© CORPORANTES, 2008 CORPORANTES 1 BGS Student Leadership Forum Learning to Read the Signs: What Kind of Leader Can I Be? Preparation Work Tampa, FL November 7-10, 2013

© CORPORANTES, 2008 CORPORANTES 2 As you prepare to enter the marketplace, you are going to face a number of differentoften difficultchallenges. Perhaps you know what you will be doing; perhaps you dont. Maybe you are somewhere in the middle, sure of what you love but not sure how to turn that into a career or vocation. Maybe you are facing some personal decisions or realizations that could impact you for many years to come. Or, perhaps you just have a lot of questions that need to be answered. One thing you do know for certain is that life is about to changeagain. Youre about to become a freshman in the real world. This is an experience everyone has to get used to! The more you grow, the more you begin again. It happens for the rest of your life. So what are you doing to make sure that YOU happen to life and life doesnt just happen to you? This inquiry process is more than just a confirmation of your competencies. Youre at the SLF. You know that youre goodor at least capable of being good at any number of things. The inquiry process is more than learning your strengths and weaknesses. In most cases, you already know these all too well. When you are asked to think about the kind of leader you will be, you are being asked to prepare. Prepare for what? Prepare for a life that matters. The inquiry process challenges you to reflect on who you are and who you will become. Its philosophical, spiritual, logical, emotional… and, at times, uncomfortable. Are you ready to really own who you are as a leader? This day-long inquiry will challenge you to leave behind simple solutions and mediocre assumptions about your life. It will challenge you to think in the box about who you are and who you are becoming. It will ask you to own your valuesyour non-negotiables. The inquiry will challenge you to risk seeing your life as a sustainable enterprise with a purpose bigger than anything youve imagined. Lets get started. Preparation Matters.

© CORPORANTES, 2008 CORPORANTES 3 Your Driving Question The Inquiry process challenges you to reflect on the questions before you. If youre reading this and thinking, I dont have questions in my life right now. youre not alone, and youre not entirely correct. Many begin this process confident in their direction and in how things are going to turn out. Most of their academic experience has reaffirmed this degree of confidence. The irony is that life doesnt always deliver experiences that do the same. There are always questions that need to be asked… should be asked. The hard part is when they dont get asked. Life will surprise you. Asking questions can help you be prepared. Students from previous forums have learned the value of asking questions. Questions help to prepare you to act with wisdom and discernment, even in situations where quick decision-making is required. So what kinds of questions have people from previous inquiry sessions asked? Here are some examples. What professional direction should I take? Have I chosen the right field? What are my life goals? What are my values (non-negotiables)? What are my career goals? Which company is right for me at this point in my life? What is it that I would really like to do for a living? Should I move cities and live away from my family? Is the person I am dating the one that I should marry? How do I navigate the challenges of work and family? Whats on your mind?

© CORPORANTES, 2008 CORPORANTES 4 These questions on the previous page were all asked with the intent of gaining insight into one of the most important questions you can ask: What Kind of a Leader Can I Be? During the inquiry process we will take a deeper look at three elements which are seldom examined in business school settings and which get overlooked in the day-to-day demands of business: 1.Your Values and Beliefs. These guide your behavior, decisions and actions. 2.Your Core Purpose. This is the work you want and were meant to do. 3.Your Mission. This is your bold and compelling goal. On Saturday, you will be led through PathFinder Pragmatic Inquiry. This dynamic process is an exercise for determining answers and gaining insight into future direction for your life. To get the most from this experience, however, you must come prepared. On the following pages are five questions for you to answer. These questions and your responses will form the Baseline (foundation) for your inquiry process. On Saturday, you will have the opportunity to think about issues that are important to you, answer your questions and develop a plan of action to become the best leader you can be. Get prepared. Ask questions. Be ready. The Inquiry Process.

© CORPORANTES, 2008 CORPORANTES 5 (Note: Personal Preparation Worksheet for Saturday Inquiry – not to be handed in.) YOUR QUESTION 1. As you move toward graduation and think about your career, what question, issue, doubt, problem, challenge or opportunity do you face? 2. Why is this question/issue important? What kinds of decisions will (must) be made and what will be the impact when you get an answer? (This will sharpen the question.) Baseline: What Kind of Leader Can I Be?

© CORPORANTES, 2008 CORPORANTES 6 (Note: Personal Preparation Worksheet for Saturday Inquiry – not to be handed in.) BASELINE ANSWER TO YOUR INQUIRY QUESTION (Hint: Write quickly your best guess, hunch, or thoughts. Use the back if you need more space.) 3. What is your preliminary answer now? 4. What are your personal values, beliefs, goals, etc. and how are they impacting your answer? 5. Based on your answer, what action will you take? What action are you taking now? Baseline: What Kind of Leader Can I Be?