ucsd western regional leadership conference 2010

National Association of Engineering Student Councils (NAESC) Western Regional Conference : 

National Association of Engineering Student Councils (NAESC) Western Regional Conference Leadership and Your Career Sam Knight, UCSD Class of 1973 Applied Physics and Information Science VP Customer Fulfillment, TechnoCom Corporation samknight@alumni.ucsd.edu 1 Copyright Sam Knight 2010

Agenda : 

Agenda My background, my perspective Leadership roles in industry Career Paths 2 Copyright Sam Knight 2010

My Background, My Perspective : 

My Background, My Perspective Industry, not academia Degree in APIS(?) and Psychology Applied Physics and Information Science Computer science, electrical engineering, computer engineering Engineer to Management to Business Hardware and software designer – microprocessors Software engineering – computer aided design Systems engineering – computer graphics Technical business development – wireless Domestic and international 3 Copyright Sam Knight 2010

Two Ways to Explain Anything : 

Two Ways to Explain Anything 2 x 2 Grid A vs. B and C vs. D Doesn’t tell you the right answer Highlights choices Pendulums All things change Changes often cycle and repeat The only time the pendulum stops is when the clock is broken Animation by hubert.christiaen@telenet.be 4 Copyright Sam Knight 2010

Leadership Roles in Industry : 

Leadership Roles in Industry 5 Copyright Sam Knight 2010

The Variety of Manager Roles : 

The Variety of Manager Roles 6 Copyright Sam Knight 2010

Career Paths : 

Career Paths Management Staff Business Technical 7 Copyright Sam Knight 2010 Senior scientist / Principal architect CTO / VP Engineering CEO Sales Engineer CMO Career Change

Career as an Omnivore : 

Career as an Omnivore Omnivore: “eat anything” Omnivorous career: learn lots and pick what you love The Omnivore’s Dilemma: How do you eat something new and know if it’s going to kill you? The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals, author Michael Pollan Choices, choices, choices Engineering/social/artistic Development/sales High/low/no tech Service/product Micro/macro Consumer/industrial, Business/academic Domestic/international 8 Copyright Sam Knight 2010

Pace of Change – Get Used to It : 

Pace of Change – Get Used to It 9 Copyright Sam Knight 2010 Different pursuits experience different pace of change Change occurs within your career path Change can occur TO your career path

Summary: Career Paths : 

Summary: Career Paths Management Staff Business Technical 10 Copyright Sam Knight 2010 Other quadrant options Corporate / Entrepreneur Public Facing / Inside the Org Development / Support Marketing / Sales Technology / Social Manage People / Manage Projects Manic Change / Modest Change Other Z-axis options Arts Social work Politics / government Parenthood

Conclusions : 

Conclusions Embrace change If you aren’t failing, you aren’t taking enough risks Lead, follow, or get out of the way “If you come to a fork in the road, take it.” – Yogi Berra 11 Copyright Sam Knight 2010

Thank youany questions? : 

Thank youany questions? 12 Copyright Sam Knight 2010 Sam Knight, samknight@alumni.ucsd.edu