250 Students Attend 2014 Leadership Conference

The 2014 Leadership Conference brought in 250 students, an increase from previous years, and keynote speaker Cara Hale Alter. This year’s conference focused on acquiring credibility as a leader.

Backed with 20 years of job experience in projecting confidence and competence, Alter was a dynamic speaker.

Alter’s keynote presentation explained the importance of not allowing others to “lower the bar” in terms of their expectation of you.

Her lively presentation gave students up-close parallel examples of how to act and how not to act in leadership roles. The how-not-to examples had students laughing, probably because these communication mistakes were all too familiar and, shockingly, unnoticeable before.

Derailing in communication, for example, is important to be aware of. Avoid making extraneous movements, such as “tail wagging,” Alter explained for example. Repeatedly shifting your weight back and forth on both legs is distracting and shows a lack of confidence. Instead of this, feet should be planted on the ground. Body movements should still remain fluid, not overly mechanic.

Various sessions after the keynote speaker provided students with more helpful tools. Josie Ahlquist, experienced in Higher Education Leadership, lead the Digital Student Leadership session.

Ahlquist reminded students that social media can be either very bad or very good. Social media like Facebook should be used to project positivity, not negativity. It is important to remember that the purpose of social media is service to the community. Always contribute quality content and use a “leadership filter.”

Social media content can go viral no matter how few followers you have, Ahlquist said. Posting irresponsibly can permanently damage your career prospect now and in the future.

Thankfully for many, she put it into clear-cut perspective with no room for misunderstanding: If the social media content you posted was on the front page of a newspaper the following day, would you be okay with it? If the answer is no, then it is time for self reassessment.

Bringing the 2014 Leadership Conference to a close, spoken word artist and poet Joaquin Zihuatanejo performed. Just as Alter’s opening presentation captured the audience, Zihuatanejo’s performance did too, in a different fashion but just as powerful.

 

Allie Teaze
News Editor
ateaze@ucmerced.edu

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