Three Leadership Students Attend Go for the Greens Conference
Carla Santos, Courtney Scalfaro and Victoria Elter at Go for the Greens.
Written by: Courtney Scalaro
When Carla Santos, Class of 2017, Victoria Elter, Class of 2019 and I, Class of 2020 stepped off the plane into what is known as the happiest place on earth, we could not resist the smiles that automatically appeared on our faces. Despite having to wake up at four o’clock in the morning, we were bursting with excitement to be in Disney World for the Go for the Greens conference. We were participating in the Friday Mentorship Program, which was designed to bring young women of all ages from across the country together to learn about navigating the workforce as a woman.
The day began with panel of various businesswomen. They were asked questions by the moderator, Betty Manetta, who serves as a mentor for the Women’s Leadership Program at Seton Hall University. Some held prestigious positions such as chief executive officers and presidents of companies. Others held more unique positions such as a pro golfer and a doctor in the United States Navy. From this session, we learned four key takeaways:
- Understand that failure is a part of the process. Be gracious for this opportunity to grow as a person and think “What should I do differently?” so you won’t make the same mistake again. Do not let failure defeat you, but let it help you flourish and grow. No businesswoman has ever not failed at something.
- Learn how to be a woman in a room full of men. When you are the only woman sitting in the conference room, do not think of yourself as an “other”. You are just as competent as any man in the room. Learn how to master a strong handshake and voice, skills that often come naturally to a man. Have a clear vision and do not be hesitant in your ideas. Often times, when a woman is pitching an idea, they will say, “So I think I have this idea and it might not work but then again it could work so I think we should…”. Instead approach the situation without the inferiority, and say, “I have this idea. Let’s talk about it”. The latter will not only make you believe in your idea, but others will as well. Your ideas are valued, so say them with passion and confidence.
- Be a river and not a reservoir. We all have heard of a businessperson who hires those who they think do not have the capacity to surpass them on the corporate ladder; or who keeps their best employees to themselves and their own department. Instead, be the businesswoman who shares her network and what she knows with others. Spread the wealth of knowledge and connections that you have, it will honestly make your work experience much more fulfilling.
- Learn how to teach yourself. Be self-disciplined enough to pick up a textbook and digest the information on your own. In school, professors will try to fit a person into a mold of what the textbook thinks a businessperson should be. Break free of the traditional and ordinary, it will make you stand out in a world full of the same. If you go the extra mile and take that one extra class a semester or go learn something new, you will be a fountain of knowledge.
Next on the agenda, was a presentation on personal style. This session was focused on what type of personality we had, but my favorite part of it was when we discussed what was called the “Platinum Rule”. I’m sure most people have heard what is called the “Golden Rule”, which is simply do to others as you would want done to you. The presenter of this session argued that the Golden Rule does not actually hold true. They believed in the Platinum Rule which says to do onto others as they would have done onto themselves. Simply stated, treat them how they want to be treated. Not everyone wants to be treated the same way as you do, so the golden rule is hard to follow. Once you observe and learn how those around you want to be treated, you will gain their trust and respect. They will be motivated to work for you, and in the end, the most effective work will be accomplished.
One of the keynote speakers told her inspiring personal story of being diagnosed with colon cancer at age 48. She was a competitive triathlon athlete beforehand, and did not want her diagnosis to stop her from competing in the sport she loved. Her goal always was to compete in an Ironman. When she was confronted with this challenge, and only a 6% survival rate, she thought to herself, “Why can’t I be that 6%?”. So she continued to train for the Ironman and was able to compete in the championship in Hawaii. When she crossed the finish line, she was overcome with emotions and surrounded by her thirty-seven family and friends who flew thousands of miles to see this moment. This woman, who received chemotherapy every other week, was able to finish running 26.2 miles, swimming 2.4 miles, and biking 112 miles. She embodied the conference’s theme of “Rally your Troops”. Without the thirty-seven people waiting for her at the end, and without their support and motivation to continue training to accomplish her goal, she may have not have had the same outcome. So, when facing an adversity, whether in your personal life or professional career, rally your troops, because an army of people is better than a single soldier.
The last session that we attended that I would like to highlight is a presentation given by the Vice President of Strategic Employee Engagement and the President of Healthcare Solutions at UPS, whom was the sponsor of the event. They discussed a variety of lessons, and I would like to highlight the most significant one. The lesson is, find a mentor. Most importantly, do not just find a “911 mentor” who you only call in crisis. This person should be someone who not only can help you, but you can help as well. They should see things the way you see things, but also be able to honest when they think you are going in the wrong direction. As Tracey and Sunny put it, if you need a person to tell you you’re doing everything right, simply call your mom.
Even though the conference was only seven hours long, the lessons Carla, Victoria, and I learned are ones that we will carry on with us in our future endeavors and help guide us into becoming the successful businesswomen we all aspire to be.
- Dr. Esteban, Dean Strawser and Mr. Matthew Borowick Welcome the Class of 2020
- Three Minute Leadership: The Great Leader as Artist