A day at the The Bernstein Center for Leadership and Ethics at Columbia Business School. Lots of hidden stories within stories embedded in the pics. Life is texture. So is real leadership and investment strategy. No easy buttons.
Here were some of the key focal points of the conversation.
🚁 REAL relationships. My host, Adina Sterling, and I opened up the conversation talking about the five (5) years it took for us to make this one single convening happen. Two coasts, two schools, many conversations. Nothing transactional, nothing short-form. Just a genuine curiosity about each other's pursuits - textured and organic. No 0s, no 1s.
To underscore this point, public health expert Renee D Goodwin, Ph.D., M.P.H. joined us. I've known Renee since we were 10 years old. I have not seen her in person since 1989. She showed up - with her son. So did friends from groups as "disparate" as Goldman, Dartmouth, and PhD Project.
🚁 New MENTAL MODELS to nudge you to get out of your routine and navigate a future that is unimaginable to most. Do you have the agility to fly your life/career like a helicopter? Can you land (not crash) anywhere, can you pause/hover with the confidence that you can vertically lift off without a long runway? Are you thinking in systems? Can you envision an AI infused world where the most human skillsets will be the most irreplaceable? Can you combine imagination/creativity with quantitative numeracy? Are you facile in multi-modal and multi-sensory communication?
🚁 There is no replacement for intangible assets like character, dignity and principles. No trust, no dice - once you lose it ,it's gone. I don't care how smart you are or how easy it is to hide behind technology, corporate custom, or spreadsheets. History is rich with those who embraced "plausible deniability." Be proud of your "how" -- it will eat you up if you don't -- emotionally and mentally... The best investors think long-term. Ask Warren Buffet.
Fundamentally, embracing Agency is a process AND a skillset. Most will willingly or blindly give it away. Don't be one of those people. The best part? The hardest part of the journey is FREE; meaning, the return on investment is infinite.
To the student organizations who helped host me. Read the book! The learning process embedded in its construct is its most important lesson. the red helicopter
Columbia Women in Business CBS Black Business Student Association Retail & Luxury Goods Club at Columbia Business School