a this point in my life (senior citizen), I have simply embraced this personality quirk (among others).

My name is Donna Currie.  I live and work full-time on various projects as a technical writer in Germantown, Maryland, a suburb of Washington, D.C.  I have three grown children and nine grandchildren — all of whom are absolutely adorable when they’re asleep.

My major is Organizational Leadership because of my natural tendency towards structured order at work, home, ministry, and in most other activities as well.  I am particularly interested in this course because a great many of my colleagues and associates either hail from or are currently residing in offshore countries.  Until this position, the largest team I managed was across six states; this global team is much more complex and requires more than just time-zone considerations. I’m looking forward to what this course offers for effectively working in a global environment.

As for leadership quotes, my favorite is:

“And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you — ask what         you can do for your country. My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will       do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.”

President John F. Kennedy’s Inaugural Address January 20, 1961

This quote, this approach, runs contrary to the mindset of the navel-watching “ME” [which I roughly define as Myself Exalted] generation.  It is a reminder that everything cannot (and should not) be all about us as individuals.  We belong to families, communities, nations, and the world-at-large.  Therefore, as members of families and societies and as citizens of the world, we have duties and responsibilities and should rather seek to find ways for meaningful contributions.

So, in additional to learning about tools and strategies for getting along in culturally diverse organizations, I also hope to discovery ways to forge two-way bridges.  It is my desire to develop meaningful relationships based on respect and understanding, and then together, do great good.

Hello everyone! My name is Tracy Plessinger. I am 53 years old and a father of two wonderful grown kids. I live near Altoona, PA, which is only about 1 hour south of the “mother ship” of PSU at University Park.

My full-time job is manager of the Altoona-Blair County Airport. In that capacity I work for a board of seven, who are in turn appointed by the three elected county commissioners. One of the county commissioners also serves as a non-voting member of our board. Having seven bosses can be challenging and learning to deal with “differences” is an important part of my job. I also serve as the Pastor for two small local churches. In that role, I also need to learn to accept people where they are, while sharing with them my beliefs and understanding about the “big picture”. In my spare time, which is quite limited, I serve as a township supervisor in my home township and on that board serve as the Secretary/Treasurer.

My son, Ryan, is a Penn State graduate with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. While at Penn State he participated in the Naval ROTC program and is currently serving aboard the USS Toledo, a fast attack submarine stationed in Groton, CT. My daughter, Madalyn, is a senior at Grove City College and has been accepted to The Commonwealth Medical College in Scranton, PA. She will be attending medical school on an Air Force scholarship, so she will also be serving her country after her graduation from medical school.

As to my favorite leadership quotes. From the secular world, I have always liked Theodore Roosevelt’s, “The only man who never makes mistakes is the man who never does anything.” I’m not sure he intended it to be a leadership lesson, but it has always helped me to realize that the people sitting in the bleachers throwing barbs and arrows usually are doing that because they don’t have anything else to do. Our nation, communities, and organizations were not built by people who sit on the sidelines looking for fault in others, and I never want to be one of those people. In a spiritual sense, my definite favorite is what the Apostle Paul wrote to the church at Corinth, “And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you;” In my mind, leadership is not about elevating me, but about how I can better build up and serve those I am leading. I believe the best leaders are also the best servants.

I have been considering the OLEAD program for several years and “threatening” to take the plunge. Last semester I finally did by taking OLEAD 100. I loved the course and found it to immediately helpful in my various positions. I am looking forward to the same results from OLEAD 497B. My goal is to use the information and skills that I acquire to provide leadership to all of the organizations in which I am involved. At some point, I need to figure out how to take more than one class per semester or I won’t graduate until I’m 65! O well, one problem at a time. Looking forward to a great semester with lots of good interaction and information!

Hello, I’m AJ.

I’m a current PSU-WC student, and a senior in the BS_OL program. Geographically, I currently live in North America, but that will change in less then a year or so. I’m medically retired from the US Army (as of April 2014) and was a Standardization Instructor for Aviation and Rescue, Special Missions Senior Section Chief, and Operations Adviser. I currently own my own business, and seek to see it grow as both a short-term and long-term goal.

As far as leadership experience goes, I have worked in organizations large and small, on local and multinational levels as an expert and leader in my field(s). Aside from working for myself while attending school full-time, I am also a professional contract photographer, instructor, adviser, and writer of military and leadership articles. My hobbies include scuba diving, flying, world travel (I have been to over 50 nations so far in my life, and lived in 8), riding my home built motorcycle, snowboarding, long distance endurance athletic events, and more.

-AJ

Greetings from Lucy Martin!

Hello everyone, I am currently a full-time student through Penn State World Campus using my G.I. Bill from my time in the military. For now I also work part-time at a local coffee house for extra cash. As mentioned, I was in the Air Force for five years and separated to follow my educational goals. My husband is still active duty Air Force and we recently moved to Cherry Hill, NJ through my husband’s military orders to McGuire AFB. We had been stationed at Little Rock AFB, AR for four years prior to our move to NJ. We were excited for the move as it brought us closer to family. I grew up in Lititz, PA (about 1.5 hours from Cherry Hill), and most of my family is still there. After my time in the military I have really been focused on school, so my professional life has been on hold. I feel very fortunate that I could do this given my husband’s job and the fact that we have not yet started a family. However, I have been putting my resume out there and looking at options given the fact that I will be graduating in May. My goal is to work for a company that is affiliated in some way with the welfare of animals. My long-term goal is to find a career that I enjoy to the point of it not feeling like work. Another life choice I recently made that could fall under long-term goal is to buy more items made in America. While that is not always easy, I have at least tried to stop buying items from China. I actually bought my nephew a toy recently for Christmas. I searched high and low and finally found a big plastic school bus made in the U.S. It’s hard, but not impossible.

Most of my leadership experience comes from my time in the military. However, I have been able to apply those lessons and experiences in every aspect of my life. I believe it is important to understand that leadership applies to all different aspects of your life. I also think you can learn the most about your leadership by interacting with leaders who are different from you. Every leader has walked and continues to walk a different path than yours, but their steps may help you in your own journey. I’m not sure that I have a favorite leadership quote, but there are a lot of great ones out there. My favorite ones are those that allude to the fact that leadership is not about one person. Leadership is so much about the relationships between people and how one person influences the next. I also like quotes on the strength of leaders, because I feel that leadership is not always easy. A person who steps up to the plate when the odds are against them is a real leader in my opinion. In other words, a true leader will not just lead when it is convenient.

Now I will delve into a few fun facts about myself. My husband and I only have two furry children for the time being, Penny and Boo Boo. Both are miniature dachshunds, one short-haired and one long-haired. As far as special interests, I do enjoy doing art from time to time. I went to art school for a year before the military and found that I just enjoyed it more as a hobby. I mainly paint with acrylic and draw with pencil and charcoal. I also have a huge interest in sign language. Once I graduate in May I plan to take classes to become fluent in the language. An unusual hobby that I wish I could afford is interior decorating. I love designing and furnishing my house. My next project, once we save up, is to do our master bedroom. Needless to say, I watch HGTV religiously. Overall, I’ve tried to make it a goal to experience as much as I can in my life. I’m always making new goals, and even if I don’t realize all of them, it is good to have them. I am thankful for what I have today and hopeful for what I will have in the future.

-Lucy Martin