the one about a closing social

the one about a closing social

Sunday, April 14, 2013

Once again I found myself at closing social last week. This time it was for the Strategy program and both classes were attending. One of my favorite things about the business school is that it allows to attend so many events like this where I get to learn from some of the most inspiring people that I have ever met. The speaker was Clark Gilbert, CEO of Deseret Digital Media.

Clark Gilbert

Since it is so close to graduation, I have felt that each of the speakers I have listened to in the recent weeks have emphasized having a plan and being consistent with your long term goals. Clark was no different. Like Clayton, he spoke of the importance of defining a strategy for life and building around that. He said, "It will be absolutely devastating to your future if you fail to plan a strategy now." This placed in me such an urgency to spend time thinking about what my strategy is and what I want in the long-term. Yes, I have spent time thinking about this before and I know many things that I do want, but I need to spend time mapping it out.

Clark spent the majority of his time with us discussing this strategy, but there was something else that said that has stuck out to me in the days since his lecture. Clark explained that the businesses have resources and the way they allocate these resources define what it is important to that firm. They may have a values statement or a company vision, but their allocation of their resources reveals what they are really focused on. He then posed the question, "How do you allocate your resources?" What do I spend my time, money, energy, and mental capacity doing? Do the things that I do in my spare time support the person I want to become and the things that I want to achieve in my life?

I have been thinking about these questions for days. I determined that there are somethings that I can do better. My free time is not always spent in the most productive way and I have the power to change that. It is interesting to me that all three of the speakers that I have heard at the Marriott School's closing socials have centered around this idea of becoming something better and being true to the values and goals that we have. I do not think it is a coincidence. Rather, I think it is an opportunity for me to reflect on the trajectory that I am on and be sure that I am going the direction that I want to be going and how wonderful is that? :)