GAINESVILLE, FL:  A distinguished panel of alumni, including Trudy Daniels (BS ISE 1981), Hunter Jones (BS ISE 1980), Roger Madariaga (BS SE 1973), Carlos del Sol (BS IE 1972), Consuela Smith (MS ISE 2011), and David Wright (BS CE 1987), sat down with young alumni and shared a variety of tips on management and leadership on Saturday, February 9.  The panel discussion was held before the ISE Young Alumni Advisory Board (YAAB) convened their meeting to set goals for the next 12 months.

The advice was far ranging.  Jones stressed the need to build teams that complement your skills.  Del Sol and Madariaga noted that success will be measured by the success of your team.  Daniels wanted all to make sure that they defined success for themselves, as it can be very personal and include aspects from both inside of and outside of work.  Madariaga warned that although engineers fix things, you cannot fix everything — especially when dealing with people.

Madariaga also noted that with added responsibility comes greater ambiguity.  “As you climb the ladder, one of the things you have to be good at is managing under a high level of uncertainty,” said Madariaga.

The group emphasized continuous learning, especially with regards to management style — recommending continued networking and reading.  Wright probably summarized it best, stating, “You can listen to all of us, but you will find your own way.”