On Oct. 17, the Auburn Financial Management Association (FMA) hosted its annual Leadership Summit, where a panel of leaders shared characteristics of lifetime leadership with the business students. The Harbert College of Business welcomed the panel: Senator Tommy Tuberville, U.S. Senator for Alabama, Richard McPhall, EVP and CFO for The Home Depot and Erwin Van Der Voort, vice chairman in RBC Capital Markets' global investments bank.
At the event sponsored by FMA and the Harbert Investment Center, the panel encouraged Harbert College of Business Students to think critically and decisively about their next steps as they navigate the current job market. Defining true hard work and using their personal experiences as examples, these distinguished speakers helped the students to promote a mindset to pursue their passions and to persevere in all aspects of life.
“Everybody here has an opportunity. It’s whether you are going to take it or not,” Tuberville said.
In addition to concepts such as maintaining a mindset focused on perseverance and understanding the power of decisiveness in the job market, Tuberville underscored the significance of the human experience. He emphasized the knowledge that one can learn from fully leaning into experiences and true friendships. Additionally, Tuberville shed light on the value of mentorship and listening to others to fully broaden one’s perspective in life.
“Talk one-third of the time and listen two-thirds of the time,” Tuberville said.
According to Tuberville, his approach to success includes authentic human relationships in which individuals can trust one another, in an effort to continually grow and to keep rising. He asserted the importance of surrounding oneself with like-minded individuals and strong people.
Furthermore, the panelists heightened concepts of self-assertion and noted that standing up for oneself is essential for navigating one’s long-term goals.
“The best way to learn how to be a good leader is to work hard your first ten to 15 years. If you are the person that makes everyone around you better, you are going to elevate,” McPhall said.
McPhall encouraged his young audience to prepare for the competitive world of recruiting by embracing the long game in life. Additionally, he asserts that life is a combination of the human experience and hard work. McPhall urged Auburn’s students to lead with true effort and drive, so that they can work towards their career-oriented goals of personal success.
The professional advice continued, as Van Der Voort shared his occupational experiences and career pursuits with the audience. The actions he believes have been the most successful throughout his experience are speaking up and sharing one’s points, because this ultimately makes the individual stand out.
“If you are not making your voice known, you will not be noticed,” Van Der Voort said.
Using the "out of sight, out of mind" analogy, Van Der Voort revealed that the true way to learn in the current world is to go out of one’s comfort zone, share stories and listen to other people.
While the panelists pursued different fields in the work force, their advice, experience and overall perspectives had many similarities that the event's undergraduate audience could use in their professional careers.
As the summit came to a close, the future leaders of Auburn gained professional advice and new ways to grow personally. Through the speakers’ stories of leadership, the undergraduate students were reminded that success is a long-term goal built from the courage to persevere.
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