Group Mentoring, Group 5 Session 3

Recorded by: Danielle Andreani, Class of 2016
Edited by: Micaela Tremblay, Class of 2016

The 3rd and final group mentoring meeting for sophomore, Zachary Blackwood’s, group took place on December 3rd from 6:30 to 8pm. The meeting this time was unstructured and allowed the students in the group to ask any question that they had. The questions generated around the future and how it would affect us, as students and potential employees in the business world. The first question was from Zachary Blackwood:

In the future, corporations will no longer be able to hand out health packages & 401ks to employees. For example, Hostess is going out of business because it is unable to pay pensions for employees. Is there anything to worry about/fear in the future? Are we going to have to work harder for less and are we going to receive a lower quality of life than the people of today?

Maria Viccaro:

  • Fear is so powerful, it is almost paralyzing. You can’t approach the start of your professional life with fear. Dive in with a “what can I do attitude?” not “what’s in it for me.”

Scott Chesney:

  • Dictate the tempo
  • YOU go after what you want. Attempt to make it happen instead of purely reacting.

The next question was How do you think the workplace will adapt to the increasing technology?

Maria:

  • There will be dramatic changes
  • Importance of globalization
  • None of us can predict the changes
  • Be open, willing to learn, adapt, and be a trailblazer
  • Seize opportunity

Maria Viccaro’s answer led to the question, How do you determine the future/what’s going to happen?

Scott:

  • Think about what I need in the here and now, what do I need 5 years from now, 10 years, etc
  • Planning can bring certainty and alleviate fear

Joe Quinn:

  • Future is not set in stone
  • Mindset changes as you get new data
  • Competition is not just within the program, it is throughout the world
  • Always look at the broader spectrum
  • “Fail Quickly”
  • Analytics are not risk tolerant, be aware of your own risk tolerance
  • “Did you break something today?”

Maria:

  • The world is changing so fast
  • The world is one big world, we are all interconnected
  • Globalization & Technology
  • The more talents and skill sets you have, the more likely you will be to succeed
  • If it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you
  • “The CEO is the person looking ahead, not back”

Joe Quinn’s “breaking the mold” comment led to the question, How does breaking the mold manifest itself?

Maria:

  • For example, with data, instead of just a sales report, I want how you’re going to improve sales and increase them, etc
  • What are you doing about it?

Joe:

  • Ask questions of yourself and others
  • “You can tell how smart someone is by the answers they give, You can tell how wise someone is by the questions they ask”
  • Pilot project- go to 4 customers and ask them a new question. If interest is shown, then go to your boss about it.

Then the question was directed toward all of the executives: What advice would to give to a younger generation to avoid losing interpersonal skills in the growing technological age?

Maria:

  • Never lose the one-on-one communication skill, regardless of your position
  • You will have to communicate via technology but never in lieu of human factor
  • Time management skills are important
  • Surround yourself with strong teams of people with expertise, embrace their intelligence

Scott:

  • Challenge: Take a technological fast
    • It will bring out your creativity

Joe:

  • Impersonate the great leaders around you
    • Ask them questions about how they developed their styles

The meeting concluded with the group promising to take a technology fast during the Christmas break. A day where we wouldn’t use any type of electronic devices and just appreciate our families and not have our life centered on our cell phones, TV’s, iPads, etc. The other promise we made to each other was to ask a great leader that we look up to 3 questions. The first question would be, “What influenced their style of leadership?” The next two questions could be anything else that would help you learn more about that person and how they sustain their leadership skills.

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