IEEE Presentation: Constructive Challenges! 12/7/10

On Pearl Harbor Day, I had a most enjoyable lunch discussion with members of the Istitute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Education Division, hosted by Jon Moon, President of MEI.  Jon is a friend and longstanding supporter, and true to form, he brought together a very interesting group of technologists and technical leaders.

The presentation is attached below.   Around the words and pictures, we talked about the real challenges that leaders face working in organizations that don’t always live up to the highest standards of ethical leadership.  We talked a lot about courage, and the practicality of really putting career prospects at risk for our beliefs – when that is, and when it is not, appropriate.  We also talked about a leader’s ability to create an island of mutual respect and commitment to excellence, even in a very rough overall environment.  To do so is to forego the path of least resistance, in favor of a path toward greater rewards.

The group challenged me to sharpen and specify some of my views, and to achnowledge just how difficult much of what I recommend really is.  I, in turn, was able to remind them that I am not recommending that leaders go it alone, but rather rely on one another to sustain the pursuit of greatness.

It was a great discussion.