ANNA SHEA
Contributing Writer
I want my life to be well spent. I want to live in such a way that what I sacrifice to accomplish now will touch the lives of others long after my generation has passed. But how do I get beyond good intentions? This spring break, I was one of 10 students on Project Lead, a road trip designed to grapple with this very question by connecting students with leaders. The planning, the workshops and especially the logistical hiccups made the week rich in challenges and opportunities to grow by exploring leadership through action.
The most inspiring aspect of the trip for me was the interviews. There’s nothing like hearing wisdom directly from someone at the height of responsibility in a field. Certain themes kept getting reiterated throughout the dozen or so dialogs we had with leaders throughout the week. Dr. Charles Elachi, Director of Jet Propulsion Laboratories (JPL), has a positive approach to failure because he has seen it provide him with opportunities to grow.
Our tour of JPL’s command center brought us to his conference table where we settled into leather swivel chairs to ask about the keys to excellent leadership. From childhood, Dr. Elachi’s intellectual curiosity and the freedom he felt to try new things were what launched him into a life of global impact in science, technology and politics. As the director of JPL, he cultivates an environment where risk-takers thrive. “If you don’t ever fail,” he said with a smile, “you are not trying hard enough.” Freedom to fail was one of many universal themes mentioned by our 12 leaders, whose vocations range from homeless ministry to the wholesale diamond business.
Planning the trip ourselves made the successes rewarding and meaningful. For over a month, we had been working out logistics with the leaders, high schools and those who let us stay at their homes for the night. By the time we actually met, we were so excited. Everyone we encountered went out of their way to express their support, and it was such a blast to see what came of it. I never would have pictured my spring break leading me into Governor Schwarzenegger’s cigar tent behind the Capitol.
The greatest reward, though, came at high schools. At the end of our leadership workshops, we would brainstorm with the students in small groups to deal with needs specific to their school, which included private as well as inner-city. One 11th grader decided to sit with a student who seems lonely at lunch every week. Several others agreed to try finding out the reasons behind their school’s drug problem and take a more proactive effort to address the issue.
The collaboration and, at times, improvisation that made the trip such a success was because of our teamwork. I didn’t know any of my teammates until Project Lead, and the way we combined our personal strengths to support the effort totally blew me away.
I wouldn’t trade the long drives for anything, either. I’ll never forget the insightful feedback I received from my teammates during those hours in the vans. We helped each other identify where our personal strengths lie, and we brought out the best in one another. Everyone responded to challenges and we each got moments to shine.
Now that I’ve enjoyed a few weeks to apply what I gained from the trip to my responsibilities at Pepperdine, I realize how much confidence it gave me. I can’t imagine a more rewarding way to spend my spring break.
03-20-2008
