Dreams of Risk (Week 8)

Today I will revert back to my original topic of professionalism. When I think of famous artist in the business of making music I think of people that were born to do it, lucky or just knew the right people. I know they are professionals but I respect them in a different (not greater) way than I do business professionals that stay behind the scenes. As a child I loved to imagine myself as a star on stage singing at award shows and doing interviews on television. When I got older my aspirations grew to become more realistic. I now like to imagine myself in my office with all of my awards and achievements on the walls around me, with my Doctorate being one of them.

This weekend I sang a song with my friend at a show called Apollo Night. Apollo Night is put on by the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE). You showcase a talent and can advance to the finals if you're not booed off of stage in the process. Luckily we weren't booed. We made it to the finals and won. After it was over my friend posted the video on Facebook. Another friend of mine in Tennessee called me and was very persistent about me recording. He does this for a living and works with a lot of well-known artists. It scares me to think about that as an option for the future.

We talked about it and in the conversation he asked me why I would not have considered it as a career option. I told him the truth and that is that there are so many people that are talented in various ways. This does not mean that in their lifetimes they will receive the opportunity to make ridiculous amounts of money and be known all over the world. I would love it but I never want to be a starving artist because it did not work out. Am I being pessimistic or am I being real? I say all of this to say, I hate that chasing dreams is such a risk. I don't think I'll love my dream after it fails. So many people try their whole lives or do it simply because they love it and I respect them for it. I just don't think that I have it in me.

The photo above was taken directly from http://www.treehugger.com

Fake it 'Til You Make It (Week 6)

I have a friend that always used to say "fake it 'til you make it." I hate the phrase. All it meant to me was that I had to suffer in uncertainty until I was finally to a place of content. It meant, feel an uncomfortable feeling until you eventually get used to it. Once I decided to do try applying this phrase I found that it was beyond useful in so many aspects of my life.

I have an advisor that is always emphasizing the need to develop myself as a leader and I appreciate his persistence. However, I read books and articles, listened to lectures, and attended programs all aimed at making a leader out of me. I have heard so many quotes that were intended to inspire me. My inner desires to lead have never really been sparked. I guess I'd like to hear of traits that leaders posses that are similar to qualities that I ALREADY posses myself.

While reading an interview conducted by Adam Bryant for New York Times entitled "He's Not Bill Gates, or Fred Astaire," I read something that was "real," for lack of a better term. Vineet Nayar is the Chief Executive of HCL Technologies told of his most effective leadership ability. I will leave you with his quote:

"The first day coming out of B-school, I joined HCL, and I became a boss of two people. And what I learned immediately is that they were as smart as me, their aspirations were just as great, but they did not know what to do. I also discovered that I did not know what to do, but I lied through my teeth in those early days, projecting this sense that I knew what had to be done. I did not know where I had to go, and I was projecting as if I knew. I assume that you expect me to know where I am going, and you will respect me for that, and the day I tell you both of us are in the same boat, we would fail. That was a very big learning for me."

The photo above was taken from http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/14/business/14cornerweb.html?pagewanted=1&ref=business

Non-Conventional = Non Professional :( (Week 5)

I guess that it could work against me or for me that I am not completely sure of myself yet. Hopefully it does the latter. There are times when I hate putting on my boots (that sound like they have a heel) and my red pea coat. At times they add to my professionalism and other times they make me stick out in a sea of students that did not feel the need to get dressed for class. They are my boots and my coat, I bought them but somedays I just hate them. It reminds me that I grew up in Athens, Ohio, a place where being free, not matching, and wearing hand-me-downs can be the norm. Somedays I just want to be that.

Recently I had a professor that was just that. Her clothes did not match. She never came in with heels and a suit. In fact, she came in with knee high rainbow socks and jeans. She let us know when she was angry and made us laugh when she was happy. She cussed when she felt like it and told us things about herself when she had time. On the first day of class she scared most of the students with her stand-off attitude and blunt expression. We soon got used to the way that she conducted her class and I quickly loved it. I found her refreshing and very comical at times. Above all, she was extremely intelligent and shared her knowledge with us in ways that we had never expected. She told us the truth about what we were learning and forced us to do better. As a professor she did her job in a manner that was unconventional and I enjoyed it more than I have ever enjoyed any class. Being in her class I learned so much and value the time that I spent in that environment.

I luckily attend a school that accepts all types students and professors as long as they are willing to learn and equipped to teach. However, every employer is not like Ohio University. My mother is a professor at a school that is much more conservative. Her students call her Ms. and professors can be like parents. Many places run similar to her university, where traditional is professional. It is so unfortunate that professionalism is so closely associated with traditionalism. My professor did her job in a manner that, as a student, I found more effect than the traditional lecture course. Hopefully as time moves on there will be a wider acceptance of knowledge rather than appearance and traditionalism.

MAC vs. PC RIVALRY (Week 7)

As soon as I click on the Safari icon on my computer a window pops up. And the first thing I see in that window is an advertisement for the IPad. I have a Mac laptop, I use an ipod and I do not get along with my phone because it functions like a PC. I say all of this to say that I am a lover of Apple. It is actually funny how people have taken sides as of late. PCs and Macs have become like rival football teams and you are either a fan of one or the other. I have chosen sides and I will forever be a Mac person.

I think its slightly worrisome to think that I could possibly end up at my dream job, go to work on the first day, sit down and have my brain shut down at the sight of a horrid PC on my desk. Last summer I worked at a summer program for high school students called Camp IT. We were teaching Information Technology though I know absolutely nothing about it. Not only did I not know about information technology, I had no idea how to work the PC at my desk!

How do we go about fixing this problem of rival users. I have no idea. Students in so many schools learn about information technology in classes that are required, however, some of those classes are taught using PCs and the better funded classes are using Macs. We have at least taken one step in the right direction. For example, here at Ohio University we have both options available. If I'm lucky we will all switch to Macs because they just work better.